She’s the “Bell” of the ball during this U.S. Women’s Open, and while she’d much prefer being off to one side letting the players soak up the limelight, she knows she has painted herself into a corner this time.
“There’s only one story here,” she protested when asked for an interview. “We have the Open! We have the Open!”
Perhaps that’s true. But, without Peggy Kirk Bell, the Women’s Open coming to Pine Needles very well might never have happened.
The venerable Don Padgett, a PGA of America legend and Pinehurst Resort director of golf, may have got it right when he said, “While Pine Needles is a great Donald Ross golf course, I believe the USGA awarded the 1996 U.S. Women’s Open originally to honor Peggy Kirk Bell. It’s returning because of the golf course.”
Bell smiles at that.
“So they came the first time for Peggy Kirk Bell and the second time for Donald Ross,” she said. “That’s pretty good company.
“Actually, the USGA told us while Bullet was alive that we could have the Open if we put up $20,000 for the purse. Now, they put up $2.9 million for the purse. If we had to do that, we, we wouldn’t be holding it.”
Although she’ll be 80 on Oct. 28, Bell has been busy speaking before civic clubs and business groups promoting the Open.
“I haven’t done that much,” she insisted. “I’ve spoken to some groups, but not too many. This is the biggest thing in North Carolina for women, and having it here and being involved is a great honor. I didn’t even have to work.
“There’s a great steering committee of some of the most brilliant and successful women in the state that’s taken care of everything. They’ve been unbelievable — done a bang-up job with the economy the way it is now.
“We had the biggest and best Open in history in 1996, and this one is going to be even bigger. It’s been fun and exciting, just talking about the game.”
Bell is looking forward to Thursday and the opening round of the 56th Open Championship. But there is also a sadness.
“Nancy Lopez and Betsy King are two big names that won’t be here,” she said, “and that makes me sick. Nancy has done so much for women’s golf, maybe more than anyone since Mickey Wright and Babe (Zaharias). She’s so sweet and such a wonderful champion that I really wanted her to be here.
“I questioned the USGA’s decision not to give her an exemption, but they said that she had only played in four tournaments all year and really wasn’t competitive. Knowing Nancy, I think she would have been ready for the Open.”
Bell doesn’t have some of the concerns that existed prior to the 1996 Open. Then, she was worried that the Pine Needles course might not hold up to the play of the world’s greatest women golfers. She was concerned that something might go wrong with the staff or that the national audience might get a poor impression of something.
Not to worry. Everything went great and the USGA rewarded Pine Needles with an immediate announcement that it would bring the Open back in 2001.
“We’re more prepared because we knew what to expect, and the course is in better shape than it was in ’96,” she said. “David (Fruchte, course superintendent) has done a fantastic job and I’ve never seen the course more beautiful. They’ve extended water lines into the rough so we don’t have to worry about the Bermuda being long enough and the changes they’ve made such as shortening the par-3 5th hole and moving the fairway bunkers on No. 10 should make it play even better. All we can do now is hope for good weather.”
Does this mean that the USGA will be coming back soon?
“We’ve invited them to come back,” Bell said, “and I hope they do.
“I have a sneaking feeling that they will. David Fay (USGA executive director) said that Pine Needles is the Shinnecock of women’s golf.”
That’s pretty good company, too.
