Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel
File photo/The Coastal Star
By Steve Pike
For athletes in any sport, there is nothing like a home game. The comfort level of playing in familiar surroundings and sleeping in your own bed is almost incalculable in regard to a competitive advantage.
That’s one reason why Beth Daniel is looking forward to playing in the LPGA Legends Walgreens Charity Championship, Nov. 6-9, at the Seagate Country Club in Delray Beach.
“It’s right in our back yard,’’ Daniel said, referring to herself and fellow Delray Beach resident Meg Mallon. “It’s only appropriate that we play. I wish they were all that way.’’
Daniel, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, and Mallon, captain of the 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup team, headline the field in the event. World Golf Hall of Famers Nancy Lopez and Laura Davies also are expected to compete.
“I think it’s kind of cool that we’re coming to Seagate Country Club,’’ said Daniel, a 33-time winner on the LPGA Tour. “It gives me a chance to show off Delray Beach a little, which is nice.’’
The event also will be an opportunity to area residents to see some of the greatest players in the history of women’s golf, including Daniel and Lopez, the latter of whom was the face of the LPGA in the 1970s and ’80s when she won 42 times on the LPGA Tour.
Lopez, now 57, remains among the more popular and recognizable female golfers in the world, but neither she nor Daniel play a lot of competitive golf these days.
“Two to three times per year on the Legends Tour,’’ said Daniel, who will be 58 this month. “And I do some corporate outings and charity outings.”
Daniel’s competitive fire, however, still burns, but she has to temper that fire with the knowledge that lack of practice means inconsistent results.
“The hardest thing for me to do is lower my expectations,’’ Daniel said. “I don’t practice as much so my game is not going to be as sharp.
“I’ve worked hard on trying to lower my expectations, but it’s difficult. You come across shots that you used to be able to hit and you can’t hit them because you don’t practice them. So the more I can just get out there and enjoy myself, the better off I am.’’
The tournament itself will be held on Nov. 8 and 9 at Seagate Country Club, which is part of the Seagate Hotel & Spa in Delray Beach. A morning and afternoon pro-am tournament will be Nov. 6 and an open-to-the-public practice round will be Nov. 7. Tickets for the tournament will be $15 at the gate and $10 at area Walgreens stores.
The Jane Blalock Co., which is managing the event, expects as many as 5,000 people to attend, but Darren Panks, director of golf at Seagate Country Club, said he believes that number is conservative.
“I think it might be close to 3,000 to 4,000 people per day because of the energy in golf around here,’’ Panks said. “It’s going to be in ‘season’ and people are just beginning to get settled down here. The timing is perfect.’’
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