Columnist Peter Benton: LPGA tour stop in Las Vegas benefits two charities

Peter Benton

Wednesday, April 14, 2004 | 9:43 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

Two charities -- the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Nevada -- will again be the beneficiaries when the $1.1 million LPGA Takefuji Classic is played over the Las Vegas Country Club this week.

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has been the Tour's official national charity since 1992. The mission of this Foundation is to eradicate breast cancer as a life threatening disease by advancing research, education, screening and treatment.

The Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Nevada, (OCAN,) is a 501c3 non-profit organization committed to raising awareness regarding the symptoms, risk factors and pertinent facts about ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer has been called -- and rightly so -- the silent killer because symptoms at times can be extremely vague and often are assigned to other illnesses. It is the deadliest gynecological cancer with only a 25 percent survival rate. The goal of OCAN is to save women's lives by increasing the rate of early detection.

The top four low gross, top four low net, plus one additional player, determined by scores shot, will be the qualifiers.

Entry fee is $75, with entries open to women with a verifiable SNGA handicap administered by the SNGA.

This year's competition, scheduled for Oct. 17-20 at Red Rock will be a three-day, match-play, Ryder Cup-style event against a team from the Northern Nevada Women's Association.

For full entry information, please call Doe at 362-7988 or Jeanne at 564-3937.

Looking at the top five in the long driving category, Hank Kuehne leads with an average of 309.9 yards. (This was through the BellSouth Classic.) Scott Hend was next with 308.5, then followed John Daly, 303.6; Tiger Woods, 302.1, and Chris Couch at 301.1.

I then checked up on the driving accuracy and saw that Fred Funk leads that category with 79.1 percent of his drives finding the fairway. Then came John Maginnes, 76.1; Tom Byrum, 75.2; Kirk Triplett, also 75.2, and Scott Verplank, 75 percent.

Next was the total driving statistic, which is both length and accuracy, and here Jonathon Kaye leads the pack with a total of 57. (Please don't ask how they come up with this figure, because I don't know.) Retief Goosen follows at 73; Peter Leonard, 75; Joey Sindelar, 77, and fifth with 85 is Jeff Brehaut.

So, the question is, who does one want to emulate? Kuehne, because he's the longest, Funk for his accuracy, or Kaye for his prowess at both?

Further study revealed that, in this instance, Kaye is the man to go with. Why? Because he won the FBR Phoenix Open back in January and so far this year has won $1,366,415. Funk has amassed $359,581 and Kuehne, $254,890.