2001

June 2001

McDonalds LPGA Championship: Karrie Webb become the youngest and fastest woman to complete the career Grand Slam.

Karrie's so called "slump": Some had said Webb, who won an LPGA Tour-high seven titles last season, was in a slump after going nine tournaments without a win to start the year.

"I think anyone that makes that comment doesn't have any idea about golf," Karrie said.

Karrie and Annika: Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb have won the first two major championships on the LPGA Tour this year. The similarities don't end there.

The past six seasons, each has won the money title three times and each has won the Vare Trophy three times for having the lowest scoring average.

Respect is handed out in equal doses, too.

When Sorenstam became the first woman to shoot 59 earlier this year in Phoenix, she found a note in her locker the next day from her chief rival.

"She had an afternoon tee time that day, so I didn't run into her," Sorenstam said of Webb. "But the note was very classy. Then at Nabisco, she was one of the first to congratulate me there, and I thought that was very classy, too.

"That shows what kind of person she is,'' the Swede added. "She's competitive, but she also recognizes when other people do well.''

Webb Working Out: The fitness craze has finally caught up with Karrie Webb, and the two-time U.S. Open champion doesn't like it.

''When I was younger, I could get away with not working out,'' the 26-year-old Australian said. ''Now I'm older, and I can't do that anymore.''

Webb said she has been exercising the past couple of years, but only started getting serious about it six months ago. She runs three times a week, and works on the treadmill.

''I have to admit, I don't enjoy it all,'' Webb said. ''But I know I need to feel good on the golf course and I don't want to be totally exhausted by December.''

Her only weakness?

''I like a beer or two,'' she said.

Battle at Bighorn: A mixed-team match involving Tiger Woods, David Duval, Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb is lacking only the official announcement, a snappy nickname and a method to determine who gets Tiger as a teammate.

''I think they're just going to flip a coin,'' Webb said. The prime-time exhibition will be played July 30 at Bighorn Golf Club in the California desert.

As for a format, organizers are leaning toward alternate shot instead of best ball, with one possible wrinkle that could lead to male and female partners hitting drives from the same tees (leaving their partners to face the difference in length with the approach shot).

The distribution of prize money has not been determined, but it figures to be a motivating factor for the woman. While Sorenstam and Webb have among the most lucrative endorsement deals on the LPGA Tour, a $1.1 million payday is unheard of in women's golf.

2001 US Open: Webb joined an elite group of successful defenders after successfully defending her U.S. Women's Open Championship title.

Only six other women have ever won back-to-back Opens: Annika Sorenstam, 1995-1996; Betsy King, 1989-1990; Hollis Stacy 1977-1978; Susie Berning, 1972-73; Donna Caponi, 1969-1970; Mickey Wright, 1958-1959.

Webb is a major player: Webb has now won four of the last seven majors she has competed in: 2001 U.S. Women's Open, the 2000 U.S. Women's Open, the 2000 Nabisco Championship and the 1999 du Maurier Classic.

In addition, in her last 10 major championships, she has finished out of the top 10 only once, missing the cut at the 1999 McDonald's LPGA Championship.

May 2001

Electorlux USA Championship:Karrie didn't quite finish the way her fans wanted her to in the Electrolux USA Championship (T21). I must say though, it was good to see Catriona Matthews up the top of the leaderboard.

Webb Wins Nichirei Cup Again: INAGI, Japan (AP) - Karrie Webb won the $500,000 Nichirei Cup for the second straight year, closing with a 1-under-par 71 Sunday for a six-stroke victory. The Australian star finished at 10-under 278, earning $90,000 for the victory at Tokyo Yomiuri Country Club.

April 2001 Karrie has taken five weeks rec leave.

March 2001

Women's Australian Open: Unfortunately I came home from my trip watching Karrie at the Women's Australian Open to find my computer had been damaged by an electrical storm and therefore I have been off-line for a couple of weeks.

Karrie had a pretty successful trip back home in the two events she played in Australia. She won the first event, the ANZ Ladies Masters, and she came second to Sophie Gustafson (Sweden) in a nail-biting finish at the Women's Australian Open. I'm sure Karrie would have liked to have taken out the double but I'm sure she would agree that the best player on the day won the Australian Open.

Karrie did start some media contraversy while she was in Australia calling for women golfers to receive the same amount of prize money as the men. I think it would be nice for the women's events in Australia to get the same amount of prize money as the LPGA events. For Karrie's effort at the Australian Ladies Masters she picked up a cheque for $75,000 (AUS) which with the way the Aussie dollar is at the moment is only worth about $37,500. Annika in her win at the Standard Register PING received $150,000 (US)....no wonder the top LPGA players don't want to make the trip to Australia for the two events we offer.

Karrie did mention that if the corporate sponsors didn't increase their involvement, it may not be worth her coming to Australia next year to play. Now that would be a sad for us Aussies who only get to see our golfing hero for two tournaments a year.

Women’s World Cup moves to Australia: Adelaide will play host to the $1 million Women’s World Cup Golf in late November.

Run as a joint venture by an Australian marketing agency and a Malaysian group, Country Heights Holdings Berhad, the tournament will be played from Nov. 30-Dec. 2. It is expected to be televised throughout Asia, Europe, Japan and the United States.

The site for the tournament has not been determined, but the event is expected to attract Karrie Webb and Rachel Teske of Australia, Laura Davies of Britain and Annika Sorenstam of Sweden. Last year’s inaugural 16-team event was held in December at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

ANZ Ladies Masters: Karrie joined a list of golf's immortals with her record fourth successive victory in the ANZ Ladies Masters at Royal Pines Resort.

February 2001

Tigress dominates awards:Karrie Webb went two-under at the Australian Sports Awards last night when she added Female Athlete of the Year and the inaugural Dawn Fraser Award for the Sports Personality of the Year to the feathers already in her cap.

Dubbed the Tigress for her Woods-like dominance of the LPGA Tour, Webb has described her past two years as a real-life dream.Webb was runner-up to 1999 Female Althelet of the Year Louise Sauvage but last night stole the show at the Adelaide Convention Centre with the prestigious double.

The Dawn Fraser Sports Personality Award is considered the most prestigious of the "Golden Awards" recognising an athlete who promotes Australian culture and character.

True to form, Fraser - who hand-picked the two finalists - caused a brief stir over what, on face value, seemed an ironic choice given the criticisms levelled at Webb for lacking personality and who was recently described by Sports Illustrated as "a sourpuss".

The Olympic swimming legend has been known to champion the plight of the underdog and made a statement here last night.

There was hardly a dry eye in the room when Webb broke down on the stage to receive the Dawn Fraser Award. It was a side of Webb rarely seen in public.

"I can't even think of the words to describe this other than it's just a huge honour," Webb said.

"I thought it was a gret honour after winning Female Althelet of the Year but to win this as well is just tremendous. Dawn is just the epitome of what it means to be an Australian. I've grown up looking up to her and to win that award is so special."

Webb rarely exposes the 26 year-old woman behind the champion golfer. Nor does she display much emotion on the course.Fraser, through this award, wants Webb to be understood - here is a shy, reluctant celebrity but a great sportsperson and person.

January 2001

Webb wins another ESPY: Reigning Rolex Player of the Year Karrie Webb won her second consecutive ESPY Award (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) as the Women's Golfer of the Year at ESPN's 2001 ESPY awards show, Monday, Feb. 12, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Webb was chosen over Juli Inkster, Meg Mallon and Annika Sorenstam for the award. She was also nominated for Female Athlete of the Year, which was won by track-and-field star and Olympic golf-medalist Marion Jones…The Golf Writer's Association of America (GWAA) has voted Karrie Webb their 2000 Player of the Year. The award will be given out at the GWAA Awards Dinner April 4 in Augusta.