Top cash winner of local tournament is Ohioan

Two-time champion Tammie Green's best finish at Squaw Creek was third in 1991.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
VIENNA -- It is only fitting that the top career money winner in the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic is a native Ohioan.
After 11 LPGA tournaments here in the Mahoning Valley, Tammie Green, who hails from Somerset, is the outright leader in total money won in those events.
Green, who won this tournament in 1994 and again in 1997, is also one of only three LPGA professionals who has played in all 11 events here.
More money: Her career earnings are at $282,188, and both of her wins came before Giant Eagle increased the purse to $1 million and the first prize to $150,000.
Green is followed by the tournament's only other two-time champion, Michelle McGann.
The Florida native won titles in 1995 and 1996, and has played in 10 of the 11 tournaments here, missing only the first year at Squaw Creek.
McGann's total is $203,366.
Dottie Pepper, always a fan favorite here, ranks third on the list but has never won the title. She finished second in 1998 and has won $193,394 in 10 of the 11 tournaments, missing last year because of an injury.
The 1998 champion, Se Ri Pak, is ranked fourth with $172,334, and she's only played here three times. Her other finishes were sixth and seventh.
Former champs: The next five places on the money list are held by former tournament champions. The 1999 champ, Jackie Gallagher-Smith, is fifth with $163,372, while Hall-of-Famer and 1993 champ Nancy Lopez is sixth with $153,530.
Deb Richard, the 1991 champ and 1993 runner-up, is seventh with $152,622 and last year's champion Dorothy Delasin is eighth with her winning check of $150,000.
Rounding out the top 10 are non-winners Kelly Robbins with $120,547 and Pat Hurst with $113,264.
Green has always had great success while playing in Ohio. She has won at Toledo and Dayton and has finished in the top five here on five different occasions. Her best finish at Squaw Creek was a third in 1991.
Pepper has also finished in the top 10 five times in her 10 previous events.
Pro attraction: Throughout the 11 years of this tournament, 348 different LPGA professionals have taken part. Of that total, 94 have never won a dime, including two, Jerlyn Britz and Donna Wilkins, who have each played here nine times.
In addition to Green, there are only two other golfers who have played in all 11 of the tournaments to date. They are Penny Hammel and Cindy Flom.