Published Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Sherri Steinhauer admits the LPGA Tour was more of a sorority when she first started living out of her suitcase as a touring pro in 1986. Now, she says, the stakes are higher.
Defending LPGA State Farm Classic champion Sherri Steinhauer visits with Natalie Young, 4, of Chatham, on Monday. Young is undergoing treatment for leukemia in the pediatric intensive care unit at St. John’s Children’s Hospital. Jonathan Kirshner/The State Journal-Register
“It’s not like the days when I came out and we played bridge in the locker room,” Steinhauer, now in her 23rd year on tour, said Monday. “We used to have beer in the locker room, too.
“It’s just more of a business now. A lot of players have their own entourage. They have a sports psychologist, a trainer and a swing coach. That’s just the nature of playing for more money.”
She misses some aspects of the days when the tour’s big names included Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley and Betsy King.
But Steinhauer, who was in Springfield on Monday for the State Farm Classic’s Media Day activities, doesn’t truly long for the good old days. The Wisconsin native says it’s all good — even better — on today’s tour, although she has to work harder than ever to keep up with 20-somethings such as Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer and Christina Kim.
“I don’t want to quit because I just love watching the process and seeing the changes throughout the years,” Steinhauer said.
“It’s fun to be a part of it. There’s more money involved, and players are doing whatever it takes. I think that’s great.”
It was Kim, 22 years Steinhauer’s junior, who battled the veteran down the stretch at last year’s Classic at Panther Creek Country Club. But Steinhauer made a pressure par putt on No. 18 to win it by one stroke. Steinhauer held the lead at the end of all four rounds, making her just the fourth wire-to-wire winner in Classic history, and at 44 years old she became the Classic’s oldest champion.
“I can’t tell you, as I’ve been traveling since that tournament last year, how many people have told me it was one of the most exciting tournaments they’ve seen,” said Steinhauer, who has since turned 45. “It’s been a lot of fun to hear that. I’m just happy that a lot of people watched it on TV.”
This year has been more challenging for Steinhauer, but it hasn’t been for a lack of effort.
Dubbed the “iron woman” because of her heavy playing schedule over the years, she got off to a slow start because of a hip problem.
“I’m not sure what brought it on, but I went into a hard workout schedule this winter,” said Steinhauer, noting that the problem was diagnosed as bursitis and has been alleviated by stretching and cortisone injections.
“I’m trying to do everything I can to stay out there, and I think I hurt myself doing it. That’ll teach me to go work out.”
Steinhauer also missed the past three tournaments because she was helping tend to her parents, Fritz and Nancie Steinhauer, who’ve been experiencing health problems.
Even Steinhauer’s caddie, Joe “Coffee Joe” Connolly, was on the disabled list for a while.
“Joe had a heart attack in early December,” Steinhauer said. “He’s completely changed his life since then. He quit smoking, and he’s eating healthier than ever. He wears a heart monitor, too. We’ll be on the course and I’ll tell him to check the monitor.”
But they’ll be back on tour beginning with this week’s SemGroup Championship in Tulsa, Okla. Steinhauer, “feeling great” and not bothered by the hip problem, plans to resume her traditional full schedule that will include defending her State Farm Classic title July 17-20 at Panther Creek.
Just how much longer will she keep competing full-time on an increasingly younger LPGA Tour?
“It all depends on my health and my play,” Steinhauer said. “If I don’t compete well, I don’t’ want to do it. I didn’t play well earlier this year, but I’m doing different things now. I feel more confident right now.”
n CLASSIC NOTES: Tournament chairman JOHN ECK JR. said Monday that spectator parking will be at Chatham Glenwood High School this year. The move was necessitated because of scheduled development in the Prairie Crossing area where fans parked last year.
“We look at this as more of a permanent solution,” Eck said of the move to Glenwood. “It’s a paved lot (at Glenwood), so there’s no need to rope and stake, and there won’t be any dust issues or potential mud issues.”
Eck said buses from the Ball-Chatham School District again will be used to shuttle fans to and from Panther Creek. He said the trip should take, on average, about six minutes longer than it did from Prairie Crossing last year. . . .
After winning four straight weeks, Ochoa skipped last weekend’s event in Florida, where LPGA Hall of Famer ANNIKA SORENSTAM edged Creamer in a playoff.
“It’s wonderful to have a person like Lorena on top right now,” Steinhauer said. “We’re going to see some amazing things from her this year. Who knows? A Grand Slam (winning all four majors) isn’t out of the realm of possibility for her.
“I think Annika has a real challenge this year. She’s stated her goals, to come back this year and come out in winning form. She has Lorena to compete against, and Lorena’s raised the bar for Annika and all of us.”
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