Bethesda Country Club

BETHESDA -- They came off the course in a steady stream, with one vital thing in common. Their magic number was 68.That's 68 as in 3-under-par. Ten players shot 68 in the first round of the $1 million Mazda LPGA Championship yesterday at Bethesda Country Club. The LPGA said that a 10-way, first-round tie is probably a record for the tournament that began in 1955, but couldn't verify it.The list was headed by a pair of Hall of Famers, Nancy Lopez, a three-time winner of this event, and Patty Sheehan, who has won it twice.

Jim Pfrogner, with only minimal non-club tournament experience, used a deft putting touch to turn the 70th Maryland State Seniors championship into a one-man show at Bethesda Country Club yesterday. The Rolling Road Golf Club member from Catonsville finished at par with 36-34--70, and won by three strokes.Course renovations made a different playing field for those who had played it in the past, and although the general layout drew rave reviews, those who found themselves on the wrong side of tough pin placements had some putting woes.

Jim Pfrogner, with only minimal non-club tournament experience, used a deft putting touch to turn the 70th Maryland State Seniors championship into a one-man show at Bethesda Country Club yesterday. The Rolling Road Golf Club member from Catonsville finished at par with 36-34--70, and won by three strokes.Course renovations made a different playing field for those who had played it in the past, and although the general layout drew rave reviews, those who found themselves on the wrong side of tough pin placements had some putting woes.

BETHESDA -- Amateur Earl Hartman, from Alexandria, Va., registered a par-matching 35-3570 and won the medal in sectional qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open championship yesterday at Bethesda Country Club.With a field of 91 vying for three available places, the others went to pros Chuck Thorpe of Washington, 71, and Billy King of Roanoke, Va., 73.King birdied the first extra hole when he struck a sand wedge shot to eight feet and made the putt to earn the spot over David Hyduke of Sterling, Va., who made par and was relegated to first alternate.

BETHESDA -- Tina Barrett will carry two streaks into this week's LPGA Championship at Bethesda Country Club. One she would like to extend; one she would like to bring to a screeching halt.When play begins Thursday, Barrett, a Baltimore native who plays from Sparrows Point Country Club, will be trying to make the cut in a Bethesda CC event for the fourth straight year. At the same time, she will be trying to end a stretch of three successive missed cuts, her least productive stretch of play this season.

Discussions continue between Advantage International, promoter of the LPGA Championship, and host site Bethesda Country Club on whether the club will play host to the event next year.Following the June tournament, the second year the championship had been at Bethesda, the word was that a decision would be made by the end of July regarding a contract for next year. It appears likely the event will return to Bethesda, but the issue is still under discussion."We sent a letter to Bethesda stating our intent and our concerns and I understand they are meeting to talk about it," tournament director Hal Seward said yesterday, speaking for Advantage.

The LPGA, faced with the loss of the title sponsor for its championship following the recent withdrawal of the Mazda Motor Co., announced yesterday that McDonald's has taken over that role with a multi-year contract.The shift of the championship leaves Bethesda Country Club without an LPGA tournament after six successful years, the last four as the championship site.The 1994 McDonald's LPGA Championship will be held May 12-15 at DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, Del., site of the McDonald's Championship stop on the LPGA Tour the past seven years.

BETHESDA -- After a qualifying round and three victories in the 71st Maryland State Golf Association men's amateur championship, the dream ended for Chris York yesterday.York, 15, a member at Bethesda Country Club, shot 71 to qualify He then defeated Britt Sloan, Henry Blue and seven-time champion Marty West III to reach the semifinals.York's bubble burst after a 4-and-3 victory over West in th morning. Shane Patterson, 20, of Norbeck CC, won the first two holes of the afternoon match, took three of the first four and never looked back in posting a 3-and-2 victory over York at the Bethesda Country Club.

BETHESDA -- Bethesda Country Club will present a differen look to the field when the Mazda LPGA Championship begins today.Over the past 10 months, six of the 18 holes underwent renovation, along with the driving range, practice putting green and short-game practice area."

It's new dates and a new contract, but the site will be the same when the 1992 Mazda LPGA Championship is held May 14-17 at Bethesda Country Club. The joint announcement was made by Hal Seward, executive tournament manager of Advantage International, and Jim Silman, president of Bethesda CC.A new contract calls for the club to be host to the event for one year. "The original contract is history," Seward said. That was a five-year deal, calling for the club to hold the championship for two years, with three one-year options to follow.

WILMINGTON, Del. -- The site has been changed, and so has the tournament sponsor. Not to protect the innocent necessarily, nor to confuse the participants.But Patty Sheehan certainly seemed perplexed.Having won last year's Mazda LPGA Championship at Bethesda Country Club, is Sheehan the defending champion of this year's $1.1 million McDonald's LPGA Championship?"When I didn't win?" Sheehan said yesterday. "It's a strange and different situation. I'm not sure. People say, 'Gosh, you played well here last year,' and I'm thinking, 'No, I didn't.

The LPGA, faced with the loss of the title sponsor for its championship following the recent withdrawal of the Mazda Motor Co., announced yesterday that McDonald's has taken over that role with a multi-year contract.The shift of the championship leaves Bethesda Country Club without an LPGA tournament after six successful years, the last four as the championship site.The 1994 McDonald's LPGA Championship will be held May 12-15 at DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, Del., site of the McDonald's Championship stop on the LPGA Tour the past seven years.

BETHESDA -- Comfortable surroundings and the tour's lates "super club" have helped Barb Bunkowsky jump into contention in the LPGA Championship at Bethesda Country Club.Bunkowsky, who has had a largely indifferent season -- the 11th on tour for the 34-year-old from Burlington, Ontario -- so far, made two birdies in shooting 2-under 69 for a three-round total of 207, three back of leader Jenny Lidback."The conditions were perfect, and I love this course; it reminds me of the ones at home."For the round, she hit the ball well on the front nine, scrambled for several holes on the back, then finished with routine pars over the last five holes.

BETHESDA -- They came off the course in a steady stream, with one vital thing in common. Their magic number was 68.That's 68 as in 3-under-par. Ten players shot 68 in the first round of the $1 million Mazda LPGA Championship yesterday at Bethesda Country Club. The LPGA said that a 10-way, first-round tie is probably a record for the tournament that began in 1955, but couldn't verify it.The list was headed by a pair of Hall of Famers, Nancy Lopez, a three-time winner of this event, and Patty Sheehan, who has won it twice.

BETHESDA -- Bethesda Country Club will present a differen look to the field when the Mazda LPGA Championship begins today.Over the past 10 months, six of the 18 holes underwent renovation, along with the driving range, practice putting green and short-game practice area."

It's new dates and a new contract, but the site will be the same when the 1992 Mazda LPGA Championship is held May 14-17 at Bethesda Country Club. The joint announcement was made by Hal Seward, executive tournament manager of Advantage International, and Jim Silman, president of Bethesda CC.A new contract calls for the club to be host to the event for one year. "The original contract is history," Seward said. That was a five-year deal, calling for the club to hold the championship for two years, with three one-year options to follow.

BETHESDA -- Amateur Earl Hartman, from Alexandria, Va., registered a par-matching 35-3570 and won the medal in sectional qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open championship yesterday at Bethesda Country Club.With a field of 91 vying for three available places, the others went to pros Chuck Thorpe of Washington, 71, and Billy King of Roanoke, Va., 73.King birdied the first extra hole when he struck a sand wedge shot to eight feet and made the putt to earn the spot over David Hyduke of Sterling, Va., who made par and was relegated to first alternate.

WILMINGTON, Del. -- The site has been changed, and so has the tournament sponsor. Not to protect the innocent necessarily, nor to confuse the participants.But Patty Sheehan certainly seemed perplexed.Having won last year's Mazda LPGA Championship at Bethesda Country Club, is Sheehan the defending champion of this year's $1.1 million McDonald's LPGA Championship?"When I didn't win?" Sheehan said yesterday. "It's a strange and different situation. I'm not sure. People say, 'Gosh, you played well here last year,' and I'm thinking, 'No, I didn't.

Discussions continue between Advantage International, promoter of the LPGA Championship, and host site Bethesda Country Club on whether the club will play host to the event next year.Following the June tournament, the second year the championship had been at Bethesda, the word was that a decision would be made by the end of July regarding a contract for next year. It appears likely the event will return to Bethesda, but the issue is still under discussion."We sent a letter to Bethesda stating our intent and our concerns and I understand they are meeting to talk about it," tournament director Hal Seward said yesterday, speaking for Advantage.

BETHESDA -- Ten years ago, Deborah McHaffie could not have dreamed she would hold a one-stroke lead going into the second round of the $1 million Mazda LPGA Championship at Bethesda Country Club. She couldn't have dreamed of it, because 10 years ago, McHaffie did not even know how to play the game.McHaffie, 33, who shot a 5-under-par 66 yesterday, did not start playing golf until 1981, when she played one round in Hawaii and "got hooked."Even last year, when McHaffie was in her fourth year on the tour, she probably would have had trouble picturing herself in this year's leader's spot.