Ammaccapane Waits for Something Good : Golf: Getting her first victory on the LPGA Tour proves to be a difficult task for former NCAA champion.

Danielle Ammaccapane, a Public Links and NCAA champion, spends most of her time wondering when her first LPGA Tour victory will come.

In fact, she’s almost become so obsessed with winning that she’s beginning to worry about herself. After shooting a par 72 Friday in the second round of the Inamori Classic at StoneRidge Country Club, Ammaccapane is at 143, five strokes behind the leader, Laura Davies.

Once again, a victory is within her reach. In only three years on the tour, she has become the Tom Kite of the LPGA. Last year, Ammaccapane and Rosie Jones were the only players among the top-10 money winners who didn’t win a tour event.

But every so often, Ammaccapane will worry about someone else for a change--someone she never thought she’d have to worry about. That person is someone Ammaccapane thought would always be able to take care of herself--her junior rival in her hometown of Phoenix and Arizona State teammate, Heather Farr.

Farr and Ammaccapane continued their rivalry on the LPGA Tour, but two years ago it was abruptly interrupted when Farr was diagnosed as having breast cancer.

After having a mastectomy and undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment, it appeared Farr might be able to rejoin the tour this year. But in January, weeks before she was to begin her comeback, Farr announced the cancer had spread to the back of her skull and her spine.

Ammaccapane, 25, said she has not spoken to Farr in six months.

“I don’t think she’s letting anybody see her,” Ammaccapane said. “Nobody knows anything.”

The only thing Ammaccapane knows for sure is that Farr is undergoing chemotherapy in the Los Angeles area.

But then not hearing from Farr is not that unusual. Although the two have known each other since they were kids, Ammaccapane said they have never been the best of friends.

“It’s really hard to get close to her,” Ammaccapane said.

Although Farr and Ammaccapane are the same age, they have always been years apart on the golf course. Farr graduated from high school a year early and she left ASU after her junior year to join the pro tour. Ammaccapane was only a sophomore.

“We just seemed to always be golfing rivals,” Ammaccapane said. “Heather had a better junior career, but I had a better amateur career. And we’ve both had our moments as professionals.”

Farr, who never won an event, had her best showings with a fourth place in 1987 and a third place in 1988.

And like Ammaccapane, Farr was always a straight hitter and a fierce competitor.

“We’re a lot alike on the golf,” Ammaccapane said. “Maybe that’s why we’ve never been friends.”

Still, Ammaccapane would like nothing better than to have her closest rival back out on the tour with her.

“I’m hoping for the best,” Ammaccapane said. “Right now, I feel really helpless. Even though Heather and I were never really friends, I would not wish something like this on my worst enemy. I just don’t know what to do for her.”

But Ammaccapane is doing what she can. Twice in the next month, she will compete in Heather Farr charity functions.

In the meantime, Ammaccapane wouldn’t mind picking up a victory. But if she’s ever going to win, Ammaccapane said her luck will have to change.

“I’m not getting the breaks you need to win out here,” she said. “Even today, I drive in the fairways but I land in a divot and a storm drain. Things like that begin to wear on you after a while.

“I’m really kind of beating myself up and I really shouldn’t. But that’s me. I just can’t go out there and play golf. I’m out there to win.”

Although when put in the perspective, even winning can seem pretty insignificant sometimes.