Just like Bobby Jones did it -- well, almost

Jennifer Simonson, Star Tribune

Paula Creamer watched her shot from the No. 5 fairway in the second round on Friday at Interlachen Country Club. Creamer finished with a 1-under-par 72. At right was her caddie, Colin Cann.

Last update: June 27, 2008 - 11:26 PM

Courtney Ellenbogen was determined to get over the water on No. 18 and let loose with a fairway wood. Not hit flush, the ball headed toward the far edge, hit the water, skipped and landed in the rough.

Bobby Jones revisited?

"I thought it was in," said the amateur, a senior-to-be at Blacksburg (Va.) High School. "I saw the splash, but everybody started clapping. My caddie -- and my uncle -- turned to me and said, 'That's just like the lily pad shot.' I'd heard about that Bobby Jones thing. That's pretty cool."

That Bobby Jones thing was the legendary round-saving skip across the same water during the 1930 open.

That's where the similarities end. It was the last hole of her second U.S. Women's Open. Ellenbogen, who has committed to attend Duke, finished 79-79 and will miss the cut.

Suffering in silence

The quieter side of the U.S. Open: The first group off of No. 1 on Friday winded its way quietly around the course.

There were no red numbers on the tote board and only a handful of spectators as the group of Virada Nirapathpongporn, amateur Jenny Shin and Anna Grzebien reached No. 6. The others had putted out and left Grzebien alone on the green. Even on the day, she was eying a short bogey putt. From 100 yards away, Grzebien looked like a golfer alone on an early-morning round.

She putted, and missed. She clenched her jaw and closed her eyes and shook her head. Silence. And then a fan yelled, "Go get 'em, Anna!" Shoulders slumped, she walked to the next tee. Grzebien finished with a two-day total of 153.

Shhhhhhhhhhh!

And then, the noise: Just four groups later, the crowd following Annika Sorenstam, Paula Creamer and Suzanne Pettersen (but mostly Sorenstam) kept growing. By the time the group headed toward the 16th tee the gallery was huge, massing around the tee box and extending down each side of the fairway.

A little girl and her father were walking briskly toward the 16th from the direction of the clubhouse. "Is that Annika?" the girl said, "Is that her?"

They hurried closer, then paused, as Sorenstam teed her ball, prepared to hit. "That's her," the girl's father whispered. As Sorenstam addressed the ball the girl grinned, opened her mouth and looked ready to yell a greeting. Never got out, though, as her dad was able to cover her mouth in time. As the group headed off the tee to enormous applause, the girl was finally able to join in the Annika chorus.

Minnesota colors

Sorenstam happened to be wearing a purple and gold outfit Friday in the same town where the Vikings play. No coincidence.

"There's a reason why I'm wearing it," she said, smiling. "Other than it is my Annika Collection."

She wasn't alone. A few players and caddies are wearing Twins caps, and Sweden's Sophie Gustafson wore a Twins hat and shirt.

Head games

One vote for best headcover in the Open: a super-sized McDonald's french fries cover for Yani Tseng's driver.

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