By Rhonda Glenn, USGA
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A knee-bending putt falls in for Allie White on the third hole Thursday. (John Mummert/USGA) |
Bethlehem, Pa. – On Wednesday, the last day of practice before the U.S. Women’s Open began, Allie White, 19, sat on the grass behind the practice tee at Saucon Valley Country Club, hoping against hope that a slot would open up so she could hit some shots.
White looked tired and a little dejected. Every time she started to stand up at the sight of a vacant spot, someone else moved in. She held her two buckets of balls and clutched her sign. The sign said, “Allie White” in big black letters. It was to stand behind her while she practiced so that everyone would know who she is, which, in her case, is an obscure amateur getting her first taste of the big time.
No spot opened up, so White waited, clutching her sign.
A veteran retired professional approached her and whispered, “Why don’t you tell them Brad Pitt is in the clubhouse having lunch?”
It’s an old trick. Patty Berg, when she found herself in the same situation, would announce that Clark Gable was having lunch in the clubhouse. The pros of that era nearly fell over themselves dashing for the clubhouse door, while Berg calmly dumped her Wilson Staffs on the deserted tee.
Tricks of the trade. But Allie White doesn’t know them yet. This is her first U.S. Women’s Open and she's a little bit nervous.
“The magnitude of it,” White said. “It’s the one you want to win. You’ve been thinking about it ever since you were a little kid. It’s why you play golf. But once you get settled down, you realize that you’re a golfer and it’s a golf course and you can do this.”
White began thinking of winning the Women’s Open when she was 12 years old. She’d played tennis, soccer and basketball, but none of those sports had the hold on her that golf had.
Born and raised in Lancaster, Ohio, White was a fine junior player and made the 2007 Junior Solheim Cup team. She helped the North Carolina Tar Heels to a fourth-place finish in the 2009 NCAA Division I championship. This fall she's transferring to Ohio State.
None of her competitive adventures, however, have been quite as dramatic as this. The side benefits have been impressive. Every contestant is given the use of a Lexus car for the week.
“That’s been a blast,” White said. “New Lexus. Very nice set of wheels.”
What about the brand new practice balls?
“Fantastic!” she said, appreciatively.
White fought hard to get here. At the Sanford, N.C., Women’s Open sectional qualifying site she began with a first-round 77, and then rebounded with a 68 to make the field.
When she arrived at Saucon Valley she was intimidated right off the bat. “I expected the course to be really tough, so I was not let down at all,” White said. “I knew I had to be patient and stay positive. With scoring, what happens, happens.”
In Thursday's first round she got off to a solid start. With birdies at the third and eighth holes, she turned in even-par 36 and for a while was tied for 10th. Three bogeys on the back nine gave White a round of 3-over-par 74. That put her in the middle of the pack, ahead of players such as Karrie Webb and Brittany Lang. Not bad for an amateur in her first major.
“I didn’t hit a ton of fairways, but I was able to scramble pretty well and my putter was great,” White said. “That was pretty much it. I got a couple of good breaks, putted pretty well.
“I have the same game plan for tomorrow,” she said. “My goal is stay positive and be patient.... I’ve got a pretty good crowd coming out from school. We’re looking at about 20, maybe, and my three uncles, one aunt, my mom and dad, my brother and sister, so I’d like to have everybody happy out there and play some good golf and have a good time.”
As for her life goals, the biggest one centers on this magical week. “I’d love to win the U.S. Women’s Open, we can start there,” White said, laughing. “It may not happen on Sunday, but I’ll stay at it for a long time. I’d love to one day be on the LPGA tour ... But I don’t want to just be a golfer. I’d like to be a helpful person in all aspects of life.”
White bounced out of the Media Center. That, too, was a new experience, like everything else about the Women’s Open.
“It has pretty much lived up to everything that I’ve expected,” she said. “And more.”
Rhonda Glenn is a manager of communications for the USGA.
