Wonder Webb

Too bad for the rest of the LPGA Tour that Karrie Webb didn’t stick with tap dancing.

As a young girl in Australia, about the time Webb first picked up a club, she wanted to tap dance and play guitar on stage. But she never practiced much at home, and it wasn’t long before she realized something was missing.

“There’s not a lot of competition,” she said. “I loved golf, and it also gave me a chance to compete. When you’re a young kid, taking home a trophy to put on your dresser is very inspiring to keep going and practicing and working hard.”

Webb now has the stage all to herself.

A victory this week in the du Maurier Classic in Canada would make her the first player since Pat Bradley in 1986 to win three major championships in one year.

Webb has already won three of the last four majors, and in just her fifth year on tour she has won 21 times and established new standards.

If that sounds a lot like Tiger Woods, it should.

While comparing genders is about as difficult as comparing generations, their numbers--and their desire--are amazingly similar.

“We were both born to be in the position we are. We both were born with a gift to play golf,” Webb said. “I’ve worked very, very hard on my game. I have been very determined to be in this position.”

That position was best summed up by LPGA commissioner Ty Votaw when he said, only half-kiddingly, “Tiger is the Karrie Webb of the PGA Tour.”

Webb’s potential was heralded by her victory in the Women’s British Open in 1995, and by the fact she made it through LPGA qualifying school despite playing with a broken wrist. She won four times as a rookie and became the first woman to earn more than $1 million in a season.

Woods turned pro after winning three straight U.S. Amateurs. In just seven tournaments, he won twice and earned enough money to make the Tour Championship.

Both have won 21 tour events, both have won three of the last four majors. Both will be going for their third major of the year a week apart--Webb at Royal Ottawa in the du Maurier Classic, then Woods at Valhalla Golf Club in the PGA Championship.

Even their peers are starting to sound alike.

“When people tee it up with Tiger, they’re playing for second,” said Cristie Kerr, a runner-up to Webb in the U.S. Open. “When Karrie plays well, we kind of all feel that.”

The only thing Webb lacks is the final leg of the Grand Slam, although she finished just three strokes out of the playoff at the LPGA Championship in June.

She’s already achieved two of her top goals, winning the U.S. Open, the biggest prize in women’s golf, and getting into the Hall of Fame. Webb took care of both at the same time at the Merit Club in Chicago last month.

She won the Open by four strokes and earned enough points--through victories, majors and postseason awards--to qualify for the Hall. All she has left before induction is to put in the mandatory 10 years.

“The career Grand Slam is something that has become a goal,” the 25-year-old Webb said. “Honestly, it’s happened so suddenly. I didn’t expect to be achieving these goals yet.”

As much work as she puts into her game, Webb also finds plenty of excitement off the course. After winning the U.S. Open, she went scuba diving for lobsters in the Florida Keys, and landed a 35-pound dolphin fish from her own boat.

She also has gone skydiving over Australia and drove in a celebrity Grand Prix.

On the golf course, she keeps it simple--no sports psychology and only one coach, Kelvin Haller, who is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair. Webb sees him a couple of times a year in Australia, and sends him video of her swing via e-mail when she feels her mechanics are getting away from her.

“I’m fortunate enough that I never have to work on too many different things,” she said.

Webb already has earned nearly $1.5 million this year and needs a little more than $100,000 over the rest of the year to break the LPGA record, which she set last year.

The purse at the du Maurier is $1.2 million, but there’s even more at stake for Webb.

A victory in her third major would be worth an additional $750,000 through a bonus program by Nabisco. She already picked up a $250,000 bonus for winning her second major at the U.S. Open.

“It’s a big, dangling carrot,” she said. “But if I try to win a tournament because of that, I’m in trouble from the start. All the rewards come from winning. I’ve just got keep my mind focused on that. And if I do win, I’ll definitely have a big party.”

It might even be an occasion to break out those tap dancing shoes.