Davies wants to make hall on merit, not vote
Posted on Sunday, July 6, 2008
ROGERS — A lot of people believe Laura Davies belongs in the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Davies politely disagreed after the second round of the P&G Beauty Northwest Arkansas Championship on Saturday.
“I don’t want to get voted in,” Davies said. “If I can’t play my way in, I’m not interested. It’s play my way in or forget it.”
Unlike many sports’ halls of fame, induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame is based on a point system contingent largely on tour victories. Retired players also can be voted in by the LPGA’s Veterans Committee.
The English Davies, who has split the bulk of her career between the LPGA and the Ladies European Tour, is two points shy of the necessary total of 27. That means Davies needs to win two LPGA events or one major championship to gain entry.
Davies’ supporters argue that her 69 victories worldwide, including four majors, more than warrant her induction. Again, Davies doesn’t seem interested in such speculation.
“Everyone keeps saying if I had played here in the ’ 80 s and ’ 90 s full time I’d already be in, but the fact of the matter is I’m not, and I’m struggling to get those last two wins,” Davies said. “If I don’t get them, I’m going to finish my career very angry and very miserable. But I’ve got to hope that I’m going to do it.”
Davies is expected to make today’s cut, as she stands at 2 under par after two rounds, but she was less than pleased after a second consecutive 1-under 71 on Saturday.
“I played so badly the last two days, the thought of winning a tournament is a million miles away at the moment,” she said.
Davies did come close last year and said she felt like she should have won three tournaments. Those opportunities slipped away, however, leaving Davies winless on the LPGA Tour since 2001.
That drought, Davies said, bothers her more than the possibility of not ending her career in the LPGA Hall of Fame.
“If I’m not good enough to get in the Hall of Fame, then I’ll get over it,” Davies said. “But I will be upset because I won’t have won since 2001, and I plan to play a few more years yet. To not win the last 10 years of my career would be a nightmare.”
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