On Thursday and Saturday, the "best-ball" format was used. On Friday and Sunday, the "alternate shot play" was used. Fifty-two teams were entered, with compelling pairings like:
Laura Davies/John Daly - longest hitters of their respective tours
Beth Daniel/Davis Love III - last year's J.C. Penney champions
Annika Sorenstam, Jesper Parnevik - pair from Sweden; finished 3rd last
year
Karrie Webb/Brad Faxon - Webb won four times on LPGA Tour this
year as rookie
The par-71 course measurements, courtesy of Clari News:
Men: 1 Par 5 563 yards 10 Par 4 451 yards 2 Par 4 403 yards 11 Par 5 552 yards 3 Par 4 436 yards 12 Par 4 382 yards 4 Par 3 165 yards 13 Par 3 175 yards 5 Par 5 539 yards 14 Par 5 571 yards 6 Par 4 459 yards 15 Par 3 212 yards 7 Par 4 385 yards 16 Par 4 465 yards 8 Par 3 235 yards 17 Par 3 211 yards 9 Par 4 426 yards 18 Par 4 424 yards --------------------- ---------------------- Out: 36 3,611 yards In: 35 3,443 yards Women: 1 Par 5 501 yards 10 Par 4 417 yards 2 Par 4 362 yards 11 Par 5 506 yards 3 Par 4 397 yards 12 Par 4 359 yards 4 Par 3 143 yards 13 Par 3 157 yards 5 Par 5 516 yards 14 Par 5 543 yards 6 Par 4 386 yards 15 Par 3 182 yards 7 Par 4 363 yards 16 Par 4 356 yards 8 Par 3 195 yards 17 Par 3 175 yards 9 Par 4 398 yards 18 Par 4 374 yards --------------------- ---------------------- Out: 36 3,261 yards In: 35 3,069 yards
The announcers on ESPN said that Tiger and Kelli had wanted to play the J.C. Penney together as professionals, so this tournament represents a dream realized for the two of them. For Kelli, 19, this tournament was her first tournament as a professional. Announcers did say that the LPGA Tour only allows four exemptions, which means that Kelli will probably be playing a lot overseas next year.
Kelli is from McKinney, Texas, and she is 5-feet 3-inches (to Tiger's 6-feet 2-inches). She was a student at the University of Texas.
1. Andrews/Hulbert -8 F 1. Sorenstam/Parnevik -8 F 1. Davies/Daly -8 FDonna Andrews and Mike Hulbert haven't won any tournaments this year in their respective tours. Their early lead would be challenged throughout the tournament.
Tiger and Kelli found themselves three shots behind the leaders, at 5-under 66. They were in third place.
At the end of the second round, Andrews/Hulbert maintained their hold on first, tied with Pat Hurst and Scott McCarron. Tiger and Kelli managed to take sole possession of second place, one shot behind the two pairs of leaders, after posting a 7-under 64, to put them at 12-under 130 for the tournament. Davies and Daly fell to a tie in third place, at 11-under 131.
Kelli, despite playing in her first professional tournament, proved to be the better putter (which even Tiger admitted). Kelli put in four-foot and a ten-foot birdie putts at the 15th and 16th hole, respectively.
The most agonizing aspect of Tiger and Kelli's second round was Tiger's missed putt for birdie at the 18th hole. This came after Kelli's second shot to within two feet of the hole. "Tiger lipped out the putt", according to Clari News.
1. Andrews/Hulbert -16 F 2. McGeorge/Edwards -15 F 2. Kuehne/Woods -15 F 4. Hurst/McCarron -14 F 5. Davies/Daly -13 F 5. Pepper/Sluman -13 FThis resulted in the final standings of:
1. Andrews/Hulbert 63-66-68--197 16-under 2. McGeorge/Edwards 65-66-67--198 15-under 2. Kuehne/Woods 66-64-68--198 4. Hurst/McCarron 65-64-70--199 14-under 5. Davies/Daly 63-68-69--200 13-under 5. Pepper/Sluman 65-66-69--200Donna Andrews was the anchor to the winning duo. Mike Hulbert acknowledged that Donna was putting excellently this week. For Donna and Mike, this was their biggest win in 1996.
Davis Love III and Beth Daniel won last year, and the first time they were paired together in 1990, but finished 10-under 203, tied for 15th.
Kelli Kuehne admitted that the crowds following Tiger Woods was disconcerting. "Dealing with the people is a lot harder than it looks. With all the people following Tiger, it was a big shock," she said, according to Clari News.
The two had a rough final round. They bogeyed the fourth and sixth holes, but birdied the fifth, seventh and eighth holes. Television brought us part of the back nine, picking up the action with the 13th hole. Kelli and Tiger alternated their bogeys and birdies: 14th, bogey; 15th, birdie; 16th bogey.
The 14th hole was an awful three-putt on a par-5. The frustration was evident on Kelli's face, after she missed her par-putt. The 15th birdie on a par-3 was vintage (could there be such a thing?) Tiger, as he rolled in long birdie putt. On TV, you could clearly see his game face.
On the par-3 17th, 198 yards, we saw some of Tiger's awesome control, as he drove his tee shot to within two-feet of the hole. Kelli tapped in the birdie. All this time, Andrews and Hulbert did not falter. On the 18th, to stay in second, Tiger had to make a putt for par, which he did.
Missie McGeorge and Joel Edwards were tied for second with Tiger/Kuehne at 15-under 198.