Back in 1995, it was the joy she displayed after beating Dottie Mochrie on the first hole of a sudden death playoff to capture the Pinewild Women’s Championship. Walking out of the press tent after her victory, she raised both hands and yelled with glee.
After carding a double bogey on the final hole of her opening round of the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open Championship at Pine Needles, she tossed her putter in disgust on top of her bag.
The same thing happened in Friday’s second round. After covering the first 17 holes in four-under, Jones double-bogeyed her final hole once again.
“I played really good yesterday,” Jones said, “and just kind of came up really disappointing …The finishing hole has got me kind of upset right now and disappointed because I worked so hard to get myself back in the game, and now I’m back to one-over par.”
Starting on 10 Friday, her final hole was the ninth, a short par-4 of 376 yards. Playing to a 4.227 average so far during the championship, there have only been two double bogeys on the hole.
Her downfall on the hole began when she caught the first cut of rough with her tee ball.
“I was in the first cut right up against the second cut on nine,”she said, “and really didn’t put a good swing on it. The grass grabbed my club and hooked it over into the bunker. It came out of the bunker not as well as I would have liked and went over the back edge.”
Jones pitched up, but missed her putt for bogey.
Despite the round-ending miscue, her second round 68 has her at one-over 141 for the tournament. She trails leader Karrie Webb by six strokes.
She is well aware that Webb’s round of 65 Friday, which broke the women’s course record in a competitive round, has put the Australian in an envious position.
“I know Webb is going to shoot good numbers out there,” she said. “I think you can shoot five-under on this golf course. I think I could have shot five-under had I hit a decent shot on the last hole. But I didn’t.
“Webb has played really well all year long. She’s very hungry for a win this year and she’s standing at attention right now. She’s got my attention.”
Jones also doesn’t mind the fact that she hasn’t generated a lot of attention during the Open week. She seems quite content to get away from the course when she is done with business and relax, especially since she is dealing with a cold.
“I’m just kind of low-key,” she said. “I’ve been sick, so I’ve just been in bed with my box of Kleenex and that’s it.”
Despite never winning an Open in 19 attempts, she has come close, finishing second in 1984 and in a tie for fourth last year. In 1996, the first time the Open was held at Pine Needles, she finished in a tie for 10th.
With the weather playing havoc with the playing schedule, Jones is looking forward to a good rest before having to play her third round on Saturday.
“If they don’t get done today,” she said, “it will be late mid-morning or afternoon before I play again. So I’m pretty much going to have about 24 hours before I play. I’m going to have time to rest up these old bones of mine and get ready.”
