The Week Sept. 7-13
No More Walkover Cups
Entering the '90s, the U.S. was 22-5 in the Ryder Cup, 28-2-1 in
the Walker Cup and 19-4-2 in the Curtis Cup. In the '90s, the
corresponding numbers are 2-3, 3-3 and 2-3. Watching the U.S.
lose the Walker Cup last week, '38 Cupper Charlie Yates, the
uncle of American captain Danny, said, "Bob Jones used to say
that you learn more from your defeats than your victories." For
the U.S. contingent in next week's Ryder Cup at the Country
Club, school's in session.
PGA Hal Sutton, winner of the Bell Canadian Open at Glen Abbey
Golf Club outside Toronto is only the fifth U.S. Ryder Cupper to
win a tournament in '99. He beat Dennis Paulson by three
strokes.... Nick Faldo finished eighth, his first top 10 in two
years, while Chip Beck was 15th, his first top 25 in three....
Bob Estes, who'll replace Davis Love III if Love's tender back
keeps him out of the Ryder Cup, finished 10th before heading to
Brookline, Mass., on Monday to see the Country Club for the
first time.... Augusta National made minor modifications to six
holes on the back nine, including the removal of two trees that
were causing fits on the right portion of the 17th fairway....
Greg Norman, who has fallen out of the top 50 for the first time
in the 700-week existence of the World Ranking, has been granted
a medical exemption and will keep his Tour card.
LPGA Se Ri Pak, in winning the Samsung World Championship by a
stroke over Karrie Webb, played the hardest hole at Rush Creek
Golf Club in Maple Grove, Minn.--the 172-yard, par-3 12th--in
one under. The field played it in 3.303.... Webb double-bogeyed
two of the last four holes on Sunday.... At the second and last
LPGA sectional Q school, Jenny Chuasiriporn, the 1998 U.S. Open
runner-up, shot 70-74-81-79 and failed to advance to the Oct.
19-22 finals in Daytona Beach. Jennifer Rosales won by 13 strokes.
SENIOR Gil Morgan's two-shot victory over Ed Dougherty in the
Comfort Classic at Brickyard Crossing in Indianapolis was his
first win in '99 but the 14th of his Senior career--twice as many
as he had on the regular Tour.... Tom Watson and Peter Kostis
placed 22nd and 74th, respectively, in their tour debuts.
ALSO Bob May, a 30-year-old Oklahoma State alum, made a double
eagle on Friday and won the British Masters at Woburn Golf and
Country Club by a stroke over Colin Montgomerie.... Great
Britain and Ireland won the Walker Cup 15-9 with Luke Donald and
Paul Casey joining Andrew Oldcorn (1983) as the only GB&I
players to go 4-0.
COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPH BY DARREN CARROLL Captain Courageous Ben Crenshaw gives the U.S. more than a fighting chance in the Ryder Cup.
UP and Down
Gil Morgan Tom Watson
Their U.S. collegians Our U.S. collegians
Bob Estes Davis Love III
Ryder Cup experience Ryder Cup rookies
Greg Norman John Daly
