Alcott, King Share Dinah Shore Lead; Davies Gone With Wind

On a day when the Mission Hills Country Club turned into a meteorological monstrosity, the best women golfers in the country were happy with being just average.

A punishing wind that was gusting to 40 m.p.h. dehumanized the Nabisco Dinah Shore golf tournament Friday. The best rounds of the day were even-par 72s, shot by Hollis Stacy, Lauren Howe and Jody Rosenthal.

Only Amy Alcott and Betsy King are under par after two rounds, and they’re only one under at that. Alcott had four bogeys and one birdie. King needed birdies on the last two holes for her 75.

And because average was above average on this Friday, there were three women tied for second place at even par. Rosenthal, Val Skinner, who shot a 75 Friday, and Jan Stephenson, who had a 73, all are a shot behind.

Stacy, Howe, Donna Caponi and Martha Nause are two shots behind.

But, at least for one day, the hometown hacker can claim to be hitting less club than the pros. The wind was making as much as a four-club difference into the wind.

“It’s probably not this windy anywhere except in front of a major household appliance,” said Skinner, de-commercializing herself before the media could do it for her.

“I think 75, 74, 73 is around par,” Skinner said. “If anyone shoots under 72, that’s a hell of a round.”

Hell, or at least golf’s version of it, befell first-round leader Laura Davies. She double-bogeyed the first hole and finished with an 83, 17 strokes off her opening round of 66.

But it was Alcott, of course, who found the wind nothing more than challenging.

“I enjoy playing in this kind of weather,” she said. “I like being 120 yards out and having to hit a 5-iron. You just go up there and hit it.”

Alcott won this tournament in 1983. “The final round (then) was twice as windy as it was today, if you can believe it,” she said.

Hard to believe, but it does underscore Alcott’s ability to play under adverse conditions.

Alcott has been suffering from dizzy spells the last two weeks. She’s not sure what is causing them.

“I don’t like to play golf when I’m dizzy,” Alcott said. “But I play some of my best golf when I’m busy and spaced out.”

She also plays good golf when she’s irreverent, which she proved Friday after her round.

For no particular reason, Alcott told reporters about an incident, near her Santa Monica home, in which a bag lady accused Alcott of taking her broom and then started to pour detergent over Alcott’s car. The woman then tried to get into Alcott’s car.

“She kept yelling, ‘You stole my broom. You stole my broom.’ Somebody finally dragged her away from my car and she started pouring Oxydol on someone else’s car,” Alcott said. “It goes to prove anything strange that happens could make an ABC ‘Movie of Week.’ ”

What’s all that got to do with golf?

Nothing, but something entertaining has to come from so difficult a golf day as Friday.

Not so entertaining was the sixth hole for King, which more than any other hole kept her from being in sole possession of the lead. After hitting her drive into the rough, she hooked her second shot off an olive tree and into someone’s backyard and out of bounds. Then she three-putted for a 7.

Putting is what most of the golfers said was affected by the wind.

“It’s really hard to stay still over your putter,” Skinner said. “When (the wind) starts blowing you around the green, you know it’s bad. I’m just glad I’m finished. I don’t even think I’ll hit any practice balls. The best place to practice today is in your closet.”

Closet? That’s a little confining isn’t it?

“I missed two short putts under three feet,” Stacy said. “It’s just a distraction you don’t need.

“I was walking to the grandstand and I asked the people in the gallery if we get an award for finishing,” Stacy said.

The answer is no, but Stacy does get to come back for the final two rounds. The same can’t be said for those golfers whose score was 156 or higher. Among those missing the cut were Jane Blalock, Pat Meyers and Judy Rankin.

Things don’t look a lot better for today. The weather forecast is for cool and windy--15 to 30 m.p.h. There is a slight chance of rain, although they expect the clouds to be headed off at the pass.

“I like it windy but this is ridiculous,” Jan Stephenson said. “When you can’t hit a 3-iron 140 yards downhill . . . “

The wind wasn’t the only thing Stephenson was complaining about. She was upset at a shot she had to make on the 15th hole. Apparently, a caddy in a previous group had incorrectly replaced a sand-trap rake. Stephenson’s ball came to rest against the rake.

“If I can find out which caddy (did that), I’d have him suspended,” Stephenson said. “That’s not right. I always make sure my caddy rakes it right.”

The atrocities that occur on the LPGA tour are sometimes mind-boggling.