Wet was a more accurate description of the day, but that just played into the relaxed atmosphere.
With the players mostly hanging around the practice areas because the rainy weather curtailed practice rounds, autograph seekers were having a field day.
As the sun came out later in the afternoon, the putting greens and practice ranges began to fill with players, and the rope-leaners did their best to get the attention of the competitors. It must have been expected, because several of the players seemed to have added another club to their bags – a Sharpie.
Becky Iverson, an 8-year veteran of the LPGA tour with one win, hit a few shots on the practice range before moving to the putting green. She didn’t stay there long.
“I came in this morning. That was the bumpiest flight in my life coming into Raleigh,” she said. “I’ve played every day for a month, so a little break is good. I putted a little bit, but I gave up on that. I know the greens will be a lot faster than that.”
She knows about the Donald Ross greens, and she knows about Pine Needles, having finished in a tie for 25th in the 1996 Open held here.
“I remember the course is long, and the undulating greens.”
Not only undulating greens, but also hard and fast greens await the players, Iverson said.
“The greens may be a little softer today, but by Sunday I don’t think they will be. The course is so long and you have to hit a lot of long irons into the greens, it would be nice if they are soft for a couple of days. But I think come Sunday they will be lightning-quick.”
Quick enough to test the skills of the best women players in the world, 150 of whom will be on hand when the first round begins Thursday. The talk of the spectators, if not the players, is the domination of foreign players on the LPGA this season, with just two Americans winning in 15 events.
Iverson said the tour does have the best players in the world, and it doesn’t mean the Americans lack ability.
“This is a world tour,” she said. “The best from every country are here. But if you look at the winners it’s not just the Europeans players or the Japanese or the Australians. It’s not one country dominating. If you break it up into countries, the United States is holding its own.
“We might be a little bit behind the Swedes, with Annika having the year she’s having.”
Annika as in Sorenstam, as in four wins in a row and five altogether this year, the Swede who shot a 59 during one of her victories.
“Annika is playing really well,” Iverson said. “She’s got a lot of good memories about this place and any time you have good memories, then that’s a good place to play.”
Another participant, although not as a player, who was hanging around the putting green was Reilly Rankin. She is also working on developing good memories of Pine Needles.
Rankin is coming off playing in one national championship and will be the caddie for Angela Jerman during the Open.
A junior at the University of Georgia, she was a member of the Bulldogs women’s team that won the NCAA Women’s National Championship in Florida last week. The Bulldogs shot a 290 on the final day to make up a three-stroke deficit in winning the championship. Rankin finished 10th in the individual competition.
Jerman, her teammate and good friend, qualified for the Open by shooting a 65 in the sectional qualifier at the Brentwood Country Club in Tennessee on May 14. Jerman is one of 10 collegiate golfers who are playing in the Open.
“Angela gets to play a practice round with Annika,” Reilly said. “That is just great. It’s awesome. I’m excited just to be here. It’s like the nationals have never ended.”
