There’s No Blues for Moodie After Stellar Opening Round

Attention airlines with frequent-flyer programs: get used to the name Janice Moodie.

The Tour rookie plans to follow the LPGA around the globe this year trying to get into tournaments in Monday qualifiers.

So far the method has proved quite successful.

Moodie, who shot a two-under-par 70 during the first round of the Los Angeles Women’s Championship on Friday at Oakmont Country Club and is three strokes behind leader Hiromi Kobayashi, is only playing the tournament because she earned one of two qualifying spots on Monday.

She does not have an automatic exemption into LPGA events because she did not finish high enough in the qualifying tournament last October but so far she is two for two in Monday qualifiers. She earned a spot at the season-opening Healthsouth Inaugural last month.

“I’m going for every single one there is,” Moodie said. “If I’m not already in, I’m going for it.”

Moodie is second on the conditional list, meaning she will get an automatic spot in a tournament only if enough fully exempt players take the week off that two spots open up.

It’s a risky way to try to make a living, but a challenge Moodie feels she is up to.

“I’m excited about my chances,” she said. “I just turned pro in August and I’m looking forward to making golf a career.”

If her amateur record is any indication, she should have no problems.

Moodie, from Glasgow, Scotland, was a four-time All-American at San Jose State. She was runner-up to Heather Bowie of Texas in the NCAA Championships last year and won 12 college tournaments.

She finished 27th in the 1997 Women’s British Open as an amateur and had a top-20 finish in the Women’s European Tour’s McDonald’s Championship.

“I’ve been playing amateur golf at a very high standard for three years,” Moodie said. “I hope I can carry it over as a professional.”

As is common with Monday qualifiers, Moodie teed off early on Friday--she was in the second group off the first tee.

She missed the green at No. 2, leading to a bogey but made a 20-foot birdie putt on the difficult eighth hole and made the turn at even-par.

A missed four-foot par putt on the 10th hole led to a bogey but a birdie on 13 and consecutive birdies at 16 and 17 put her at two-under.

Her birdie on the 16th came after she pulled her drive through some trees and into the 12th fairway. She hit a five-iron from 159 yards to within three feet and made the putt.

“It was tough to putt today,” Moodie said. “It didn’t seem as if the greens had been rolled.”

Moodie, whose goal of earning a full exemption on the LPGA Tour was dashed when she lost in a nine-way playoff for the final three spots at the qualifying tournament, refuses to set any goals for this week.

“Goals are sort of a negative thing,” Moodie said. “If you make goals then you limit yourself. If I say I want to shoot 70, why can’t I shoot 66. I don’t want to limit myself like that.”

She had only one request after her 70.

“Can I have two more of them?” she asked.