LPGA Notebook : Los Coyotes Tough Final Four Frustrate Field

Judging by Thursday’s results, par should be a pretty satisfying score by the time Sunday’s leaders play the final four holes at Los Coyotes Country Club in Buena Park.

The finishing holes, all par fours between 355 and 394 yards long, proved difficult for all the golfers Thursday.

Of the top seven first-round finishers, only Jody Rosenthal played the four holes under par. But to do that, she needed a little luck.

After pars on 15 and 16, she hit a three-iron to 20 feet and made the putt for a birdie on 17. She then made a 50-foot chip on 18 for another birdie.

Sherri Turner, a co-leader with Lisa Walters at 67, played the final four holes in par, with a bogey on 15 and a birdie on 18. Walters posted four par to close.

Rosenthal, Jill Briles, Amy Alcott, Patti Rizzo and Pat Bradley are two shots behind the leaders at 69.

“They are four really good par fours,” Turner said. “Two of them--15 and 17--are holes you want to take par on and not even think about birdie. But if you get one, then you should pick up a stroke on the field.”

The 488-yard par-five 12th hole was the easiest of the round, yielding two eagles, 44 birdies, 83 pars, and only 13 bogeys. The hole averaged 4.8 strokes.

The hardest was 394-yard uphill par four, 15th. There were 11 birdies, 71 pars and 45 bogeys. The scoring average was 4.3.

There were three eagles in Thursday’s play. Turner and Allison Finney had eagles on 12 and Cathy Johnson had a eagle on the 398-yard par four fifth hole.

Sue Daily normally spends her days as a teaching professional at Big Tee Golf Center, which is across the street from Los Coyotes Country Club.

But because Jackie Bertsch withdrew early Wednesday, Daily was given the opening.

It was only the second professional tournament for Daily, and her first in 17 years. She played in an LPGA event in 1972 in Pasadena. Daily was eligible because she is an LPGA master level teacher.

“I found out at 10:30 (Wednesday) morning I was playing, and registered at noon,” Daily said. “I really didn’t get a chance to practice. I only play here about once a month.”

Starting on the back nine, she shot 39, but struggled to a 46 on front half, finishing with an 85.

Her lone birdie came on the fourth hole, a 488-yard par five.

Daily played with first-round co-leader Walters and Kim Williams.

Daily did make on a par three on the 150-yard seventh hole, while Walters and Williams had bogeys.

The course wasn’t too kind to county players.

Sally Little of Laguna Beach shot an 80. Loretta Alderete of San Clemente shot a 74.

During the morning, golfers played in warm but still conditions. The afternoon rounds were hampered by heat and winds.

When the breeze came up, the conditions started to get a little difficult,” Turner said. “There were a lot of cross winds.”

As the temperatures moved into the low 90s, the wind started to work for and against the players. It cooled them down, but made club selection more difficult as well.

“When I got here about 11 a.m. the heat was just stifling,” Bradley said. “When the breeze came up, it was much better for all of us.”

Early in her round, Beth Daniel was talking with her playing partners, Cindy Rarick and Laurie Rinker, about going to Knotts’ Berry Farm after the round.

But Daniel already had been on a thrill ride of sorts during Wednesday’s Pro-Am.

After hitting her second shot on the 17th, as her group was headed toward the fairway, she jumped on the back of a Buena Park policeman’s motorcycle and rode the rest of the way to the green.