Mallon Saw Open Hopes Close Down On Fourth Hole

Meg Mallon won’t soon forget the fourth hole at the Broadmoor East - the “never-ending hole,” as she called it.

Her triple-bogey there likely cost her the U.S. Women’s Open title, which appeared hers for the taking at the start of Sunday’s final round.

Mallon’s 8-iron on the 139-yard hole landed short of the green and rolled back into a pond that fronts the green. She elected to hit her next shot from the tee again because she would have had to drop in the rough. Taking a penalty, her third shot reached the green, but in poor position, and she three-putted.

Mallon, who began the day with a two-stroke lead, suddenly found herself in a five-way tie for the lead. She ultimately finished one shot behind winner Annika Sorenstam.

“I was between clubs on the fourth tee. It was either a hard 9 or an easy 8. I took the 8 and just hit it a little too easy. I thought it would catch the green at least, but it hit on the bank and rolled back in.”

Domestic dispute

Annika Sorenstam is engaged to David Esch, a representative for Ping golf clubs in Phoenix.

That’s a problem, since Sorenstam plays Callaway clubs. When asked about the product conflict, Sorenstam said, “It’s a touchy subject.”

Count ‘em

Officials estimated attendance for the week at 106,000, more than twice the previous record for a Women’s Open. Sunday’s crowd was estimated at 27,000.

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN - U.S. Women’s Open notebook