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Sunday, May 30
Players to watch
By Greg Robertson
ESPN Golf Online
1. Annika Sorenstam
Age: 28; Victories: 16; Majors: 2
Last five Opens: 1994-DNP; 1995-1; 1996-1; 1997-Cut; 1998-T41
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The skinny |
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Sorenstam hasn't won in 1999, but she's been close. A two-time winner of the Open, nobody is as patient as Sorenstam in a major. Sorenstam has been player of the year three times in the past four seasons and would like to begin a push for her fourth honor on a big stage like the Open. |
2. Juli Inkster
Age: 38; Victories: 19; Majors: 3
Last five Opens: 1994-T18; 1995-T37; 1996-T34; 1997-T14; 1998-Cut
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The skinny |
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Inkster is having one of her finest seasons as a pro, winning twice this season. She is nearing Hall of Fame statistics and can intimidate the opposition with her talent. |
3. Karrie Webb
Age: 24; Victories: 13; Majors: 0
Last five Opens: 1994-DNP; 1995-DNP; 1996-T19; 1997-4; 1998-T31
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The skinny |
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Clearly the best player on the LPGA Tour this season with four wins and no finishes outside of the top 10. But until she wins a major, there will be doubt about Webb. |
4. Dottie Pepper
Age: 33; Victories: 15; Majors: 2
Last five Opens: 1994-T12; 1995-T13; 1996-Cut; 1997-T14; 1998-T11
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The skinny |
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Pepper already won the year's first major in record fashion, and her record at the Open has been superb. She ran off five straight top-10 finishes in this event and other than a missed cut in 1996, has finished no worse than 17th in 10 tries. |
5. Kelly Robbins
Age: 29; Victories: 9; Majors: 1
Last five Opens: 1994-T9; 1995-T13; 1996-T58; 1997-3; 1998-Cut
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The skinny |
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Robbins is sixth on the money list and has already won once this season. She has played well in majors, winning the LPGA Championship in 1995 and finishing third in three of the 1997 majors, including the Open. |
6. Laura Davies
Age: 35; Victories: 17; Majors: 4
Last five Opens: 1994-T12; 1995-T24; 1996-6; 1997-Cut; 1998-T11
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The skinny |
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If she can putt this week, nobody will come close to Davies. If she can't putt, she may be gone by the weekend. She won the Open in 1987 and will intimidate the younger players with her powerful game. |
7. Meg Mallon
Age: 38; Victories: 11; Majors: 2
Last five Opens: 1994-T6; 1995-2; 1996-T19; 1997-T43; 1998-Cut
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The skinny |
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Mallon has already won twice this year and has always played well in the Open. She won it in 1991 and has been in the top 10 five times this decade. |
8. Rachel Hetherington
Age: 27; Victories: 3; Majors: 0
Last five Opens: 1994-DNP; 1995-DNP; 1996-DNP; 1997-Cut; 1998-DNP
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The skinny |
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Hetherington doesn't have a history in this event, having played it just once. But she is the player to stop the Karrie Webb express this spring, winning back-to-back titles in April. |
9. Akiko Fukushima
Age: 25; Victories: 1; Majors: 0
Last five Opens: 1994-DNP; 1995-DNP; 1996-DNP; 1997-DNP; 1998-DNP
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The skinny |
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Fukushima won the Philips Invitational two weeks ago for her first LPGA Tour win. But she is no rookie. She won 13 times on the Japan Tour, and was the leading money winner twice. |
10. Nancy Lopez
Age: 42; Victories: 48; Majors: 3
Last five Opens: 1994-T35; 1995-T28; 1996-Cut; 1997-2; 1998-Cut
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The skinny |
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The sentimental favorite played well in the Corning Classic, giving her hope for a run at the one title which has eluded her Hall of Fame career. Her chances are fading with each year that passes, and nobody knows it more than Lopez. |
11. Liselotte Neumann: The 1988 champ was one stroke out of a playoff last year.
12. Helen Alfredsson: The 1993 runnerup had two wins last year.
13. Rosie Jones: Still looking for that first major, she comes in hot.
14. Chris Johnson: The veteran has been in the top 10 three times in the '90s.
15: Michelle McGann: Playing better in 1999, McGann is deadly in playoffs.
16: Lorie Kane: She's come so close, so why not make her first win a biggie?
17: Sherri Steinhauer: Hard to believe she has six missed cuts in 10 Open tries.
18: Grace Park: Looking for the amateur to watch this year? Look no further.
19: Jenny Chuasiriporn: Can she reclaim last year's magic in her first pro event?
20: Se Ri Pak: Don't count out the defending champ, but her game has been lost in 1999.
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