Safeway LPGA Championship breakdown



ESPN Golf Online
Monday, September 25

Details
When Friday-Sunday
Course Columbia Edgewater Country Club, Portland, Ore.
Par/Yardage Par 72; 6,307 yards
Purse $800,000 (Winner: $120,000)
1999 champion Juli Inkster
Tournament record 14-under 202 (Dottie Pepper, 1996)
Television Daily: 4:30-7:30 p.m. ET (TGC)

The tournament
  Hole by hole
  Hole Par Yards
  1 4 360
  2 3 161
  3 4 390
  4 4 386
  5 5 489
  6 4 362
  7 5 459
  8 3 140
  9 4 407
  Out 36 3154
  10 5 501
  11 4 337
  12 5 505
  13 3 155
  14 4 357
  15 4 367
  16 3 175
  17 4 379
  18 4 377
  In 36 3153
  Total 72 6307
It will be an emotional week for Juli Inkster at the Safeway LPGA Championship.

When Inkster arrived at last year's tournament, she was the reigning LPGA Championship and U.S. Women's Open champion. When Inkster left, she was an LPGA Tour Hall of Famer.

Inkster capped off a career season with a six-stroke victory here at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club, which in addition to her four other wins in 1999 qualified her for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame.

Of her 24 title defenses, Inkster has successfully defended five times, including two this season -- the Longs Drugs Challenge in April and the LPGA Championship in June.

While Inkster will be seeking to repeat, several players are hoping to take advantage of their last chance to gain points and earn spots on the United States Solheim Cup team.

Along with Inkster, who tops the U.S. Solheim points standings, Rosie Jones, Dottie Pepper and Sherri Steinhauer are virtual locks for the team at third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

Michele Redman ended a three-year victory drought two weeks ago with a three-stroke victory at the Betsy King Classic. The win gave her 30 points in the Solheim Cup standings, enabling her to climb from 14th place to eighth.

The top 10 gain automatic berths on the team that will participate in the biennial match-play competition in October in Scotland.

With the top 10 automatically qualifying for the U.S. team, Nancy Scranton (9), Becky Iverson (10), Cristie Kerr (11), Kelli Kuehne (12), Beth Daniel (13), Betsy King (14), Tina Barrett (15) and Brandie Burton (16) are competing for the final spots.

Also joining the field at this tournament are 14-year-old Aree and Naree Wongluekiet, who were granted sponsor exemptions. The twins are competing in their third LPGA event together this season.

ALSO SEE
Kim holds off 'sister' in Safeway playoff

Daniel, Burton added to Solheim Cup team

Pepper, Wongluekiet keep shares of Safeway lead

Pepper shares Safeway lead with 14-year-old

Solheim bids on line at Safeway Championship

Safeway LPGA Championship field

Safeway LPGA Championship past champions

1999 Safeway Championship results

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