Karrie Webb qualifies for HOF

Debit · November 9, 2005

Some of you may not be aware, but the LPGA Hall of Fame is achieved based on a points system vs. popularity/notority for World Golf Hall of Fame. In addition to having won so many tournaments or excellence awards (POY, etc.), the player must have been an active player for 10 years. It is this last requirement that Karrie has finally satisfied with her play in this week's tournament.

Karrie was the youngest player (on either tour) to win a career grand slam, was POY and ROY, the first LPGA player to win $1 million in a single season, youngest player to qualify for LPGA HOF, etc. etc. Within 2-3 years of the LPGA reducing the points required for the HOF (because it was too hard to reach the mark), Karrie surpassed the previous requirement -- as have Sorenstam and Se Ri Pak.

Congratulations on an amazing career!

Debit · November 14, 2005

Be sure to tune in this evening (Monday, Nov 14) on TGC for the HOF induction ceremony.

Debit · November 14, 2005

Not sure that either is what really happened. Karrie had much more native talent than Annika. While Karrie was sort of operating on cruise control and winning, Annika got serious about the whole thing. Annika started working out and training seriously. At the time, Karrie's reaction was kind of ho hum, and either misjudged Annika's long-term commitment or just figured that she had a life and was practicing more than enough. By the time Annika had climbed to the top -- shot that remarkable 59 -- Karrie was somewhere in the dust. Also, Karrie had attained all of her goals on the LPGA within the first 5 years ... she actually had acquired the necessary points before Annika! There just wasn't enough incentive for her to adopted a new life style that included the monumental body changes and rigorous routines that Annika and Christie Kerr, for instance, have bought into. In her recent interviews, Karrie seems to have a renewed enjoyment of the game, has been working hard to get her swing and putter back into a more cooperative groove. It's just not there yet. I still enjoy watching her play -- the lady has a whole lot of class and talent. If she were willing to work as hard and long as Annika, Karrie would rule the roost once again.

Debit · November 15, 2005

I'll step onto my little soapbox once more. Last night's induction ceremony was somewhere between boring and insulting. Okay, the World Golf Hall of Fame can vote in anybody they want to, that's not the issue. Ben Crenshaw needs a speech writer and/or to follow the script. Votaw needs a new suit. Bevins needs to learn and embrace LPGA history! Further, the LPGA contingent didn't make it perfectly clear what Karrie has accomplished. Including Bevins making some remark about the new kids attempting to make as big a splash as Lopez rookie season. Karrie holds the all time highest point total for a rookie, not Lopez! Karrie wasn't voted into the HOF, she earned it. The LPGA has the most stringent qualification standards of any professional sport. It took Lopez almost 15 years to have enough wins. Bradley, Inkster, Daniel were similarly relatively slow (compared to Karrie, Annika, and Se Ri) to meet the standard. Laura Davies still is 2 points shy! But Karrie accomplished the nearly impossible in just 5 that is F I V E years and included some 30 wins including the career grand slam! It took Annika 8 and Se Ri 7. Does that say something about just how phenomenal these three women are? And Bevins doesn't even address it or remark on the accomplishment. Oversight is still insulting and more so since Bevins represents the LPGA.

Karrie came off even more gracious, witty, and delightful than I had imagined.