Sheehan Gets Back in Swing

Patty Sheehan is an LPGA Hall-of-Famer who has played in more than 400 events during an illustrious 20-year career.

But when she tees off Friday in the first round of the Los Angeles Women’s Championship at Wood Ranch Golf Club on Friday, Sheehan will feel like a rookie.

Doubt. Fear. Apprehension. She will be overcome with emotions she hasn’t felt in years.

Sheehan, 43, has not played on tour in 10 months. She hardly practiced during that time. She didn’t watch golf on TV and didn’t read about it, either.

“I washed my hands of golf for a while,” she said. “I was not happy. I can’t pinpoint why, but I was miserable on the course, miserable in the clubhouse and miserable in the airport.

“I finally decided that people didn’t need to be seeing me like this.”

The winner of 35 LPGA tournaments, including six majors, went home to Reno, Nev., drove her son Bryce to school and to gymnastics lessons, did some skiing and enjoyed being a homebody.

“It was one of the best years of my life,” she said. “I cooked for myself and I didn’t have to wear golf clothes.”

Sheehan spent a lot of time with her father, who was terminally ill with colon cancer and cirrhosis of the liver.

BoBo Sheehan died at 76 on Sept. 3.

“I was grieving and mourning the inevitable,” she said. “He was going to die and I was going through a certain amount of depression. It was a big reason I left the tour.”

During the hiatus, Sheehan vacillated on whether she would return. About two months ago she decided to come back.

“At some point I had to jump in,” she said.

This tournament is the first of six she will play in through mid-April. It is as much an experiment as a comeback.

“I’m not sure if this is really what I want to do,” she said. “I was enjoying myself so much at home.

“This will be an interesting week. I’ve got pride and a fear of failure. . . . I have enough competitive spirit to know I won’t quit. At least until I play these next six tournaments.”

*

Se Ri Pak is seeing more clearly now. She promises she’ll sign her scorecard. And it won’t depend on which way the wind is blowing this week at Wood Ranch Golf Club.

Pak, who won four tournaments in each of her first two years on the tour, was disqualified for not signing her score card after shooting a 79 during the second round of The Office Depot tournament at Ibis Golf and Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Jan. 14.

She said Wednesday it was accidental, despite her frustration at trying to play only a few weeks after undergoing corrective laser eye surgery. Howling winds bothered her eyes and her shots.

“My mind was so busy, I just forgot to sign,” Pak said. “With the wind and my eyes hurting, it was hard to think of everything.”

Pak declined to play in the Subaru Memorial of Naples tournament the following week, giving her nearly a month off before the this week’s tournament.

“After West Palm, I wasn’t ready to play. I was upset at myself,” Pak said. “I wanted to take time and practice and make sure I was ready for the season.”

*

After two calm days, the wind kicked up Wednesday during the first of two days of the Pro-Am.

“This course is playing very tough,” said one amateur. “I’ll be surprised if many of these women break par.”