Rookies Are on Par With Veterans at Wood Ranch

For the second year in a row, the LPGA rookie class is expected to be sensational. Thirteen of 28 rookies are playing this week, including Jenny Rosales, who won the 1998 NCAA championship for USC.

Rosales, who gained exempt status by tying for seventh at the final qualifying tournament, shot one-over par 73 in the first round Friday.

Jen Hanna had the best round among rookies, shooting 69, two shots behind leader Laura Davies.

A course such as Wood Ranch that is new to the LPGA has a leveling effect. Veterans don’t have the advantage of having played the course for several years.

“It puts us all on an even level of play,” said Laura Philo, a second-year player who is one shot behind Davies. “Sometimes there is an advantage to having seen an course and sometimes there isn’t.”

Rookies have to do more than play. The LPGA instituted a program a few years ago requiring rookies to volunteer 16 hours of behind-the-scenes work helping stage events.

“It’s a neat experience and an opportunity to meet some great people,” said Moira Dunn, who also also shot a 68. “You get a chance to meet some great volunteers, see how the course gets set up and you get a great appreciation of how a tournament is run.

“Some if the volunteers I worked with have become good friends.”

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It’s a tournament within the LPGA tournaments, a way to showcase many of the most well-known and popular players.

The fourth season of the Legends Series begins at the L.A. Women’s Championship. Players 40 and older compete for a bonus pool of $300,000 over 27 events.

Jan Stephenson, a 27-year veteran who is not competing at Wood Ranch this week, won the Legends title last year. Past Legends champions competing include Betsy King and Dale Eggeling.

Other well-known 40-and-over players at Wood Ranch include Hall of Famers Amy Alcott, Patty Sheehan and Beth Daniel.

“It didn’t rain hard enough [Thursday] to do too much to the course,” said Daniel, who shot a first-round score of 74. “I’ve looked forward to playing here.”

The best first-round score among the Legends was a 72 by Eggeling, who won this tournament two years ago when it was held at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale.

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Emilee Klein of Studio City has earned a reputation as one of the most consistent players on the LPGA tour. Although she has won only two tournaments in five years--both in 1996--Klein has 26 top-10 finishes and has earned more than $1.5 million.

A victory at Wood Ranch will be a longshot. Klein, who attended Notre Dame High, shot a first-round 75.

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Two other golfers with area ties did not fare well.

Dana Dormann, a nine-year tour veteran who attended Hueneme High, shot a 77, struggling to a 39 on the front nine and a 38 on the back.

All-American Tammy Durdin of Pepperdine, playing under sponsor’s exemption, shot an 81.