Fairbanks Ranch Gets Even : Only Beth Daniel Is Under Par at LPGA Event

The Fairbanks Ranch Country Club has taken a lot of abuse this week. There has been a lot of groaning about the crabgrass-filled course being too young.

Well, in Saturday’s third round of the LPGA Kyocera Inamori Tournament, the course got its revenge.

“This is some kind of golf course,” Pat Meyers said. “It forces you to hit every club in the bag, and I don’t think I have enough golf balls to play it everyday . . .

“If you want to have a weird feeling, stay on top at 18 and try and hit a drive onto the fairway. It’s intimidating trying to get it in the fairways here.”

Said Jane Geddes: “It seems like the grass grows in the afternoon and gets slower . . . And those crosswinds.”

The grass probably grows in the morning and evening too, but her point was well taken.

Fairbanks is one tough golf course.

You can almost imagine the fairways and greens chuckling at the scores.

Only five players shot under par, and a couple of contenders--Pat Bradley and Charlotte Montgomery--are now noncontenders.

After shooting back-to-back rounds of two-under par 70, Beth Daniel shot a 74 to see her lead cut to two strokes over Meyers, who shot a 71, and is at even par.

“I feel pretty fortunate to shoot two over and still lead the golf tournament,” Daniel said. “Nobody really did much out there.”

Trailing Daniel and Meyers are Amy Alcott (74 on Saturday), Betsy King (71) and Geddes (70), who are tied for third at one over.

Kathy Baker (low score of 69 on Saturday), Muffin Spencer-Devlin (73) and Ayako Okamoto (71) are two over. Sandra Palmer (71) is three over.

Bradley, who was one-under after two rounds, ballooned to a 77 on Saturday, and is four over. And Montgomery, the surprise from Sweden, shot a 78 after recording a 68 on Friday.

Saturday’s leader board was filled with black marks, which represent scores over par. Red sweaters worn by the golfers outnumbered the red under par marks on the scoreboard.

Of the five players who beat par on Saturday, three of them are still over par for the tournament.

For the second day in a row, Daniel appeared to be a birdie or two away from taking complete control of the tournament. On Saturday, Daniel continued to lead by three or four strokes throughout the warm and sunny part of the afternoon.

But for the third day in a row, the back nine was unkind to Daniel. After shooting an even-par 36 on the front nine and parring holes 10 through 15, she fell apart.

The fog rolled in, the crowd started to go home, and Daniel bogeyed the 16th and 17th holes.

“I sort of fell asleep out there,” Daniel said. “There was no activity going on. Most of the crowd was gone. I told Amy (Alcott) that I felt like we were playing a practice round.”

A crowd of 5,800 was announced, but that might be on the high side.

While Daniel complained about boredom, Meyers was quite pleased with what she affectionately termed her “boring round” on Saturday.

Meyers, a stocky 5-foot 4-inch golfer who is the antithesis of the lanky 5-10 Daniel, made 17 pars and birdied the par-five 16th hole to complete an amazingly consistent round.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if someone shot a 65 or 66 on this course,” Meyers said, “but even par is a good round here.”

If today’s final round materializes into a battle between Daniel and Meyers, it will be a match of contrasting styles.

Meyers, whose only tour victory was at the Greater Baltimore Open in 1979, is not about to change her game and take additional chances today.

“It’s so easy to jump up and make a double bogey out there,” she said. “I have to guard against that.”

Steadiness is her motto.

“Anytime you can play without a bogey, you have accomplished your job,” Meyers said.

Then there’s Daniel, who goes for the pin when she hits a powerful iron out of the rough.

Before the tournament began, Daniel predicted it would take a four-under to win. She said she will continue to attack the course as if that prediction will hold up.

Daniel’s aggressive style won’t be put on hold just because she is hoping to win her first tournament since she captured the McDonalds LPGA Kids Classic in July, 1983.

“I’ll continue to play the same way,” Daniel said. “If someone’s going to beat me, I’m going to go down swinging. I’m hitting the ball well enough so that I can make up for mistakes.”

Meyers knows exactly how well Daniel has been playing. They played together on the first two days of the tournament.

“She’s hitting it real good,” Meyers said, “but she’s not infallible.”

The question is whether the Fairbanks course will continue to be relentless. Or has it made its point?

TODAY’S PAIRINGS

8:30 a.m.--Lynn Parker, Debbie Hall, Donna Caponi.

8:40--Alexandra Reinhardt, Anne Kelly, Susie McAllister.

8:50--Barbara Barrow, Sall Quinlan, Cathy Marino.

9:00--Caroline Gowan, Shirley Furlong, Kay Kennedy.

9:10--Lynn Connelly, Jo Ann Washam, Cindy Ferro.

9:20--Mindy Moore, Laurie Blair, Mitzi edge.

9:30--Jerilyn Britz, Sally Little, Penny Pulz.

9:40--Heather Drew, Denise Strebig, Judy Ellis.

9:50--Nancy Rubin, Connie Chillemi, Becky Pearson.

10:00--Kathy Hite, Barb Thomas, Elaine Crosby.

10:10--Debbie Meisterlin, Jan Stephenson, Myra Blackwelder.

10:20--Lenore Muraoka, Jane Blalock, Kathy Dougherty.

10:30--Janet Anderson, Juli Inkster, Cindy Figg.

10:40--Kathy Whitworth, Laura Baugh, Cindy Hill.

10:50--Marta Figueras-Dotti, Susan Sanders, Atsuko Hikage.

11:00--Lynn Stroney, Vicki Fergon, Kathryn Young.

11:10--Susie Berning, Amy Benz, Dale Eggeling.

11:20--Carole Charbonnier, Deedee Lasker, Therese Hession.

11:30--Kathy Postlewait, Charlotte, Montgomery, Cindy Flom.

11:40--Penny Hammel, Mary Beth Zimmerman, Sharon Barrett.

11:50--Silvia Bertolaccini, Pat Bradley, Judy Clark.

12:00 p.m.--Laurie Rinker, Sandra Palmer, Cindy Mackey.

12:10--Ayako Okamoto, Muffin Spencer-Devlin, Kris Monaghan.

12:20--Betsy King, Amy Alcott, Kathy Baker.

12:30--Beth Daniel, Pat Meyers, Jane Geddes.