Peter Benton: Davies contradicts logic, but she’s rich

Wednesday, Dec. 18, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

THIS GAME OF GOLF fascinates the dickens out of me and I am constantly amazed by the statistics.

Take LPGA player Laura Davies.

Apart from winning the ladies money title on the European Tour this year, she placed second on the LPGA money list with $927,302.

This is where it gets interesting: She was not among the top 10 in birdies; nor was she among the top 10 in putting, sand saves or driving accuracy.

However, she was first in driving distance and eagles made, plus placed 10th in greens in regulation.

With 250.50 points, she won the Rolex Player of the Year award over rookie sensation Karrie Webb of Australia, and won the Vare Trophy for low scoring average (70.32 per round) over Sweden's Annika Sorenstam.

So how does she do it? Davies is certainly far from the best putter or most accurate driver of the ball, not too sharp from the sand, and, from all reports, her short game leaves something to be desired. Also, she followed Webb and Sorenstam in top-10 finishes.

I was always under the impression that the old adage, "drive for show and putt for dough" was just a fallacy, and in this particular case, it is.

Strange game, isn't it?

Howard Weiland and Moe Winter, with a score of 291, won low gross honors in the first flight of the Nevada State Senior Golf Club's two-man team tournament at St. George, Utah. Larry McGovern and Bob Johnson's 256 won low net.

Second flight gross winners with a score of 314 was the Paul Bartolo/Bob Keller pairing, while Ron Shmitz and Ralph Harden took low net with 257.

Angelo Morlacci and Sam Capra's 323 won the third flight gross, while net victors were Barney Barnes and Jim Hironaka with 261.

The Bob Tyler/Reggie Dunn duo and their 345 won low gross in the fourth flight, with net honors going to Howard Peiffer and Al Gonzales. Their score was 264.

Some weeks ago in this space it was reported the Las Vegas Invitational's team in the 1996 PGA Tour Charity Team Classic was Tom Lehman, Wayne Grady, plus Tom and Curt Byrum.

These players, with combined earnings of $2,145,223, finished third in the season-long competition and won $50,000 for Las Vegas Founders Club charities.

In the recent draft for 1997 teams, the LVI selected Michael Bradley, Chris Perry, Mike Springer and Stewart Cink (the top player on the Nike Tour this year).

Winning low net honors in Spanish Trail's Member/Guest Tournament was the Bob Schnider/Bob Balch pairing with an impressive score of 53.

Mort Simay and Jeff Susa's 57 took second on a card count over the duo of Dave Szabo and Larry Davis, who placed third, also with a 57.

Low gross victors (also on a countback) were Paul Langager and Coe Power with a score of 4-under 68. Second place went to the Jimmy Kizz/Mike Diehl team with the same score.