FSU holds off rally by LSU women's golf

The Lady Tigers couldn’t quite make up a 12-stroke deficit to Florida State on Sunday at the LSU-Cleveland Golf Classic, but they nipped right at their heels for several minutes midway through the final nine holes, before settling for a second-place finish, six shots behind the Seminoles, who went wire-to-wire to win their fourth LSU title.

The Lady Tigers shot the second-best round of the tournament at two-over 290 on the final day to finish at 26-over 890. Florida State shot a 298 to win with a three-day total of 20-over par 880.

The Lady Tigers finished in front of ninth-ranked Wake Forest (3rd at 894), 11th-ranked Alabama (5th at 897), 14th-ranked Georgia (6th at 898) and 22nd-ranked Virginia (7th at 905).

LSU senior Rebecca Kuhn and freshman Megan McChrystal shot one-under par 71s. Senior Alexis Rather had an even par 72 and junior Caroline Martens a 76. Although not part of the team competition, freshman Lindy LaBauve shot a final round of two-under par 70.

“It was so obvious the first few days that we were tight,” LSU coach Karen Bahnsen said. “They were feeling the pressure of playing at home. The first two days the course played as long as it possibly could the first two days, but (Sunday) the wind was helping the players. I could tell this morning that they were relaxed and the way we finished, I could tell we are heading in the right direction.”

Florida’s Caroline Westrup won the individual competition, backing up her Saturday 68 with a Sunday 67 for an eight-under 208 (73-68-67), the second lowest LSU-Cleveland Classic winning total at the University Club. Lauren Doughtie of North Carolina State was second at four-under 212 (72-69-71).

LSU-Cleveland Golf Classic

The University Club

Final Team Results (288-864)

1. Florida State 293-294-297 – 884 +20; 2. LSU 300-300-290 – 890 +26; 3. Wake Forest 300-300-294 – 894 +30; 4. North Carolina State 303-298-295 – 896 +32; 5. Alabama 302-297-298 – 897 +33; 6. Georgia 302-299-297 – 898 +34; 7. Virginia 309-307-289 – 905 +41; 8. Louisville 301-301-304 – 906 +42; 8. North Carolina 302-301-303 – 606 +42; 10. South Carolina 306-306-302 – 914 +50; 10. Central Florida 302-304-308 – 914 +50; 12. Charleston 309-305-303 – 917 +53; 13. Augusta State 317-304-302 – 923 +59; 14. Kentucky 308-312-305 – 925 +61; 15. Mississippi State 315-311-302 – 928 +64; 16. North Carolina Wilmington 313-313-313 – 939 +75; 17. Mississippi 316-317-309 – 942 +78.

Individual Top 20 (Par 72-216)

1. Caroline Westrup, Florida State, 73-68-67 – 208 -8; 2. Lauren Doughtie, North Carolina State, 72-69-71 – 212 -4; 3. Rebecca Kuhn, LSU, 71-73-71 – 215 -1; 4. Stephanie Connelly, Central Florida, 73-70-73 – 216 E; 5. Krystle Caithness, Georgia, 75-72-72 – 219 +3; 5. Benedicte Toumpsin, South Carolina, 73-73-73 – 219 +3; 7. Megan McChrystal, LSU, 76-74-71 – 221 +5; 8. Rhea Nair, Alabama, 75-72-75 – 222 +6; 8. Steffi Kirchmayr, Charleston, 75-74-73 – 222 +6; 8. Ann Laney, North Carolina, 74-74-74 – 222 +6; 11. Laura Crawford, Wake Forest, 70-78-75 – 223 +7; 11. Lene Krog, Virginia, 77-74-72 – 223 +7; 11. Joy Kim, Virginia, 76-72-75 – 223 +7; 11. Whitney Wright, Florida State, 70-75-78 – 223 +7; 11. Dori Carter, Mississippi, 76-74-73 – 223 +7; 11. Garrett Phillips, Georgia, 73-74-76 – 223 +7; 11. Joanna Klatten, Charleston, 77-74-72 – 223 +7; 18. Courtney Harter, Alabama, 75-77-72 – 224 +8; 18. Alexis Rather, LSU, 76-76-72 – 224 8; 18. Sara-Maude Juneau, Louisville, 76-75-73 – 224 +8.

Taking the Water Route to Work

By: Steve Habel

When it comes time to go to work, Cypress Bend head professional Ken Rams doesn't turn on the radio or television for the local traffic slowdowns. He instead checks for the speed and direction of the wind and the temperature in remote Many, a town located on the west side of the liquid line that separates Louisiana and Texas.

Rams lives right next to the water in Hemphill, Texas, near the area where remains of the Space Shuttle Columbia fell to Earth in February 2003 when it disintegrated during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. He usually takes the water route to get to work at the Cypress Bend Resort (www.cypressbend.com), located across the massive Toledo Bend Reservoir in Louisiana. His mode of transportation on most days is a 12-year-old, 18-foot Champion bass boat with a 150-hp motor.

"When the weather is suitable, it takes me about five minutes to get across the lake by boat," Rams said. "If I drove my truck it would take 35-40 minutes to travel the 26 miles one way."

Rams anchors his boat in the high reeds of the lake's inlet by the 10th fairway of the course, and either walks the 300 yards uphill to the clubhouse or takes a cart left for him by staff. He has a long, thick plank hidden in among the lily pads and cypress trees so when he steps off his boat he won't get his shoes wet.

Rams' use of a boat to get to work is a reflection of the slower pace taken by most residents of this part of the world. "When I came down here from Richmond, Va., it took me about a year and a half to get used to the pace," Rams said. "I was just not used to the laid-back atmosphere in Hemphill. It's a small town of 1,100 people. It's nice to know that there are places like this and Cypress Bend still around."

This is Rams' first job at a golf course; he's ascended from volunteer to paid marshal to cart attendant to assistant pro to head pro in his 10 years at Cypress Bend.

"I enjoy fishing, so we came down here two to three times every year," Rams said. "I would go fishing and my wife would visit with her parents. During those years of vacationing on Toledo Bend my wife and I decided that this would be a good place to retire. About 10 years ago, my mother-in-law came down with cancer and she soon passed away. My father-in -law willed the house (in Hemphill) to me and my wife since we enjoyed it so much down here."

There have been a few times that Rams' run across the lake has been more adventurous than others. He easily remembers when he was on the lake and things turned ugly, as high winds, rain and waves almost kept him from getting back to Texas. "There was one time several years ago I came to work in the morning and the lake was as calm as a bathtub," he said. "When I left for home, a nor'easter came in and there were gusts of wind up to 35 mph. I had never been out on the lake in this kind of weather.

"The first half of the trip I was protected by the shore, but when I got to the open water it was like an ocean," Rams said. "There must have been 7-foot waves, and there was one wave that I got on top of and went down the other side and I thought I was going under. Water came up over the bow of the boat, and it scared the hell out me. I don't think that I have ever been that scared in a boat before. After that wave I decided to get up on top of the next one and ride it across the lake. I finally made it, but I was wet and shaken up little. Needless to say I had a newfound respect for this lake."

Since then there have been several other times that storms have come in after Rams had taken his boat to work, and instead he just drove the company vehicle home. "I have had so many good times coming across it's hard to pick just one," Rams said. "I do remember when the Bassmasters were in the area. Where they launch, their boats cross my path going to work, so I had to stop and wait for these boats racing across the lake to get out of my way. Also I have stopped numerous times to do a little fishing before I get to work. Just the other day I was fishing and I saw two bald eagles flying overhead."

Rams is currently an apprentice working towards his PGA membership. Cypress Bend's golf course has three full-time employees, and during the summer Rams usually hires two or three more outside attendants. Even then he works about four and a half days a week and plays in the course's Sunday afternoon scramble.

"We do approximately 20,000 rounds a year at Cypress Bend," Rams said. "I've been here 10 years, and the trend has leveled out the past several years. When we first opened we did 30,000 rounds, but we were new and people wanted to play the new course. We do alright for what we are trying to do."

Steve Habel is an Austin, Texas-based journalist. Since 1990, he has traveled around the globe covering news, business and sports assignments for various news bureaus, newspapers, magazines and websites. He also contributes to Business District magazine in Austin as managing editor and is the Texas football beat writer and a contributing editor for Horns Illustrated, the Austin-based magazine for University of Texas sports. Habel writes a weekly golf column for The River Cities Tribune in Marble Falls, Texas, and is a member of the Texas Golf Writers' Association.

Golf is for the Birds

By: David Wood

Okay, so I wouldn't know a Spotted Sandpiper (artitis macularia) from a Roseate Spoonbill (Andea alba). However, as a traveling golfer (linkus crazius I know an exciting golf destination when I find one. Named for the noted 19th century naturist and bird lover, John James Audubon, the Audubon Golf Trail of Louisiana combines excellent, nature-friendly courses with pocketbook-friendly green fees - a delightful one-two punch. After a recent golf trip there, I may have discovered my inner ornithologist. Was that a Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) that just watched me (sandtrapus ineptus) take three shots to get out of that bunker?

Ever wonder where those migratory birds flying south for the winter head? Many set down and winter happily in the wetlands west of the Mississippi River in northern Louisiana. Warm weather, lush rolling hills with scores of lakes, reservoirs, creeks, ponds, and swamps - this is paradise for our fowl-feathered friends. For we non-avian types, the land is also perfect for golf. The Audubon Golf Trail teems with wonderful locales to tee it up. Let's take a look at a few.

Black Bear

As the newest member of the Trail, Black Bear is the perfect place to start your Louisiana golf expedition. A short 45-minute flight from Houston to nearby Monroe and a quick drive east on Interstate 20 with a turnoff at Delhi finds you out in the serene delta of the mighty Mississippi - 30 miles due east.

Built near the 3,000-acre reservoir which is the centerpiece of the Poverty Point State Park, Black Bear is a treasure trove of natural golfing riches as the Bechtol Russell design winds around two verdant rimmed creeks, the Bogzag and Cypress. Named for an actual bear that lives near the tricky 15th green, the brand spanking new 18 already has an air of maturity to it. Actually, the course is well-named because many of the holes are ferocious, especially the par-3s. My favorite is the 188-yard par-3 6th which requires a well-struck mid-iron to hold the slanted, narrow green. With a steep bunker right and the winding creek left, a perfect shot is required or Black Bear takes a bite out of your score. This is a fine newcomer in a mesmerizing locale. For reasonable lodging, check out the comfortable lake cabins that are actually built out over the water on stilted legs like those of an American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorlynchos).

For more details, visit www.blackbear-golf.com; cost: $37 weekdays, $49 weekends.

Calvert Crossing

One of the great aspects to the Trail is that you're never more than two hours from the next course. Just down the road an hour due west as the Barred owl (Strix varia) flies is stately Calvert Crossing in Calhoun. Built on over 400 acres and with almost every hole lined with tall pines and grand white oaks, Calvert Crossing is golf and nature coexisting in wonderful harmony. There are thousands of potential spots for birds to nest happily in and around the well-groomed fairways and greens.

Throughout the 6,822-yard design, water comes into play on 10 holes so attention must be paid before simply bombing away with your driver. Throttle it down a bit and enjoy the lush surroundings of a superlative golfing playground. Afterwards, savor your round with a drink in Mulligan's - the friendly bar in the clubhouse. The local natives (Louisiana friendilo) are convivial.

For details, visit www.calvertgolf.com; cost: $55 weekdays, $67 weekends.

Olde Oaks

Two hours west of Calhoun on Interstate 20 takes us to bustling Shreveport and Olde Oaks Golf Club - a marvelous design by homegrown PGA star Hal Sutton. With 27 wildlife-friendly holes spread over 340 acres of gently rolling terrain, Olde Oaks is one of the great golfing values in the country. You'll find few courses this immaculate in the $40-$50 green fee range.

Each nine is a world onto itself. The Meadow Nine, probably the most stalwart of the three, covers the lowlands and requires strategic thinking to be played well. However, "what you see is what you get" and well-placed drives are rewarded with easier approaches to the devious greens.

The Oak Nine is the most visually appealing of the three layouts as the holes flow through swaths of majestic oaks in full foliage and singing birds providing the background music. The two par-5s on this side, the 1st and 6th, are fabulous and require you to know your golfing limitations before challenging the water hazards (golfballus interruptus) protecting par.

The Cypress Nine is the most open side and allows you to loosen your collared shirt and air it out a bit as the holes are routed through a neighborhood of stately homes so grand you wonder if Bruce Wayne lives somewhere close by. Don't worry about hitting any of these estates with your wild slice or hook as they're set well back from the course. Olde Oaks is a gem.

For details, visit www.oldeoaksgolf.com; cost: $44 weekdays, $49 weekends.

Cypress Bend Golf Resort & Conference Center

Two hours drive south from Shreveport along the Louisiana-Texas border leads you to scenic Cypress Bend on vast Toledo Bend Lake - a bass-fishing Mecca that now is a full-on golf destination as well. If you can't chill out there in the elegant comfy rooms and peaceful lakefront vistas severe medication is your only answer.

The golf course features 10 holes along the lakefront and six times you hit shots over inlets and coves just waiting to add your ball to a watery grave. The par-3 17th of 128 yards plays to a green perched on the edge of the lake and is as pretty a golf hole as you'll find anywhere. The finisher - a stout par-4 of 341 yards - plays much longer as it's uphill. A par there deserves a drink in the nearby resort lounge complete with a beguiling view back over the course and lake. Cypress Bend certainly has its charms.

For more information, visit www.cypressbend.com; cost: $55 weekdays, $70 weekend.

Gray Plantation

As if saving the best for last, my final round was at Gray Plantation in Lake Charles. Named by Golf Digest in the top-100 greatest public courses as well as GOLF Magazine's "top-three among 50 best U.S. courses for $50 or less," Gray Plantation is a real find for those seeking first-class golf at municipal prices.

Hurricane Rita - a Category 5 storm - roared through Lake Charles in 2005 and the course lost hundreds of towering pines which bordered many of the holes. Nonetheless, the Rocky Roquemore design still has all the challenge you want with 94 bunkers, wetlands, and two par-3s with island greens. As if that all wasn't testing enough, the wind gusts off the adjacent waterway turn several approach shots into mini-torture tests.

The final hole is a brutish par-4 of 439 yards that plays directly up to the elegant clubhouse. Two stout hits are necessary to find a putting surface surrounded by a series of evil bunkers. It's a great end to an excellent layout. After the round, I sat out on the wide veranda and enjoyed the club's crawfish boil with the cheerful locals which made me yearn to trace my family tree for Cajun roots.

For more information, visit www.graywoodllc.com; $50 weekdays, $65 weekends.

Summing Up . . .

Both bird- and golfer-friendly, the Audubon Golf Trail has another seven courses I didn't play with similar low green fees and high-caliber wildlife. In addition to great golf perhaps you'll spot a Green Heron (Butorides virescens) or even a Wilson's Plover (Charadrius Wilsonia).

That prospect makes me one happy golfer (smilio hackeris).

For more information about Louisiana's Audubon Golf Trail, visit www.AudubonTrail.com or call 1-866-AGT-IN-LA.

David Wood - writer, corporate speaker, and humorist - is the author of the soon-to-be published book "Around the World in Eighty Rounds." With several appearances on "Late Night with David Letterman," Wood combines humor with his love for golf and adventurous travel. For comments or inquiries on having him speak to your group, contact David at David@DavidWoodSpeaking.com. His website address is www.DavidWoodSpeaking.com.

De Soysa, Moston Named Golfers of the Week

DENVER – Louisiana Tech’s Amrith de Soysa and San Jose State’s Erica Moston have been named the Western Athletic Conference Golfers of the Week for February 18-24.

De Soysa, a junior from Columbo, Sri Lanka (Pendleton Academy), won the individual medalist title at the eighth annual Rice Intercollegiate with a three-round total of 217 (74-71-72), one stroke ahead of two golfers. De Soysa bested 62 other competitors in the 12-team event and shot a final round even par 72 to come from behind to win. De Soysa had to record a sand save on his final hole of the third round to win the individual honor. It was his first career collegiate win, surpassing his previous best finish of fourth place at the 2006 Hal Sutton Intercollegiate.

Moston, a junior from Belmont, Calif. (Notre Dame HS), tied for second at the Qdoba Invitational hosted by the University of Miami with a four-over par 220 (74-75-71). Her final round 71 matched the low 18-hole total for the tournament. Moston finished second at the tournament for the second year in a row, and it was her second top-five finish this year as she was third at the Ron Moore Invitational during the fall.

The other men’s nomination was Fresno State sophomore Todd Angel.

The other women's nomination was New Mexico State freshman Suteera Chanachai.

2008 Senior Open Can Boast Of Volunteers From All 50 States

By David Shefter, USGA

Far Hills, N.J. - Ron Diltz and Mike Kelly first became acquainted when their sons began playing high school football in Anchorage, Alaska. They quickly discovered a mutual love for outdoor activities – hunting, fishing and even golf – and their friendship soon extended beyond Friday night games.

Even after Kelly moved back to his native Colorado in 1999, the two remained close. Last year, they went pheasant hunting in North Dakota.

This summer, the get-together will take place a little closer to Kelly’s backyard in Colorado Springs. With the U.S. Senior Open heading to The Broadmoor, Kelly signed up to be a volunteer for the championship. And he thought it would be a neat idea to bring his buddy down from Alaska to share in the activity.

“I sucked him in,” said Kelly. “I only live a couple of miles from [The Broadmoor], so it seemed like the right thing to do.”

Diltz will be one of many individuals making a long trek to Colorado Springs this July to be part of the 3,000-plus volunteer force for the Senior Open (July 31-Aug. 3). In fact, this year’s championship will have volunteers from all 50 states. It’s the first time that a volunteer from every state has participated in the same championship.

Colorado residents understandably make up 78.5 percent of the volunteers, but others have decided to travel considerable distances to help out. Diltz will journey 3,275 miles; Sandra Webb from Kailua Kona, Hawaii has the farthest hike, at 3,309 miles.

The USGA would have a difficult time conducting championships without volunteers' participation. (John Mummert/USGA)

The participation from near and far even had the management company that handles the U.S. Senior Open for the USGA pleasantly surprised.

“It’s very unusual [to have all 50 states represented],” said Jeff Yeager, the volunteer manager for Bruno Event Team. “I would say 40 to 45 states [is normal], but to get over the 45 mark, it’s something of a unique status.”

Part of the lure is this year’s site. The Broadmoor is a world-class resort located in an area where there are plenty of alternative activities when people are not on-site working. Yeager said The Broadmoor, which attracts guests from throughout the world, also solicited volunteers through various means of communication.

“We had started a waiting list of about 100 volunteers, but after looking at a few numbers, we have almost added all 100 of those [people] from our waiting list,” said Yeager. “So it’s been really terrific.”

Some people love being a part of the championship so much that they keep coming back. Arkansas residents Jack Cato and his brother-in-law Bill Foster will be making their fourth consecutive appearance at the Senior Open. They first volunteered at the 2005 event at the NCR Club outside of Dayton, Ohio.

“We’ve made the Senior Open part of our summer vacations so we can get out and see new parts of the country,” said Cato, who is retired. “This will be our first visit to Colorado and I am excited to see the state and the Rocky Mountains.”

In 2005, the two served on the transportation committee. Last year, they were walking scorers. Cato went with Jim Thorpe and R.W. Eaks in the final round. In ’05, Cato said he drove Gil Morgan, Fuzzy Zoeller and Thorpe. He also got to meet Tom Watson. This year, they will be on-course marshals, just like in 2006 at Prairie Dunes in Hutchinson, Kan.

“Especially in transportation, you get to meet a lot of [contestants] because you are right there with them,” said Cato. “When you are working out on the course, you see them but you don’t necessarily get to talk with them.

“But we’ve enjoyed it and it’s been a good experience. We haven’t decided if we are going to do it next year [at Crooked Stick] or not. We’ll probably make that decision after this year’s tournament.”

Of course, having the championship in a smaller market like Colorado Springs, which does not have major sporting events on an annual basis, also adds an element of excitement not found in a major metropolis. The 1999 U.S. Senior Open in Des Moines, Iowa, drew some 50,000 spectators for the final round.

The retired Kelly moved back to Colorado Springs after a working in oil business in California and Alaska in the 1980s.

“You can get lost in places like Denver and Atlanta, but not here,” said Kelly. “An event like this is a pretty big deal for us.”

Just seeing a major golf event in person is a big opportunity for Diltz. Alaska is one state that has never hosted a USGA championship. Outside of the Iditarod dogsled race, the state is devoid of nationally recognized sporting events.

Diltz admitted that his outdoor activities of choice are hunting and fishing. But he does enjoy an occasional round of golf, including an indoor version played on a simulator. Alaska’s outdoor golf season is quite short, so many people play indoors during the harsh winters to keep their swings in rhythm.

“I’m just a weekend hacker,” said Diltz, a sales manager for an office supply company in Anchorage. “But I’m excited … to watch some of my idols. I still don’t know what we will be doing. It probably will be gallery control. No matter what it is, it will be fun.”