New breed of women golfers
KARRIE Webb arrived at the practice range at Royal Sydney to warm up for her round in the pro-am and had to wait for a spot to become available.
That has not happened to her before, but she was quite chuffed.
Webb saw it as an indication of the work ethic and professionalism of the new breed of women golfers.
And this Australian Open, revived after a two-year absence, is a showcase of this country’s emerging talent. It is not immediately obvious in the world rankings - Webb is No.3, with Nikki Campbell (52), Rachel Hetherington (62) and Lindsey Wright (95) the only other Australians in the top 100.
But talented they are. Wright finished 45th on the US money list last year with winnings of $US295,398 ($382,921).
She had three top-10 finishes, her best a tie for sixth in the Canadian Open. Campbell won the Suntory Open on her way to 12th on the Japanese order of merit with winnings of just on $550,000.
Nikki Garrett finished 12th on the European tour money list, earning 99,455 euros ($166,831). She had four top-10 finishes and tied for third in the SAS Masters and the Wales Championship. Garrett and Wright represented Australia in this month’s World Cup, where they finished sixth.
Hetherington, who teamed with Webb to win the 2000 World Cup, has had several lean years, not winning since 2003, when she was successful twice on the US tour. Her best finish last year was eighth in the US Open at Newport. But at her best she is among the very finest golfers in the world. Whether, at 34, she can recapture her form of old is debatable.
With Wright, 27, Garrett, 23, and Campbell, 26, Australia has three young players prominently placed on the three major tours. Wright expects Australia’s presence in women’s golf to match the men soon enough.
“It’s just a different stage in golf and I think it’s really exciting. I definitely think we’ll see a lot more winners,” Wright said.
“Men’s golf is so much deeper, so it’s hard to compare I think.
“Women’s golf is a younger sport compared to the men. In 10 years’ time, I think we’ll be where the men are now, or even shorter time, five to 10 years’ time, definitely.
“We all grew up in the Jack Newton Junior Golf Foundation, which for me was one of the reasons I’m a pro now, like the opportunity to compete, and I think that’s why Australian golf is so great.
“I think the tournaments have gotten better and they’ve allowed us to prepare better. The course yardages, it’s so much more advanced, and the way we’re treated, we’re treated like professionals.”
Garrett and Campbell are considering joining Wright on the US tour. Campbell must wait two years because she has that long to go in a sponsorship arrangement in Japan, and Garrett might move after one more season in Europe.
If Greg Norman’s dominance of the world created the wave of male golfers who play such a prominent role across the world, Webb’s run as the undisputed best player in the world in the late 1990s and 2000 has brought through Wright, Garrett and Campbell.
“Karrie’s been winning the race,” said Wright, “and we have been doing the chasing.”
Wright, who finds the US tour a tough but stimulating workplace, considers women have been rewarded for their hard work.
She said women’s golf was going through a rapid and exciting development. Players practised longer, hit the ball better, looked more professional.
Organisers ensured they had better practice facilities, which allowed the players to prepare thoroughly, and the courses were set up properly.
On the issue of “sexing up” golf, Wright is candid: “If you’ve got it, flaunt it.” As good as Wright and co are, the quality of this Open field is impressive and victory will be hard earned. The course will play long and the wind this week has blown every which way.
Garrett put a six-iron through the green on the third during Tuesday’s pro-am. In her practice round yesterday the wind had swung around violently and a five-wood left her short.
Apart from the different tee boxes, the only change in the setup from the men’s Open played here last November is the rough. Its length has been halved.
Thirteen of the top 100 players will tee it up in the tournament, which is co-sanctioned with the European tour. The strong Korean tour will be represented by 18 players.
American Brittany Lincicome, winner of the World Match Play last year, arrived yesterday afternoon. She is a long hitter with a high ball flight, suited to soft landings on Royal Sydney’s quick and undulating greens.
Her flight from Florida took 20 hours. Ranked 31 in the world, Lincicome will be a chance to win, so long as she can stay awake.
The field is the strongest assembled for a women’s tournament since the Ladies Masters on the Gold Coast was co-sanctioned by the US tour in the late 1990s.
Only Webb and Natalie Gulbis are being paid to appear, while other prominent players are having their expenses covered.
Paul McNamee, employed by Golf Australia to run the men’s and women’s Opens, has found the job of promoting this week’s tournament difficult.
Having been scrapped for two years through lack of interest, McNamee has done well just to get the Open teed up again.
But some corporate revenue streams are down 80 per cent on those generated for the men’s event. McNamee has been discovering the historical challenges that face all women-only events in this country.
In truth, there are only two reasons why you would not make it to Royal Sydney for the Open. A prior commitment or ignorance.
