At 66 years of age and 46 years after winning the first of her five USGA championships, Juli Inkster still likes to compete. No, make that she still loves to compete. And this week she comes into the 8th U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Barton Hills Country Club looking to add even more history to her World Golf Hall of Fame resume.
And this is a championship at which she has already had a measure of success, finishing second three times, including last year at San Diego Country Club. When she talks about the task ahead, Inkster sounds very much like someone who not only thinks she can win but, deep down, believes she can win.
“I still like to compete, but I don’t like to compete every week,” Inkster said Wednesday at Barton Hills. “So it’s just kind of nice to be able to play the last couple of weeks and then after this hang [the clubs]up for a while.”
Like most in the field of 120, Inkster is impressed by Barton Hills and feels the Donald Ross design is going to be a true championship test.
“I think the course is going to win,” Inkster said. “It’s a tough golf course. Off the tee it’s pretty forgiving, but from there on, it’s legit. You’re going to have to be precise with your irons, but also be a little conservative. Lag putting is going to be a big thing this week. You’re going to have a lot of 4-, 5-footers for pars. So I think it’s going to be a good test.”
Inkster, who won the U.S. Women’s Amateur three consecutive years beginning in 1980 and then the U.S. Women’s Open in 1999 and 2002, is trying to join Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Carol Semple Thompson and Jill McGill as the only players to win three different USGA championships.
“First of all, it’s been amazing venues that we’ve played,” she said about the U.S. Senior Women’s Open. “You know, just having a chance to win another USGA trophy would be amazing,” she said.
“Being able to say I’ve won five is incredible, but I love coming back. They always challenge your golf,” said Inkster, who is the only player to win at least two LPGA majors in three consecutive decades, three in the ‘80s, two in the ‘90s and two in the 2000s.
Inkster’s career has been simply remarkable both on and off the golf course. She won 31 LPGA Tour championships, including the career grand slam, adding the Chevron Championship, the Women’s PGA Championship and the du Maurier Classic to her two U.S. Women’s Open championships.
Perhaps most remarkably, she won those three U.S. Women’s Amateurs and then three LPGA majors before she gave birth to her daughters Hayley and Cori. After becoming a mom, Inkster added four more LPGA majors. Now she tries for the U.S. Senior Women’s Open as a grandmother.
Asked what keeps the fire burning in her, Inkster responds with the honesty that has been a trademark of her career.
“You know, it’s not really a fire,” said Inkster, who was on the victorious USA Team in the 1982 Curtis Cup and competed in the Solheim Cup nine times before serving as captain on three occasions. “I mean, I just enjoy competing,” she said.
“I still feel healthy,” she said. “I’m playing against 50-year-olds. They’re a little more limber than me, but you know, I enjoy the game. I feel like I’m still able to hit the ball fairly well and play okay. You know, I just enjoy competing.”
Playing championship golf is what Juli Inkster is wired for. Competing is in her DNA. In between getting ready for this week’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open, Inkster was busy recruiting players for her fantasy football league, which has a name better left unprinted.
Once a competitor, always a competitor. Whether she likes to admit it or not, the fire still burns in Juli Inkster.
