Andrews also continued her fine ball striking, as she has throughout her career. She was ranked second in hitting greens in regulation. The only player with a better average than her was Annika Sorenstam. Andrews was also ranked sixth in driving accuracy.
Her season peaked with the U.S. Open and the Canadian Open, where she had two strong showings. Soon after that, however, she was sidelined by injuries to her back and her shoulder. She spent the rest of the season doing rehab work and getting ready for this year on Tour.
She’s been busy off the course, too, in her role as president of the LPGA Tournament Division. She’ll keep that role through the end of the 2004 season.
The following is an edited transcript of a recent conversation with Andrews about the season.
Q: Looking back at last season, what do you think?
A: Actually, it looked good. Unfortunately, I was hurt in the middle of the season. My back started bothering me, so I was out for five weeks in a row, three of which I had planned on playing. And then I didn’t get to play in the last tournament after I dislocated my shoulder.
All in all, I was hitting the ball well. I felt good about what I was doing. I still felt like my putting was hurting me a little bit.
I had gone to work with a new putting coach right toward the end of the year. I was disappointed I didn’t get time to work with it out on tour. I really liked what we had done, and was excited about getting to use it. I was perfecting it at home, but it’s different when you get under pressure — it’s hard to stick with it. So, I’m excited because now I’ve had a full offseason to work on it. Hopefully I’ll be able to put it to better use this coming year.
Q: Last year you had 16 starts, you were 50th on the money list, second in greens in regulation, sixth in driving accuracy. That’s about what you normally do on Tour?
A: Yes, normally I try to stay in the top 10 in driving accuracy and greens in regulation.
Q: And your driving distance was good?
A: You see, I don’t even look at half of those. I look at the driving accuracy and the greens in regulation. I figure I’m second behind Annika in greens hit, so I’m doing OK with that. I figure the one thing that obviously is different is our putting. She’s making a lot more putts than I am. So I’ve been trying to concentrate on that.
Also my short game, when I do miss the green, I need to get them up and down better. I don’t know so much that it was poor chipping as much as it was putting. Even when I was chipping them close, I wasn’t making the short putt. I really felt like the putting was what hurt me the most, and what I need to work on the most.
Q: Looking at your tournaments last year, at the US Open, you were in 12th place going into the last round. The playing conditions were brutal. And then a week later at the Canadian Open, you were tied for seventh. That’s when you were cruising along?
A: That was when I was playing well. Unfortunately, the following week after Canada, in New York, was when my back started acting up. I played the first fourteen holes of the first round and ended up having to withdraw. Then I ended up spending five weeks at home.
Q: So for the upcoming season you’ll work on the putting?
A: I’ve had a lot of time to work on that. I’ve done a lot of rehab. I think dislocating my shoulder was probably God’s way of saying, look, take it easy for a while, let your back rest. Because I couldn’t do much with the dislocated shoulder, it gave my back time to rest.
The back felt pretty good during the offseason. I still have twinges here and there. I’m much more aware of my back now, and I’ve stepped up the rehab on it. I’ve constantly done rehab on the left shoulder, which I just dislocated, and of course I dislocated the right shoulder back in ’99. My upper body is probably stronger, as far as my shoulders and all, than before in my career. So that’s a good thing going forward.
Q: You’ve been working with Bob Touchette?
A: I’ve been working with Bob Touchette at Body Balance, there in Olmstead Village. I’ve worked with him twice a week this whole offseason.
Q: So you’re shooting for playing in 20-some tournaments this year?
A: I hope so. I’d like to be top 10, so we’ll see. I have a lot of other demands on my time this year. It’s going to be a hectic season for me, but that’s OK.
Q: Next May, at the World Congress of Women’s Golf In New York City, you’ll be there as president of the LPGA Tournament Division?
A: I’ll be there. I will not be playing in the tournament that week in New York. I will be there for the Women’s Congress. I will also be working ESPN. I’m doing some commentating that week. I’m going to do four events this year for ESPN and keep my feet wet in that. I did two events last year, I want to do four this year, and then look at possibly doing some full time work for them next year after my presidency is over.
Q: So your presidency is up at the end of next season?
A: My presidency will be over at the end of 2004.
Q: Isn’t this the year that Grace Park becomes a nonvoting member of the LPGA Board?
A: We have two nonvoting members, Grace Park and Vicki Goetz-Ackerman.
Q: Was it special for Grace Park, being the first Korean this year?
A: I think, with all the controversy that had come up over the last year, that we felt it was important for them to have a better voice on our Tour. And for us to have a better way to communicate things that were being said, be it in the media or by other players. By having a player like that on the board, I think it will help them communicate better to the board as far as things that we can do to help them, and vice versa.
Q: That flap with the Korean fathers last year, do you think it was blown out of proportion?
A: I think some of it may have been. I wasn’t there. I wasn’t present at any of the incidents. But when you hear people say that they’re cheating and they’re helping their players … I mean, you have to wonder, they’re all great players. They don’t need it. So, it’s disappointing to hear that. You hope it’s not going on, because we all know golf is a game of integrity and honesty. You certainly hope that, as a player, they wouldn’t let that go on.
You just never know. It’s hard to say, when they’re speaking Korean to their coach or their parent who’s outside the ropes. You never know what’s being said. It’s better, I think, to err on the side of caution. I think some of the meetings we had last year just helped stress to them what our goals were.
Obviously the USGA rulebook is not written in Korean for them. They sort of learn as they go, and need a translator to translate even some of our rules from the LPGA. That’s something we’ve been working on — trying to get some of our things translated so it’s easier for them to understand what we’re asking of them.
Q: Are you taking lessons from Jack Lumpkin anymore?
A: Yes, I was just down working with Jack on my full swing two weeks ago, when I went on to Florida for meetings. And the gentleman I’m working with on my putting, Mike Shannon, is also down there at Sea Island now. So I can kill two birds with one stone.
Q: Any new equipment for the season?
A: I am trying the new Ping irons right now, the G2’s. I’ve got them in my bag and I’m practicing with them to see if they’re something that I might want to put in for the season. We’ll see. The verdict is still out. I’ve been working on my swing, so it’s hard to tell whether it’s me or the golf club. So I’m going to play with them for a couple of weeks and see how they go.
Q: And Pat Corso leaving Pinehurst ... Will that affect your representing them?
A: I will no longer represent Pinehurst. … I signed a contract to represent Pine Needles. Over the past year I was increasing the amount of tournaments I was working for ESPN. When I had gotten hurt they had actually offered me a full season on their schedule doing announcing. But being president, I felt like I needed to play, at least one more year. Of course, getting hurt makes you look at: what am I going to do if I can’t come back? I’ve had my fair share of injuries (laughing).
So I started doing some private lessons this winter. And I didn’t really feel like I knew as many people at Pinehurst as I had in the past. I’ve never had a written contract with Pinehurst. It’s always been a verbal contract through Pat Corso and Don Padgett (who died last year). Obviously with Padge’s passing, and Pat leaving, when I had approached Pinehurst about something in writing, it never came to be.
I had been talking with Pine Needles, and Pat McGowan and Kelly Miller. I had also seen Peggy Kirk Bell out at the U.S. Open this year. I told her I’d really like the opportunity to teach in some of her golf schools. So, we got to talking again this Fall, and I will be teaching in some of their Lady “Golfari”s. They’re also going to allow me to give some private lessons out there. If anybody’s interested in private lessons, they can call me. I can be reached by phone at 692-4693. I will either do playing lessons or one hour video lessons. Obviously I won’t do them during the season. But up until I start playing in March, I’ll be here to do some. And then when I’m home next Fall I’ll have time to do some more teaching.
Q: This is going to be your 15th year on Tour. Do you think you may have a few more campaigns yet?
A: We’ll see. The traveling certainly has gotten old. As things have changed in my life, I realize how much I value my time at home, and the time I’ve missed with my family and friends. And that’s something I’m trying to do more of is find more time to spend with my family and friends. Be able to be home for the family reunions. My younger brother is getting married this spring. The kinds of things I missed out on in the past, I’m trying to make them a much higher priority. Golf has sort of gone down the priority list.
With my divorce and my mom being diagnosed with breast cancer, and all the things that I’ve gone through, it’s really changed how I look at life. You prioritize things. Faith, family, and friends have certainly gone to the top of the list. Golf falls down somewhere under all that.
Q: Do you feel like writing your book yet?
A: I haven’t gotten around to writing a book yet. I haven’t found time to write a book (laughing.) I think I should write a “how to rehab” book. I’m very good at that.
Q: Lastly, have you thought about a goal for this season, anything you want to accomplish?
A: I think the biggest thing for me is I’d like to improve my putting stats. Obviously, I’d like to keep everything else the same. If I can keep my greens hit, and my fairways hit, the same, and get my putting stats down, then the wins and the increase on the money will come. Everybody says, what’s my goal, and I say I’d just like to play a whole year healthy. So that’s my biggest goal, to just stay healthy for a whole year.
Q: We’ll look for you to start your season at…?
A: I’m going to start in Tucson, the second week of March. I’ll play three weeks —Tucson, Phoenix and then Palm Springs — and then I’m going to announce for ESPN in Los Angeles the fourth week. So I’ll be on the road for four weeks.
Rob Gable is an assistant golf professional at Pinehurst No. 6.
