Swede Positions Herself For 36-Hole Marathon

By Ken Klavon, USGA

Newport, R.I. – That collective sigh of relief emanating from Newport Country Club Saturday no doubt was made by a majority of the field except for Annika Sorenstam.

That’s because the Swedish star pulled a 7-foot putt left on her final hole, carding bogey, to enter the clubhouse at 2-under-par 140 through the first rounds. Parring or birdieing the hole would have a drastic effect on the cut line in which the low 60 scores and ties and any contestant within 10 shots of the lead play the final 36 holes. First round co-leaders Pat Hurst, Se Ri Pak and Jane Park had afternoon tee times. Defending champion Birdie Kim shot 12-over 154 through her first two rounds and likely won’t make the cut.

"I’m smiling and hopefully tomorrow too," said Sorenstam, even par on Saturday.

Annika Sorenstam misses a birdie putt on No. 17 Saturday during the second round. (John Mummert/USGA)

Jeong Jang, who also recorded an even-par round to stand at aggregate 1 over, thought Sorenstam’s lead was still within reach.

"Everybody can shoot like 80 [or] everybody can shoot even par," said Jang, who has never placed higher than sixth in five Women’s Opens. "That’s like three or four strokes, no problem."

With the way the wind was increasing, players going off in the afternoon are going to find it difficult to score on a layout that is set up at roughly 6,510 yards. Roughly because Mike Davis, in charge of setup for the USGA, again had to alter yardages due to lasting effects from uncompromising weather this past week. Tee markers on six holes were moved back, but the distance is still shorter than the envisioned 6,616 yards Davis had for the weekend.

"The course has dried out but it’s not dry," said Davis.Actually the course had firmed up between the ropes, primarily on the greens and fairways, but not on the outside where marshy mud paths were common.

Murky wouldn’t be the word to describe Sorenstam’s day. Going off No. 10, she registered 13 consecutive pars to start her round, capping the last par with a gritty up-and-down from a right greenside bunker on the par-3 fifth. She said she had a tough time reading green speeds before making the turn.

With the USGA double-cutting them in the morning and night, and then rolling them, speeds measured 11 on the Stimpmeter when play began, according to Davis.

"I didn’t really have the speeds," said Sorenstam, trying to win her third career Women’s Open and 10^th major. "I figured it out."

"I thought [the conditions] would be easier, but no," said Lorena Ochoa, after a 2-over 73 left her four shots behind Sorenstam. "For some reason, the wind picked up earlier than I thought it would."

Sorenstam tightened the vice on No. 6, the second of back-to-back par 3s, with a 14-foot birdie putt from below the hole. It brought an animated right fist twirl.

However, one of her two blemishes on an otherwise stable round followed on the dogleg right sixth hole. Sorenstam just missed the green, leading to a chip that curled 8 feet away from the hole before she yanked the putt.

She again got to 3 under on the par-4 seventh, tapping in a 16-footer that left her raising both arms in exhilaration.

Sorenstam could have deflated the field had she at least parred the ninth. But a crucial missed fairway, only her third of the round, saw her ball going into swampy left rough. Worse yet, her ball was plugged and she took a drop instead of asking for relief from casual water. It led to a chip 7 feet past the hole. She couldn’t convert the comebacker.

"It was so soggy," she said. "It was not even worth dropping for casual water because who knows where you’re going to end up."

Now she’ll rest up for what’s gearing up to be a grueling 36 holes of golf Sunday. It’s made her more poised to outlast the rest of the field in what likely will shape up as a test of endurance.

"I think it’s harder to win when you want it more, knowing that you can win it and your game fits the course," said Sorenstam, whose last major victory came at last year’s McDonald’s LPGA Championship.

Jang also knows the race to the finish line will come down to who is the most mentally fit, adding that she can’t remember the last time she had to play 36 holes in one day.

"I think it’s all mind, I think," said Jang tapping her head. "Thirty-six holes is going to be tiring. And somebody I think has to have a strong mind.

Ken Klavon is the USGA Web Editor. E-mail him with questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org.