Lorne Rubenstein

LORNE RUBENSTEIN

From Monday's Globe and Mail

• E-mail Lorne Rubenstein
• | Read Bio
• | Latest Columns

March 17, 2003 at 7:49 AM EST

— Lorie Kane didn't win the Welch's/Fry's Championship yesterday in Tucson, Ariz., but tying for second with Betsy King augurs well for the popular Prince Edward Island native. There's no reason that Kane shouldn't soon win her fifth LPGA Tour event this year.

Armed with a one-shot lead after the third round, Kane shot even-par 70 yesterday at the Dell Urich Golf Course. But that wasn't good enough to hold off Wendy Doolan, a 34-year-old Australian who started the final round two shots behind Kane. Doolan carded a five-under-par 65, making the birdies that Kane needed and ending the day at 21-under 259 for her second LPGA Tour win.

For Kane, winning wasn't in the cards. She shot 61-66-65 in the first three rounds but wasn't hitting the ball as crisply yesterday, although her relatively new Titleist putter was still warm.

Putting is one of the reasons Kane's season looks so bright. Her putting has always been a bit suspect and she's not reaped the rewards of her fine ball-striking often enough (no LPGA Tour wins in two years).

Last year, she had 12 top-10 finishes.

A few more holed putts here and there would have had her raising at least one trophy.

She started holing those putts in Tucson, and yesterday was in contention through the 17th hole because she made crucial shots including: a 12-footer for par on the ninth; about five feet for par on the 10th; a three-footer firmly into the middle of the hole for par on the 13th; a 6-footer on the 16th.

And she hung in when she wasn't hitting the ball all that sharply -- always a good sign.

Another encouraging sign is that Kane is fitter than ever. She's slimmer and stronger and is hitting the ball longer. She's also changed drivers and switched to the hot new PRO V1X ball.

While Kane is launching the ball, so is most every LPGA player. Doolan smashed a drive 306 yards on the 12th hole yesterday.

The long drives combined with the short, 6,176-yard Dell Urich course for some super-low tournament scores. Kane shot nine-under 61 in the first round. Her Canadian LPGA Tour colleague A. J. Eathorne, who finished tied for seventh at 14-under 266, shot 62 the same day. Meg Mallon had a 15-foot birdie putt for 59 on Friday, which was missed. Tour rookie Christina Kim shot 62 on Saturday, her 19th birthday.

Kane was her usual enthusiastic self during the tournament. It's impressive how she manages to smile even when she's struggling and how she always has good things to say about other players, when they deserve her compliments.

"I'm really proud of what she has done for herself," Kane said of Eathorne, who struggled mightily last year, finishing 128th on the LPGA money list.

Meanwhile, it's fun to watch Kane. She plays quickly no matter whether she's contending or not and she plays with enthusiasm. This is not a woman who carries a poker face around the course while making a handsome living. Kane is good for golf.

But make no mistake, Kane is eager to win again. She's driven to play her best. Hence her equipment changes, not only the putter she started to use late last year and the new ball, but a prototype set of Titleist irons. (She's never loved working out, so her commitment to that area is also worth noting.)

"The simple goal is that I want to get a little better every day," Kane said recently. "If that can get me to the winner's circle, which is the ultimate goal for anybody out there, I think, then that's it.

"Obviously, we all want to win majors and I'd like to win a major. For this year, for this day, for this week, my goal is just to get a little better every day."

Kane faltered yesterday. But she probably learned from it. That means she got a little better. That means she met her goal.

Her performance over the past four days indicates that she's on a direct path back to that winner's circle.

Recommend this article? 0 votes

View the most recommended