The Week July 27-Aug. 2
Putting the Majors to Bed
A salty veteran, a bad driver, a disco mom, an odd dresser and
an accidental local. Until last week the winners of the '99
majors--Dottie Pepper, Jose Maria Olazabal, Juli Inkster, Payne
Stewart and Paul Lawrie--had one thing in common: All were over
30. Karrie Webb, 24, infused the year with youth and electrified
the final LPGA major, her fifth-gear finish rivaling Stewart's
at Pinehurst. Next week's PGA, the men's last major, should be
so lucky.
PGA Brent Geiberger, ranked 103rd in putts per round coming into
the Canon Greater Hartford Open at the TPC at River Highlands in
Cromwell, Conn., took 102 putts in beating Skip Kendall by three
strokes and earning his first victory. That total was the best
in the field and the lowest in four rounds by a winner this
year.... Despite a double bogey on number 17 and a bogey on 18,
Geiberger's 18-under 262 broke the tournament record at River
Highlands by five shots.... Brent and Al Geiberger are the
fourth father and son to win Tour events.... Of the 25 pros
asked in Hartford whether Ryder Cup players should be paid, 15
said yes. Of those, three voted for a payment of $25,000, eight
for $100,000 and four for $250,000.
LPGA Webb, while winning her first major, the du Maurier Classic
at Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club in Calgary, needed only
12 putts on the back nine on Sunday.... Webb is the first
Australian to win a major since Jan Stephenson at the 1983 U.S.
Open. With 15 victories she is one shy of Stephenson's career
total.
SENIOR Dave Eichelberger became the tour's fifth multiple winner
of '99 when he beat Dana Quigley in a playoff at the Novell Utah
Showdown at Park Meadows Golf Course in Park City, Utah. Quigley
missed a 3 1/2-foot par putt on the first hole of sudden
death.... Mike McCullough broke a tour record by playing in the
97th consecutive tournament for which he was eligible. Bruce
Summerhays played in 96 straight from 1995 to '97.
ALSO At the Dakota Dunes (S.Dak.) Open two-time U.S. Open champ
Andy North became the first major winner to play in a Nike tour
event. North, 49, shot 71-79 to miss the cut by 10 strokes....
Darren Clarke's 12-under 60 in the second round of the European
Open, at the K Club in Dublin, equaled the lowest score ever on
the Euro tour, but Lee Westwood made up seven shots on the final
day to win. Clarke tied for second.... Hunter Mahan, 17, of
McKinney, Texas, beat Camilo Villegas, 17, of Colombia, 4 and 2
to win the U.S. Junior at the Country Club of York (Pa.).
golfplus.cnnsi.com
COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPH BY J.D. CUBAN Scaling the mountain Inkster had a bead on her third major of '99 but just missed at the du Maurier.
UP and Down
Karrie Webb Annika Sorenstam
Playing for pride Playing for pay
Brent Geiberger Dave Stockton Jr.
Caddies in shorts Caddies in the ER
The Country Club The K Club