Dinah Shore Golf Tournament : With England’s Davies in the Lead, Some Americans in a Bit of a Snit

RANCHO MIRAGE â€”  An international incident it’s not, but the European women’s golf tour came under scrutiny Thursday at the Nabisco Dinah Shore golf tournament.

And wouldn’t you know it, it was a couple of Americans who were doing the analyzing.

Amy Alcott and Betsy King chose to take differing views on the ability of those who play regularly overseas. King’s came across with all the subtlety of a John Wayne movie. Alcott sounded more like Fellini. You think you know what she said, but you’re not that sure.

Throwing aside the hyperbolic congratulations to the course, the sponsors, the fans and the tour, King and Alcott could agree only on their score. Both finished with four-under-par 68s, good enough for second place.

Second ? What about the leader?

Therein lies the reason for this desert summit. The leader is Laura Davies, a 23-year-old lass from Ottershaw, England, who despite her six-under-par 66, is not expected to be leading after Sunday’s final round.

Leading a golf tournament after the first round is akin to leading the 10,000-meter walk after the first lap. Who really cares?

Davies won last year’s Women’s British Open, along with three other tournaments in Europe. Who can forget her victory in the McEwars Wiscal Classic?

She won slightly more than 37,000 British pounds, which equates to just about $50,000 here in the Colonies. The winner of the Dinah Shore gets $80,000. She was also awarded the Order of Merit, which fortunately for her is awarded for prize money, not talking.

Davies finished Thursday’s round with seven birdies, an eagle on the third hole and three bogeys. She was seven-under going into the 17th hole. However--tighten collar please--she bogeyed 17 and salvaged par on 18, after putting her tee shot into the lake.

King packed her round into the last five holes, getting birdies on four of them.

“There is no question in my mind that the best tour in the world is in the United States,� King said. “And there’s no question that if I played regularly over there I could dominate. I think (Davies) could play on this tour. . . . She has the potential to hit the ball farther than anyone else.�

Now, for the rebuttal.

“Our viewpoint is that American golfers are the best--which they are--but the Europeans can show Americans what great golfers they are,� Alcott said. “For every foreign golfer who comes over here and sets the world on fire, there are hundreds more. We have to give credence that there are good golfers over there.

“They are out there and they exist. It shows you what an international sport this is.�

While these opening arguments could hardly pass for an episode of “LA Law,� they do show a divergence of thought.

Perhaps Davies should be the tie breaker.

“Our top 30 or 40 play to a high standard,� Davies said. “Over here, everybody is good.�

Well, that certainly clears it up.

Actually, Davies has more important things to think about than entertaining the media with witticisms and quips.

Her immediate goal is to get her tour card in the United States and then start making the weekly cut. She played two tournaments in the United States last year, the U.S. Open, where she finished 11th, and the Dinah Shore, where she missed the cut. Davies is playing this week courtesy of a sponsor’s invitation.

Davies has quickly gained a reputation as being one of the longest hitters. Her rather squatty, heavy-set build allows her to drive he ball farther than most.

“A longer ball hitter is definitely favored on this course,� said Val Skinner, who finished at 69, three under. “I hear that (Davies) is absolutely something. Not too many people know who she is. But they’ll sure know who she is today.�

Davies has been playing golf for 10 years and this is her third year as a professional.

“At school, I did every sport that was going--tennis, hockey,� she said. “I did them all. . . . My brother and father used to play golf a lot on Sundays and one day I just joined them.�

Davies’ father, Dave, now lives in South Carolina, where he works as a design engineer. She spent the last two weeks with him practicing on the Southern courses.

Davies was in the third group to tee off Thursday morning. That means she’ll be playing today in the afternoon, a time traditionally more difficult because of the wind.

Wind or not, there are enough name players near the top to keep this tournament interesting. As a matter of fact, many people in the desert area already are smitten with the tournament, setting a Thursday attendance record of 8,664.

But, just in case you need to know the names, Donna Caponi and Kathy Baker are just four back after shooting 70s.

There are 11 players tied at 71, including Nancy Lopez and Jan Stephenson. Pat Bradley was at 72; Judy Dickinson, Hollis Stacy and Jane Geddes were at 73; Sandra Palmer, Laura Baugh and Jane Blalock were at 74 and JoAnne Carner was at 75.

And, of course, there are always Betsy King and Amy Alcott, our ambassadors to the House of Dinah. King seems confident and Alcott, despite suffering dizzy spells the last few days, also seems to be ready.

Better tell Maggie Thatcher there’s no need to hang by the phone. There’s a long way to go.