Webb, Inkster Have Issues to Settle in Finale

Two weeks ago it was Japan. Last week it was Japan. And beginning today, the LPGA is here at the Desert Inn on the Strip for the PageNet Championship, where the big issues are jet lag and whether Karrie Webb can finish off Juli Inkster.

Of course, another issue is the LPGA’s scheduling, which sends its players to tournaments in Japan for a couple of weeks before staging on another continent its season-ending, $1-million tournament featuring the year’s top 30 money winners.

The fallout? What’s missing, besides a bunch of luggage, is the usual buildup of intensity to find out who’s going to make the elite field by virtue of the money list.

Still, there are certain elements of suspense that can’t be ignored.

The main confrontation is between Webb and Inkster, who are deciding the money title, player-of-the-year award and the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average.

At this moment, Webb has the edge in all three races. The 24-year-old Australian is No. 1 on the money list with $1.49 million, slightly ahead of Inkster, who is No. 2 with $1.29 million. Inkster’s only chance to overtake Webb is to win and take the $215,000 while Webb finishes lower than 10th.

Webb leads the player-of-the-year race and can wrap it up unless she finishes lower than 10th and Inkster wins the tournament.

Webb’s scoring average is 69.45 and she could break Annika Sorenstam’s mark of 69.99 established last year. Inkster is No. 2 at 70.02, but probably too far behind to catch up.