Catrin Nilsmark gets back in the swing with a 69

One of the most notable names one stroke off the lead is Michelle McGann.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
VIENNA -- Catrin Nilsmark wasn't even sure she could play in the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic.
Now, she's ready to win it.
A painful back had Nilsmark thinking, as late as Thursday, that she wouldn't be able to compete at Squaw Creek Country Club.
But once she started playing, she didn't want to stop.
Nilsmark shot a 3-under-par 69 with seven other golfers, including two-time winner Michelle McGann, to finish one stroke off the lead.
Joining them were Marisa Baena, Eva Dahllof, Liz Earley, Pat Hurst, Kristal Parker-Manzo and Patti Rizzo.
"When you have something else to focus on, other than your swing, sometimes it can help you," said Nilsmark, a 35-year-old native of Sweden, who didn't even play a practice round this week.
Unaffected
On a day when wet conditions slowed play and made it tough on golfers, Nilsmark didn't seem affected. She missed only one fairway and one green, proving that her back wasn't a negating factor.
"It's a day-to-day thing," she said. "I've been getting some good help here the last few days. What can I say? It's all right. It could be worse."
One of the most notable names one stroke off the lead is McGann, who won back-to-back Giant Eagle titles in 1995-96.
McGann took a step toward regaining her confidence, which she has struggled with this season, by playing well in familiar territory.
"This is always a fun place to come back to," McGann said. "I have a lot of great memories."
The highlight of McGann's round was an eagle on the par-5 fifth hole, where she hit her 5-wood to within 1 foot.
"That kind of helps cover your mistakes," McGann said.
In an effort to improve her play, McGann used her father, Bucky, as her caddie, instead of her brother.
"I haven't been scoring that well, so I decided to switch it up a bit," said McGann, who has missed the cut in six of 10 tournaments this season.
"I pretty much went out and said, 'I'm going to hit it and I'm going to find it, and then I'm going to hit it again.' "
Back-to-back
Hurst closed her round with consecutive birdies to join the runner-up pack. She shot up the leaderboard, even without playing a practice round this week.
"That leaves a good taste in your mouth," Hurst said of the closing birdies. "It makes you want to come back tomorrow. You can't wait."
Hurst's second birdie putt rolled 15 feet on the par-3 ninth. She battled all day to accurately read the slow, wet greens, and it culminated with success at the finish.
"Everybody's out there in it. You just have to push through it," she said of the wet conditions. "You can't think about it. You just have to hit as many good shots as you can."
Rizzo, playing in her fourth tournament of the season, surged toward the top by shooting her best round. She built momentum early in the morning and just relaxed as the round unfolded.
"I drove it very well," Rizzo said. "I was on the fairway, and then you get to lift and place. How perfect is that? You just get to hit it."
richesson@vindy.com