McGill salvages decent round
It took Colorado native Jill McGill a little
while to find her game Thursday in the opening round of the
U.S. Women’s Open.
Starting her day at hole No. 10, the Cherry Creek High School
graduate shot a 4-over-par 40 for her first nine on a course she
played hundreds of times while growing up.
But she salvaged her round and perhaps her chance to win
the tournament with a string of birdies on her second nine.
McGill got rolling with a birdie-3 on the second hole, then followed
that up with another birdie on the par-4 third. When she
came away with a 2 on the short but sneaky par-3 sixth, she was
back on solid ground.
McGill stood at 1-over, three shots out of the lead, when play
was suspended at 7:10 p.m. because of lightning. She’s scheduled
to resume her first round at 7 a.m. today at the seventh hole.
Straight and true
Defending champion Meg Mallon has spent most of her frustrating 2005 LPGA season trying to find her long game off the tee. She just might have found it Thursday en route to an even-par 71.
Mallon hit 10-of-14 fairways (71 percent). And two of her drives landed just off the fairway in the short rough.
“I’m elated with even par in the first round of the U.S. Open,” she said. “I’m thrilled about it, and it’s a better start than I anticipated, so I’m excited to be in this position.”
As for the new Taylor Made driver she settled on this week, she said, “It was definitely my most improved club in the bag today.”
Long time coming
Sweden’s Liselotte Neumann won the U.S. Open in 1988. After shooting a 1-under 70 on Thursday, she figures she’s back in the hunt for a second title. She’s also heartened by Mallon’s victory last year. Mallon won her first Open title in 1991, then waited 13 years for her second. That 13-year gap set a record.
“I think that anytime you see a player that won something long ago, or anybody that’s getting up a little bit in age – with so many young players out there – it’s always nice to see,” Neumann said. “It gives you the feeling that if you work hard and stay in good shape and take care of yourself, that you can win, too.”
Fast and faster
The Cherry Hills greens were slick and fast Thursday, and unless there is some steady rain, they’ll be much slicker and faster by Sunday’s final round. That’s exactly what concerns Angela Stanford, who shot a 2-under 69 on Thursday.
“The scary part is that they (the USGA) could probably speed them up,” she said.
The rain Thursday night was welcomed by the players.
Neumann said if the greens dry out that wouldn’t be the only thing making Cherry Hills tougher.
“With no rain, I think the course is going to play a little faster and you’ll get a little more roll on your tee shots,” Neumann said. “That can be quite difficult out there because there’s a lot of doglegs. You don’t want to start rolling through the fairways, so you’ve really got to start thinking about what to hit off the tees.”
Head down, putt in
Annika Sorenstam has changed her putting style. Rather than taking an early peek at her results, she’s keeping her head down much longer.
“It just keeps a solid roll on the ball,” she said. “I think my stroke is a lot better.”
Asked if she missed watching her putt head toward the hole, she quipped, “I’d rather hear it go in.”
Footnotes
According to the USGA, 22,251 people attended Thursday’s opening round and 44,950 have come out to Cherry Hills so far this week. For Monday’s practice round, the attendance was 4,424; it was 8,438 for Tuesday; and 9,837 for Wednesday. … Seen on 45-year-old Rosie Jones’ bag strap, in big white letters: “Relax, but attack.” Jones has announced this will be her final Open. … Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson was one of the few golfers to try to carry the water and reach the green in two on the par-5, 531-yard 17th hole. She made it and was rewarded with a birdie. She finished the day with a 1-over 72. …The July-August issue of “Golf for Women” magazine ranks three Colorado courses among the nation’s top 50 courses for women. Keystone Ranch Golf Club is ranked 12th, the Snowmass Club is 38th and the Golf Club at Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction is ranked 47th.
Starting her day at hole No. 10, the Cherry Creek High School graduate shot a 4-over-par 40 for her first nine – on a course she played hundreds of times while growing up.
But she salvaged her round – and perhaps her chance to win the tournament – with a string of birdies on her second nine.
McGill got rolling with a birdie-3 on the second hole, then followed that up with another birdie on the par-4 third. When she came away with a 2 on the short but sneaky par-3 sixth, she was back on solid ground.
McGill stood at 1-over, three shots out of the lead, when play was suspended at 7:10 p.m. because of lightning. She’s scheduled to resume her first round at 7 a.m. today at the seventh hole.
-Patrick Saunders and Tom Kensler
