Scranton’s New Putter Is Good Enough to Win

Nancy Scranton has been frustrated this year. When she looked at the LPGA Tour statistics, she was in the top 10 in several categories.

“It was hard to believe (then), where I was on the money-winning list,” she said.

Scranton was only 44th, but that was altered drastically Sunday at the $500,000 Los Coyotes LPGA Classic in Buena Park.

She shot a seven-under-par 65 and charged from seven strokes behind third-day leader Jan Stephenson to win by one stroke over Meg Mallon.

Scranton, 25, who has been on the tour since 1985, earned $75,000. She had a 72-hole score of 279, nine under par.

Her one-stroke victory wasn’t a nail-biting affair. When she finished, Mallon was still on the course and two shots behind.

Mallon, who shot a two-under-par 70, managed to birdie the finalhole, but it wasn’t enough.

Scranton had only one tour victory until Sunday, and it was prestigious--winning the du Maurier Ltd. Classic last year. That is considered one of the four women’s major events.

She came from behind in that tournament, barely making the cut and then shooting 64 and 68 the final two days to win.

“I thought I was ready to go after I won that tournament, but then I had a learning experience--and I learned,” Scranton said.

The usual lament of golfers--putting--has been holding her back.

“The last time I looked I was 163rd on the putting list, and I didn’t look anymore,” Scranton said.

Scranton missed only one green Sunday, and her putting didn’t betray her until near the end of her round.

She made seven birdie putts through 12 holes while using a new putter.

“My putter didn’t really feel good to me, but I was making some putts,” Scranton said.

A key to her round was hitting the ball close to the cup. She figured that she had six birdie putts of six feet or less and made four of them.

Scranton missed a three-foot birdie putt at the par-three 16th hole and then missed another birdie try from six feet at the par-four 17th. By that time, she had a fairly comfortable lead.

She said she didn’t know it until she looked at the leader board at the 16th hole.

“I was surprised that I had a two-shot lead,” she said.

While Scranton was surging, the third-round leaders were faltering.

Stephenson had two-shot lead over Donna Andrews at the outset of the final round and was three strokes ahead of Mallon and Betsy King.

Mallon was steady. Stephenson, Andrews and King shot 75s.

Scranton, who grew up in Centralia, Ill., and attended Florida State and the University of Kentucky, became the outright leader when she birdied the par-three 12th hole and wasn’t seriously challenged thereafter.

Her caddie is her boyfriend, Bob Burton, who was on the men’s golf tour in 1982. They met at a tournament in Portland, Ore., two years ago.

Burton said a key to Scranton’s round was the par-five first hole, where she made a 20-foot putt for a birdie.

Scranton and Burton planned a celebration Sunday night at a downtown Los Angeles hotel and then they are headed for Korea, where Scranton will play in an invitational tournament.

Scranton was inconsistent in earlier rounds at Los Coyotes, shooting 73, 68 and 73. Then, she put it all together Sunday. “I’ve only missed three cuts all year, but when I hit a bad shot I paid for it,” Scranton said. “I’ve hit the ball much better than I scored.”

Mallon, who won four tournaments last year, including two major events, said she didn’t know until the 16th hole that she needed two birdies to tie Scranton.

She said she was capable of doing it, but got only one, a 12-foot putt on the 18th green.

Mallon has one consolation. She is a member of the select U.S. Solheim Cup team that will play European women professionals Oct. 1-4 in Scotland.

As for Scranton, she is on her way to Korea with the knowledge that her tour statistics are more meaningful after a victory.

Golf Notes

Amy Benz got a hole-in-one on the 169-yard 12th hole. She used a four-iron. Benz finished with a 69, for a 72-hole score of 290.