At 43, Maybe Eggeling Rooted for Earnhardt

Call it the day of the Dales.

Hours after legendary NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt won his first Daytona 500, Dale Eggeling sank a 15-foot birdie putt to defeat Hiromi Kobayashi on the first playoff hole at the Los Angeles Women’s championship at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale.

Eggeling, a 43-year-old, 22-year LPGA Tour veteran, begins a new era with her victory.

“I’ve got a renewed interest in the game,” she said. “At my age I’ve got to get these while I can. Who knows how long I’m going to be able to keep going?”

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Annika Sorenstam, the 1997 LPGA player of the year, and Karrie Webb, the 1997 Vare trophy winner for lowest scoring average, made their 1998 debuts at Oakmont after five-week layoffs. Both finished in the top 10, Webb one stroke behind Eggeling and Kobayashi and Sorenstam two behind.

“Not too bad,” Webb said. “This is my first tournament. I’m happy.”

Sorenstam apparently wasn’t. While a few thousand people crowded around the 18th hole to watch Eggeling and Kobayashi in their playoff, Sorenstam practiced putting during all the excitement without looking up to see who won.

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Travel plans of LPGA players were a major consideration in the decision to shorten the tournament to 36 holes.

The tour moves to Hawaii this week and then to Australia the week after.

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Laurie Brower carried a picture of 16-year-old Hannah Zaccaglini on her bag this week.

Zaccaglini, of McCloud, Calif., has been missing since June 4. Brower will carry a picture of a missing child on her bag every week she plays.

Jill Briles-Hinton gave a supply of children’s coloring books to the Oakmont pro shop to sell to benefit epilepsy and junior golf programs around the country.

Briles-Hinton’s 18-month-old son, Bert, has epilepsy.