Well, this is it. Another Women's Open over. Took a little extra time but it was fun. My thanks to everyone who checked this out as well as the site in general. We'll continue to explore areas in which we can make it better.

If you're a fan of the senior circuit, check out www.ussenioropen.com. We'll be blogging there too. The 'we' is both of my personalities, I guess.

Congrats to Annika. Well deserved. Take care all.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 02:53 PM

The party's over. Now we know that Annika Sorenstam hasn't lost 'it.' For five unwavering rounds, she stuck to her game plan and won because of it. I'm still amazed how unfazed she gets. She could have easily imploded on the seventh, eighth and ninth holes yesterday when she went double bogey-bogey-bogey, but she didn't.

Hate to say it but Hurst had very little on the course. She took tired swings, missed some putts she probably would have made earlier in the week. She admitted afterward how fatigued she felt, so I don't feel like I'm speaking out of turn. She looked deflated, but I think that had more to do with the physical side than anything.

So now what? From a media perspective, we have to clear out quickly. For those of us heading to Hutchinson, Kan., for the Senior Open, there is an NBC charter later tonight. Then it all starts again tomorrow.

I mentioned it in the U.S. Open blog, but covering any championship takes a toll. Mentally and physically. They are long hours for one thing. My friends gush how great it must be to travel. It is a perk, but honestly, all we ever see is a golf course - from early morning until late at night. Today will be the exception because this ended so early. Almost every night for the past eight days we've left the course around 10 p.m., gotten something to eat, worked some more and hit the sack. Then do it all over again the next day.

The days do go by fast. I've told some colleagues that I go by half years now. Half of the year is in warp speed and flies by.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 01:47 PM

One comment Hurst made last night has stuck with me. She said, "If I start out hot, great, and if I start out cold, fine, too."

It's too bad to see her as cold as our media center. Not trying to be funny or condescending. I want her to do well, just as I do Sorenstam. Makes for better action, emotion, everything you can think of. Hurst has played 72 hard-fought holes. It is a shame, like the adage goes, that someone must lose.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 10:08 AM

The last playoff at Pumpkin Ridge had a little of everything, as I can remember. The lasting images I have is the putt Angela Stanford nailed to get into the three-way. Then I remember Lunke's final putt in the playoff to seal it, a long one at that, which brought tears of joy. I'll never forget the emotion she displayed.

That's what this is all about.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 08:45 AM

There were so many directions this thing could have gone today. Had Inkster not bogeyed the ninth hole, first blowing her putt by the hole some 15 feet, who knows what she would have done.

 If Michelle Wie's ball-striking was a bit better, who knows, she might be in the playoff. Her putting was certainly on this week.

If Se Ri Pak shaved off one stroke from her 74s in the second and third rounds, who knows, she might be playing for her second straight major victory.

Poor Prammanasudh (just love typing her name). Not much of a mention but she was there in the end too.

This figures though. It has been one long week. Eighteen more isn't going to hurt anyone. My carpel tunnel can't get any worse. My pick? Going out on a limb (since I didn't with the Ochoa pick) and taking Hurst. Like the way she's gutting everything out, and don't like the way Sorenstam doesn't have the shut-the-door game she had as late as last year.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 10:15 PM

Well, there you have it. A playoff. At least it took a pressure-filled putt by Pat Hurst to force it. Afterward, it was the most animated I've ever seen her. Funny how I've managed to talk to her one-on-one every day this week, not knowing she'd be in a playoff.

 Her husband, Jeff, told her today that he didn't check out of the hotel. This was before they knew they'd be in a playoff. Hurst's response to him was, "Oh, you're crazy. Why not? He must have known something."

 More in a bit. Deadline.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 08:07 PM

Just ran back in after witnessing Wie, Inkster, Sorenstam come through nine. If Sorenstam doesn't win, she'll be thinking about the missed 3 1/2-footer on the ninth green.

 For Wie to come back and make bogey was miraculous. After hacking out of the rough, her ball going about 40 yards, she stuck her approach into the far right greenside bunker, short-siding herself. Nice out and then drained the putt. That could have been her championship. Alive and well right now.

Inkster also blew an opportunity by rushing her putt on nine. The ball traversed over the slope - and took off. She walked off mumbling to herself.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 05:06 PM

This is as crazy as it gets. Two rounds in one day is unadultrated craziness.

By the time I got most of a story written, the leaders were teeing off again. I'm not kidding when I say it's windy out there. Saw a few balls get knocked down mid-air. But this can't be blamed entirely on the wind. You have to clean up on the greens. Or maybe not, as Inkster demonstrated on No. 15 when she chipped in.

A moment on Inkster. Whenever she does something noteworthy on the course, you can always tell. Her cheer is just, well, different. It's a warmer type of applause, cheer. Hard to describe. Sorenstam has that winner's cheer, like everyone loves her because she wins. But if it came down to the two at the end today, I'm guessing that the gallery will be pulling for Inkster.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 02:27 PM

See Michelle Wie has moved into a tied for the lead. Think I'll go watch her on the course. She's 16 and all, a phenomenal player, but she needs to prove today that she can handle final-round pressure. Seems that she teases by hanging around through three rounds, but then fades after that.

 The jury is out. She has the talent to win. The unfortunate part is, until she does so, the pressure will start mounting.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 11:04 AM

One thing I haven't mentioned is the ridiculous air conditioning we have in the media center. It's either cold or arctic blast. Right now it's arctic blast. The media bundles up like it's a breezy January day, shivering. There are six ducts that just blow and blow. The problem is, it can't be regulated. Shut down or keep on. It's funny because some of the media go outside to warm up. If I could wear gloves and type, I would. Honestly, it gets that cold.

Now where'd that pet penguin go that I adopted the other day?

Posted by Ken Klavon at 09:46 AM

Posted by Ken Klavon at 09:32 AM

Posted by Ken Klavon at 09:45 PM

Long day today, mainly because of the cut. Sometimes it's hard to digest all that's taken place and make some sense out of it. For instance, as Meg Mallon was being carted away from the clubhouse, smiling no less, I hadn't realized she didn't make the cut. But I did when Hilary Lunke was signing autographs. One minute she had a steady round going and the next she was going home. What happened?

How about Kimberly Kim, 14, making the cut? Fourteen years old. Incredible.

Here's hoping we get everything in tomorrow. Otherwise Prarie Dunes in Hutchinson, Kan., which is hosting the Senior Open this next week, is going to be a lonely place until Tuesday. I mean that from a USGA perspective. Don't be fooled. We have people there already, but several are here this week.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 09:33 PM

Just wanted to mention that everything I wrote about Terry Wilson earlier backfired. On my way out to watch the action earlier, who did I run into in the restroom? Yep, Terry. And I just got done saying that he didn't take bathroom breaks. Go figure.

Ai Miyazato, the up-and-coming 21 year old from Japan, also has a large following this week like Ochoa. Except her following is the Asian media. When she finished her round today, she was swarmed by about 30 media members, backed up against a gate. After a few minutes, the group disbanded only to herd over to another area, where they swarmed her again. It's been this way every day with Miyazato this week.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 05:09 PM

I don't think she'll mind mentioning it, but we are pleased to announce that Carol Mann, the 1965 Women's Open champion, has checked in via e-mail. She reads the blog. We are honored.

Anyone who has crossed paths with Mann knows that she's a real cutup. That's another difference between the male and female tours, if you don't mind me saying. The men are tougher to deal with, even the past champs. By tougher, I mean that they are more guarded, curmudgeons in attitude. The women, all the way down to past champs, are always warm with a smile. When I first encountered Nancy Lopez, I thought for certain that she was off limits, wanted space and there were 'rules' - when to ask a question, how to ask the question, etc. It's like that in virtually every professional sport. Was completely the opposite with her. She actually saw me waiting around while she practiced and came up to me.

When I used to cover the National Hockey League, you'd cultivate sources and get to know players. But still, things had to be phrased a certain way to elicit a thoughtful answer. Here, with the women, it doesn't matter, although there are a couple of players who are 'unapproachable.' Won't name names.

Probably my most difficult experience in golf occurred the first time I met Jack Nicklaus. Senior Open at Salem in 2001. He was brought into this real tight interview area. Questioning begins. So I raise my hand and ask him something along the lines of being one of two people in the history of golf to win an Amateur, U.S. Open and Senior Open (Arnold Palmer the other). After that, it got comical.

Nicklaus started spouting off, "How does it feel? What does it mean? What am I supposed to say," clearly testing me and egging on other press in the area. On and on he went. I phrased the question different. But he wouldn't relent. This went on for three or four minutes, clearly bringing me unwanted attention. Finally he just said, "It feels good. I guess."

Afterward, a few media friends were laughing, knowing what Nicklaus was doing. He was testing me, seeing if I'd wilt. But they knew I didn't and wondered why. My response? "Because until someone has to cover Scotty Bowman, this is all a walk in the park." Seriously, it was. Bowman, the legendary hockey coach, was the master of testing reporters. He would sometimes give someone new on the beat misinformation to see if he/she would go with it. If they did, he knew they weren't very good and didn't do their homework. Or, he'd play mind games by completely answering a question a different way, a way that had nothing to do with the question. Pure genius. The sad part is that some reporters never understood what he was doing and they'd get frustrated.

Once you got by all that, he was fine.

A tangential note: I think I mentioned in last year's Senior Open blog that Bowman served as a walking scorekeeper at the championship. Bumped into him in the hotel bar. He had been sitting with friends, so I walked over to him and said hello. Someone in his group asked how it was dealing with him when he was with the Detroit Red Wings. I responded, "Oh, he was fine - when he would answer your questions and not toy around." Laughter, even from Bowman who buried his head.

A final note: the next day, I followed Nicklaus all 18 of his holes. A couple times during the round, he'd walk by making chit-chat, sometimes winking. He's never been difficult since.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 09:44 AM

The man you won't see at this Women's Open is here but stationed in the media center. His name is Terry Wilson. Lives in California. Also works for the USGA. From the time play begins to the time it ends, he's busier than a Rt. 66 center-line painter. That's because he is the unofficial 'official' person in charge of scoreboard calligraphy. Actually, scores are relayed to him via the Real-Time Scoring official. From there, he writes every single score down on a monster board located inside the media center.

Prior to the championship he'll sit down for about four to five hours, writing every contestant's name down in his own unique style. Last year we did a feature on Wilson and Mark Passey, a regional director for the USGA who takes care of all the other championships that Wilson does not attend.

The most interesting question centered on bathroom breaks. Their answer was - none. As men, they somehow learn how to hold it, a special talent all unto itself.

Anyway, Sorenstam is still holding steady at 2 under through four holes today. Beautiful day thus far. Sunny and warming up. Shoes have finally dried out. But we went with the old standbys today.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 09:08 AM

Round one in the books. Just amazed that Sorenstam is tied for the lead after witnessing the windy conditions in the afternoon. Gusts were playing havoc with players' balls, so for her to hang in there showed what kind of special player she is.

Always like seeing amateurs do well. The question now is, can they maintain it over four rounds. The odds are against them, but hey, look at what happened last year with Brittany Lang and Morgan Pressel. In Lang's case, all she did was hang around long enough and almost walked away with the win.

No. 9 was a killer today. Not much success there, no sir-ee.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 09:03 PM

Out with Ochoa for a while this afternoon, and not because I've velcro-ed myself to her now that I have chosen her as my pick. She has a strong following, roughly 20 people from her home town of Guadalajara, Mexico. They are boisterous but not in a bad way. Very, very supportive, which probably makes it all that much tougher on Ochoa to perform well. Knowing her, she is one who will do everything not to disappoint.

In case you're still wondering, course is still wet and muddy. And my shoes are beginning to dry out from this morning.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 05:36 PM

The course is drenched. I know, I know, you're probably tired of reading about it. But it is. When I went out to watch some of the action, no sooner than I make my way down the 18th fairway to backtrack, do I step in a puddle up to my ankles. What makes this noteworthy is that I am wearing brand-spanking new shoes.

I'm not kidding, I walked a solid six holes today and every one of them has places that are mushy, muddy and wet. Balls are bouncing about five extra feet on shots. Jane Park said afterward that it is having an affect on the trajectory of the ball. A high-arcing shot is likely going to get plugged. It might not be that way anymore because the wind has picked up and the sun (sun? what in the world is that?) is out.

Pleased to see Pak turn in a good round. She's the type of person who doesn't have a mean bone in her body.

By the way, a couple people asked me who I think is going to win. My pick went back and forth between Ochoa and Webb (way to go out on a limb there, Ken). But I'm going with Ochoa. There, now you have it.

Earlier, walked down to the range where I found only Morgan Pressel hitting balls. It surprised me, but then I realized the next tee time was an hour and a half away.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 02:42 PM

Posted by Ken Klavon at 09:27 AM

Are we ever going to play? Will the sun ever shine? It is supposed to rain tonight, but then, we've heard this practically every day this week. Can you imagine being the poor forecaster on-site? People are ready to lob snowballs (if they could) at him and it's not his fault.

If I'm antsy, how are the players feeling? Especially those amateurs making their first appearance in the championship. Taylore Karle is one of those players. A solid junior player, she said that she just has to stay patient. Easier said than done when your name is called for the first time.

Rumor mill: Paris Hilton is in town. So said some of the caddies.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 05:35 PM

Somehow the first posting about Paula Creamer did not make it live. Anyway, it wasn't much. Just talking about how she took a nap in the locker room as many other players did. Then I got interrupted.

Carry on.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 02:47 PM

Posted by Ken Klavon at 02:45 PM

So, as I was saying, Creamer got up at 3:45 a.m. for her morning tee time, worked out, then came to the course. Seeing they wouldn't being playing any time soon, she went upstairs to the locker room and took a nap.

"What are you going to do?" she said. "You can't control this."

She's right. Everyone is at the mercy of the weather. If anything, it probably helps her aching right wrist. She has strained ligaments, one of the few times she's had the injury over her career. Really started hurting her a few weeks after the McDonald's.

Wish there was more to report, but not a whole lot of action was taking place. Michelle Wie popped out of the clubhouse, asking if I knew any updates. She walked back and forth going nowhere as TV and print photographers captured her every step.

I started to reach when asking questions of the players. Like, how many times can you ask what they've been doing, what they do to kill time, have they ever remembered fog like this, does it work as a disadvantage to be delayed, how many times they've ate, used the phone, whether they like peanut butter or jelly. You get the point. It got so bad that I started talking clothing with Christina Kim. And I know little about fashion sense. It devolved into Kim showing me how she can blow saliva bubbles, a true talent. I know David Letterman is always looking for guests.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 02:21 PM

Is there anything better than a good old-fashioned weather delay? There is a chance this round may not be played today, but that is NOT a confirmation by any means.

What are the players doing? Hanging out in the clubhouse, sitting around. Some are able to work on their putting, but there's not a whole lot more to do except talk.

Walking out to the par-3 13th hole, you couldn't even see the ocean from the tee. That's how thick the fog is.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 09:54 AM

Well, looks like we won't get to see Jim Craig after all. Craig, as you'll recall, was the goaltender on the 1980 U.S.A. gold-medal winning hockey team. He was going to take part in a golf clinic, but the weather chased him away.

Someone at the U.S. Open e-mailed me asking what the media gets fed. Um, there could be a punchline there but I'll reserve myself. Anyway, in case you are wondering, the spread has been decent. Today it was chicken wraps, salad, cold cuts, fruit, cookies and some kind of gooey sugar-chocolate bar held together by something that will inevitably clog the arteries. Did I mention ice cream too?

Caved in today. Bought a Women's Open hat. First one ever. Broke down. Couldn't help it. While talking to Meg Mallon, a gust swung through, making my hair look like I stuck a finger in an electrical socket (children, please be advised to NEVER do this). It made me wonder later why Hage kept eyeballing my head every so often during our interview. After various comments from several people I knew, and didn't know, I rushed over to the merchandise tent. The salespeople lined up to help me once they saw me walk through the door.

The hat fits swell. Not that you care. Nor should you.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 05:05 PM

I won't say this place is a ghost town, because there are plenty of people around, but probably not as many players had the weather been better. The wind is really grabbing balls, knocking them down, working as Newport's best defense today.

Even with the rain today, most players don't feel the course is in that bad of shape. The only thing they're not getting is roll on the fairways. The way someone like Nicole Hage looks at it, everyone has to play the same course. The longest hitters are booming it around 280-285; Michelle Wie can reach 300 yards. The shorter drivers are getting about 235 yards off the tee. None of that takes into consideration the roll all of them get. So it's best to subtract 20-25 yards off the drives. Instead, the ball is flying 215 and 250-60 yards. They might get another 10 yards if they're lucky.

 Today a few of us thought the wind was going to play the big bad wolf and puff down the media center tent that we're in. That wouldn't be good. Computers mix with water as much as cats like baths. Only computers don't have claws.

Paula Creamer is hurting but she downplays it. She has strained ligaments in her right wrist.

Now we wind down. The first ball is coming soon. Shall return in a bit.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 03:15 PM

Rain, rain, go away. Wind too. It has been pouring here again. Groups of players have walked off the course, it's been raining that hard. Now the concern is whether the course can withstand more water. As explained in an earlier story, the course is at sea level and becomes a repository for all the runoff. Water tends to pool in certain areas.

There has been about three million gallons of water pumped off the course already. Mike Davis, who sets up the course for the USGA, said they'll have to analyze the situation because more rain is expected tonight and tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 11:33 AM

A few more quick observations. Deadline is near.

Walking into the caddie tent, you get the sense that you're walking into a frat party. Not that there is alcohol floating around or anything like that, but they lounge around like it's a vocation. Stop. Before anyone thinks this is an insult, it's not. They work very hard. They are people. They are also nice.

But they also laugh and have a good time. A group of them were screaming at a TV showing a World Cup match. It was comical. A few others sat at tables eating. Another was purchasing a yardage book and getting a bib. I moved closer to the yardage book table to find out what the going rate was. $20. There isn't a caddie out there who won't have one. Players rely on these like they are a gospel of golf.

Now that Se Ri Pak has won another major, she's walking around like the weight of the universe has been lifted off her back. She's back to her smiling self.

One of the better parts of the job: While pursuing the Lorena Ochoa story, I wanted to also talk to Sophia Sheridan. Only I did not know what she looked like. Ran down to the range. No sign. Sniffed under every parked golf bag for a nameplate just to make sure she didn't leave the course. Nothing. Ran to the putting range, which is up a hill from the driving range. Nope. In my obsessed moment, thinking I could have passed her on the way to the putting area, I ran back to the driving range. It was like a Benny Hill skit.

Finally found her bag outside of the caddie tent. Talked to her caddie, who was parked on a leather sofa watching the World Cup match. Extremely helpful. She was eating. So I ran into players' dining, where I didn't see her. But remember, I don't know what she looks like. Finally, Julieta Granada calls me over. She knows Sophia. Finally points her out to me. Sophia looked in shock that someone wanted to interview her.

We spent the next hour talking about Mexico, golf and Ochoa. Fun time. More later.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 06:29 PM

Today is the day where several players are shepherded into the media center to do interviews. For the most part, they are a huge help so you don't have to chase after them all over the course. The downside is that all the other media members will use the same stuff, the same quotes, the same whatever. Reporters are a competitive bunch, so it always strikes me strange to see how many rely on this kind of content. It's not exactly original reporting. My preference is to get whatever player one-on-one. Never know what will develop.

But before I stand on my ivory tower proclaiming such wisdom, I'm as guilty as anyone. There will be stories that develop today off the transcripts. It's the nature of the beast because we have three reporters here, including myself, to cover the championship. This is not a complaint especially when looking back to my first Women's Open in 2001 at Pine Needles. I was it -- for everything. Wrote, edited and posted all the content to the site.

Anyway, I shall return.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 11:01 AM

After walking around Newport C.C. today and talking to too many players to count, here are some observations -- some keen, some that you just may find altogether boring.

Theme of the day has been about how soggy the course is. There were still visible pockets of water on the course, and the ball just stopped like someone lined the place with glue. Sort of like flies getting trapped in that tarry substance you buy at the store.

Jane Park was the first player to register. As I explained in the U.S. Open blog, players must sign in if they want to play. They go through a few stages before they're out the door. First, they must sign a scroll that is normally presented to club after the championship. Second, they have to sign tax paperwork (nice to not have to play and still get paid. No job like The Taxman's). Then they go over logistics, whether they need certain services, rides, etc. And finally they sign up for practice times. It's a never-ending herd of players, really, up until Tuesday. As of 4 p.m. EDT, only 22 players were left to sign in.

Sometimes I forget that Annika Sorenstam is Swedish. The point was re-asserted while waiting to talk to players on the range. She talked to one instructor in her native tongue, which, if you've never heard Sorenstam speak Swedish before, is a bit different. A little more high-pitched (I warned you about something in this being boring).

Megan Grehan, 17, and who has qualified for her third Women's Open, is one of those under-the-radar USGA-solid type players. She's already played in about 25 USGA events (honestly, this is her 12th USGA event in five years) and could be the most down-to-earth players out there. Well, her and Karen Stupples. Not a nicer Brit out there.

Most colorfully dressed and expressive award goes to Christina Kim. Always makes me smile with a crack or with her outgoing personality. She's good for the game.

No spectators were allowed on the course Monday, but Michelle Wie still had a gathering of about 40 people watching her. Most were volunteers or members.

Morgan Pressel lamented that she hasn't been able to find a certain subway sandwich chain yet. There's still time. Speaking of Pressel, her grandfather, Herb Krickstein, is still by her side. His lament was that more people have told him that their video recorders and TIVO systems kicked off early when Morgan was on Conan O'Brien a week ago. Problem was that Jay Leno ran over. Morgan said people didn't miss much, because those last five minutes that people didn't see was the extent of the interview.

Twenty-nine players in the 156-player field are amateurs. That's 18 1/2 percent.

Birdie Kim could have run across traffic today and few would have recognized her. That's not a knock on her. She's reserved and not one to seek the spotlight.

Why is that Juli Inkster seems to have a different sponsor each year? Just wondering.

Wondering why I wonder so much.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 06:15 PM

After walking around Newport C.C. today and talking to too many players to count, here are some observations -- some keen, some that you just may find altogether boring.

Theme of the day has been about how soggy the course is. There were still visible pockets of water on the course, and the ball just stopped like someone lined the place with glue. Sort of like flies getting trapped in that tarry substance you buy at the store.

Jane Park was the first player to register. As I explained in the U.S. Open blog, players must sign in if they want to play. They go through a few stages before they're out the door. First, they must sign a scroll that is normally presented to the club after the championship. Second, they have to sign tax paperwork (nice to not have to play and still get paid. No job like The Taxman's). Then they go over logistics, whether they need certain services, rides, etc. And finally they sign up for practice times. It's a never-ending herd of players, really, up until Tuesday. As of 4 p.m. EDT, only 22 players were left to sign in.

Sometimes I forget that Annika Sorenstam is Swedish. The point was re-asserted while waiting to talk to players on the range. She talked to one instructor in her native tongue, which, if you've never heard Sorenstam speak Swedish before, is a bit different. A little more high-pitched (I warned you about something in this being boring).

Megan Grehan, 17, and who has qualified for her third Women's Open, is one of those under-the-radar USGA-solid type players. She's already played in about 25 USGA events (honestly, this is her 12th USGA event in five years) and could be one of the most down-to-earth players out there. Well, her and Karen Stupples. Not a nicer Brit out there.

Most colorfully dressed and expressive award goes to Christina Kim. Always makes me smile with a crack or with her outgoing personality. She's good for the game.

No spectators were allowed on the course Monday, but Michelle Wie still had a gathering of about 40 people watching her. Most were volunteers or members.

Morgan Pressel lamented that she hasn't been able to find a certain subway sandwich chain yet. There's still time. Speaking of Pressel, her grandfather, Herb Krickstein, is still by her side. His lament was that more people have told him that their video recorders and TIVO systems kicked off early when Morgan was on Conan O'Brien a week ago. Problem was that Jay Leno ran over. Morgan said people didn't miss much, because those last five minutes that people didn't see was the extent of the interview.

Twenty-nine players in the 156-player field are amateurs. That's 18 1/2 percent.

Birdie Kim could have run across traffic today and few would have recognized her. That's not a knock on her. She's reserved and not one to seek the spotlight.

Why is that Juli Inkster seems to have a different sponsor each year? Just wondering.

Wondering why I wonder so much.

Posted by Ken Klavon at 06:15 PM

Welcome to the second annual Women's Open Weblog, where we will aim to please. As stated in the U.S. Open Weblog a week ago, we hope to make you laugh, cry and visit again and again.

Seriously, this will be the place to find interesting tidbits that you may not find in story form on the site. We'll try to blog about anything golf or anything ancillary to the championship this week.

For starters, as the subject header indicates (and I can't take credit for it), we are coming up for air today. It has rained a ton over the weekend, causing the course to take on excess water. I could have sworn that I saw ducks rowing a canoe on Sunday, that's how much accumulation has taken place. The good news is that the sun is peeking through today; players are practicing; the course is drying out; operations are up and running. 

This Women's Open is special because of the location. As one of the USGA's founding clubs, the Newport C.C. is to golf what Lambeau Field is to the Green Bay Packers and football. It's a special place teeming with history.

Anyway, should you have a comment, see something wrong with the site, or simply wholeheartedly disagree with our 'wisdom' on matters, feel free to drop me a line via kklavon@usga.org.

Anyhow, back in a bit. Need to see if the ducks turned in their oars. 

Ken Klavon, USGA Web Editor

Posted by Ken Klavon at 10:01 AM