Nature also created rain, dumping more than two inches of it on the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open Friday afternoon. Many speculated that the rain would take the teeth out of the golf course, particularly the greens.
Soft greens, they said, would lead to a sea of red scores Saturday, especially since 105 players had to return early in the morning to complete play in the second round.
It didn’t happen.
Karrie Webb and Grace Park, both with 69, were the only players able to post scores under par in the third round. Only 11 players posted numbers in the red during the completion of the second round, leaving Webb and Se Ri Pak as the only players under par for the championship.
“I expected to throw darts this morning,” Beth Daniel said. “These greens didn’t change that much. I guess it’s the sand-based soil.”
Daniel, who stands at 4-over and tied for 12th, was one of the many golfers forced to return at 7 a.m. Saturday morning to complete her second round.
After going even par playing 18 holes in the morning, Daniel came out for her afternoon third round after just a short rest. The greens were even quicker than they were during her morning round.
“They went out and rolled the greens again before the second 18,” she said. “Yu-Ping Lin (one of her playing partners) putted off the first green. That told me right away that the greens were considerably quicker than in the morning. But that’s part of playing in an Open; you just have to grind it out.”
Daniel knows about having to grind it out in Opens. She played her first one in 1976 and a total of 24 overall.
Dina Ammaccapane knew the greens would be playing quick, despite the rain. She started her morning round on the par-3 14th hole, her fifth.
“The greens were rocks,” she said. “It didn’t take long to figure that out.”
Ammaccapane went on to card a 73 in the second round. In the third round, she had a 75 for a three-round total of 217, good for 30th place.
Dottie Pepper ended a 12-hour, 36-hole day with a bogey on 18. She carded a 69 in her morning round, before coming back with a 70 in the afternoon. Her 213 total leaves her at 3 over for the Championship.
“I’ve been here more than 12 hours,” she said. “I’m disappointed with the way I finished, but I’m striking the ball well. But this is an Open, and the course being tough is no surprise. The wind swirled all day and the speeds on the greens changed. Mentally, it tires you out, but you know what you are in for. I knew I had to play 36 today.”
Stephanie Keever didn’t have to play 36 holes. She finished play Friday at 2-over-par and holding low amateur honors. After taking a 10 on the 12th hole, which included a 6-stroke foray around the green that began with rolling a putt past the cup and into a bunker, she finished the third round with an 83.
She is no longer low amateur. That honor falls to Candy Hannemann, who recently won the NCAA Women’s Championship while playing for Duke. Hannemann finished the third round at 8-over 218.
Leave it to Daniel, the veteran of many Open venues, to point out a little twist to the Pine Needles experience.
Daniel said the course was not only Open tough, but that it was a tough walking course with some “sneaky hills” to traverse.
“All I want to do is go home and put my feet up,” she said. “If it doesn’t rain, the greens will be a lot firmer and quicker.”
The players might not want to hear it, but the USGA’s weather report for Sunday says sunny and warm — no mention of rain.
