What a week it’s turning out to be for Juli Inkster. Playing in the Standard Portland Open, the 65-year-old followed up her first-round 69 with a second-round 74.
That has her at 1 under overall, but more importantly, on the cutline to make the weekend on the LPGA. There’s still plenty of golf to be played on Friday but if she were to hang on and make the cut, she’d break the age mark set by JoAnne Carner.
“I frigging love JoAnne Carner. Yeah, just kind of means that I have a passion for the game. I love the game,” Inkster said Friday after her round before shifting gears to comment on her decision to tee it up. “You know, I’m really happy I played this week. Kind of when I signed up was kind of like, ‘what are you going?’ I was free, I was out there with Hannah Green and Stacy and had a great time. Just love watching the young kids swing. I mean, it’s so impressive. I think the game is in a really good shape and happy to be here.”
It was in 1999 that Inkster won on the LPGA in Portland to earn her a place in the LPGA Hall of Fame by virtue of her 27th career point. Making the cut this week would extend her preparation for next week’s U.S. Women’s Senior Open in San Diego.
“I feel like I’m putting pretty good. My irons are pretty good. Got to shore up my rescues and fairway woods a little bit,” she said. “I think it was really good for me to play, whether I win or lose next week, whatever. I’m glad I put myself out there.”
Despite her Pacific Northwest surroundings, Inkster and her caddie are proudly sporting San Francisco Giants hats this week. Inkster is from Santa Cruz, about 90 minutes south of San Fran, and went to San Jose State.
