Lonard and Beem head for Melbourne in form
IN: News | US PGA | Hyundai Team Matches (2002) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 18 Nov 2002
Although a teams event, the win of Rich Beem and Peter Lonard over defending champions Mark Calcavecchia and Fred Couples in the final of the US$1.2 million Hyundai Teams Championship, will ensure that both players arrive in Melbourne for this week's Australian Open in fine form and heart.
Beem is of course the 2002 PGA Champion but since his win and follow up sixth placing at the NEC World Golf Championship event, there has been somewhat of a mini slump. His best finish in five events since that since that sixth placing has been 26th in the Tour Championship and that in a thirty-man field.
Their 2 and 1 victory over the Calcavecchia and Couples puts the icing on a great year for both on the USPGA Tour however, and one that both players would probably not have considered possible twelve months ago. Lonard should be named as the "Rookie of the Year" and in addition to Beem winning a major, he also won in Colorado and was placed second at the Kemper and the Genuity. Lonard and Beem pick up $US100,000 each plus a new Hyundai car.
In the LPGA division defending champions Lorie Kane and Janice Moodie defeated Julie Inkster and Dottie Pepper 3 and 2 and in the Seniors division again the defending champions, Allen Doyle and Dana Quigley, defeated Jim Thorpe and John Jacobs 2 and 1.
