LPGA Title, Slam for Inkster

A dream that began 16 years ago finally came to fruition Sunday when Juli Inkster won the LPGA Championship, making her only the second woman to win the modern career Grand Slam in women’s golf.

Inkster, who won two majors as a rookie in 1984, won the final two legs just three weeks apart.

Inkstser, who won the Women’s U.S. Open on June 6, finished with a flourish to win the LPGA at DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, Del., by four strokes.

She went eagle-birdie-birdie over the final three holes for a six-under-par 65.

Pat Bradley is the only other woman to have won the Dinah Shore, U.S. Open, Du Maurier Classic and the LPGA Championship, completing her sweep 13 years ago at the same tournament.

Mickey Wright won the Grand Slam in 1962 when it consisted of the Open, LPGA, Titleholders and Western Open.

Inkster won the Open at Old Waverly in West Point, Miss., three weeks ago by taking a four-shot lead into the final round. This was far more difficult, with as many as five players tied for the lead at one point. But she took only 15 putts over the final 12 holes and left no doubt about her victory--or her place in history.

Inkster finished at 16-under 268, the lowest 72-hole score (by five strokes) at Dupont in the six years it has been host of the LPGA Championship.

Liselotte Neumann finished second. Defending champion Se Ri Pak, who also won the Open as a rookie last year, shot an even-par 71 and finished seven strokes back.

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Southern Californian Duffy Waldorf birdied the last two holes of regulation to force a playoff, then made another birdie on the first extra hole to beat Dennis Paulson and win the Buick Classic at Harrison, N.Y.

Waldorf was only seeking to get his 18-foot birdie putt close on the playoff hole, the par-five 18th, since Paulson was already lying five after pushing his three-wood right on his second shot, taking two chips to get the ball 25 feet from the cup and then missing his par putt.

But Waldorf, of Newhall, made his birdie putt to punctuate his second victory on the PGA Tour. His only other victory came at the Texas Open in 1995.

Waldorf’s $450,000 check was the biggest of his career.

Waldorf, a gallery favorite thanks to his colorful caps and friendly manner, was the 1985 college player of the year at UCLA, and Valencia County Club is his home course.

Paulson, who was seeking the first win of his career, had seemed to be in command with a two-shot lead going into the final two holes of regulation.

But then Waldorf dropped a wedge about six feet from the cup on the par-four 17th and made the putt to get within one. On the 18th, Waldorf hit two drivers to a trap short of the green, then blasted a sand iron to four feet. He rolled the ball in to force the playoff.

Paulson, who closed with a four-under 67, and Waldorf, who had a 71 after sharing the third-round lead, finished regulation tied at eight-under 276. Chris Perry was one stroke back after a 70. Scott Hoch was fourth at 278 after a 69.

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Hale Irwin, the Senior PGA Player of the Year the last two years, played almost flawless golf to win the Senior Players Championship at Dearborn, Mich.

Irwin closed with a seven-under 65 for a 267 total to beat runner-up Graham Marsh by seven strokes.

Rain interrupted play for 57 minutes with Irwin on the 17th tee.

Marsh started the day four strokes off the pace and shot a 68. John Jacobs bogeyed the final two holes for a 67 and finished third at 275.

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Jody Niemann recorded a 1-up victory over Sue Billek-Nyus in the finals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M. Niemann, 22, who graduated from Arizona State last month, won with a par on the 409-yard, par-four 18th hole at the Santa Ana Golf Club. Billek-Nyus, 36, is the assistant women’s golf coach at Brigham Young.

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An Elite Club

The four women, two in the modern era, who have won the LPGA Grand Slam:

JULI INKSTER

Dinah Shore: 1984, ’89

LPGA Championship: 1999

Women’s U.S. Open: 1999

Du Maurier Classic: 1984

PAT BRADLEY

Dinah Shore: 1986

LPGA Championship: 1986

Women’s U.S. Open: 1981

Du Maurier Classic: 1980, ‘85, ’86

MICKEY WRIGHT

LPGA Championship: 1958, ‘60, ’61

Women’s U.S. Open: 1958, ‘59, ‘61, ’64

Titleholders: 1961, ’62

Western Open: 1962, ‘63, ’66

LOUISE SUGGS

LPGA Championship: 1957

Women’s U.S. Open: 1949, ’52

Titleholders: 1946, ‘54, ‘56, ’59

Western Open: 1946, ‘47, ‘49, ’53

Note--The Titleholders was a major championship from 1937-1966 and 1972. The Western Open was a major from 1937-1967. The du Maurier became a major in 1979. The Dinah Shore became a major in 1983.