Kelly Cap's homecoming topped by 1-over par 73

The Boardman graduate is playing in her second tournament of the year.
By ROB MEYER
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
VIENNA -- Despite having her legs caked with mud, Kelly Cap was all smiles after the first day of her homecoming.
After signing her official scorecard, Cap walked over to the waiting media and looked down at her mud-stained khaki pants.
"It looks like I'm wearing polka dot pants today," Cap joked.
The 1991 Boardman High School graduate shot a 1-over 73 in the first round of the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic Friday at the Squaw Creek Country Club.
On a day where the course was basically a glorified mud-field with the greens semi-long and very wet, Cap was happy with the way she played.
But she wasn't just playing for herself. She was playing for the numerous friends and family watching her.
Family audience
"There will be more out here [today]," Cap said of her relatives. "My parents were here, and I had a lot of aunts and cousins cheering me on."
Cap said that having her relatives on the course gives her motivation to do well, but at times in can be a slight hindrance.
"In ways, it can be tough playing in front of the hometown crowd," she said. "If you fall behind a little bit, you want to play well for them."
The highlight of Cap's day was birdieing her final hole, the 134-yard 9th. Her fan club surrounded the hole, and clapped heartily when Cap completed the birdie.
"Birdieing the 9th hole in front of the crowd was nice," she said. "As far as the rest of my round went, I just didn't hit the ball far enough, which is what you have to do. Other than that, I was pleased with the way I held it together. "
Cap made several key putts, something she was pleased with. Also, on the 412-yard par-4 17th, she made a crucial save after her ball landed in a sand trap.
"I putted well and I made a lot of the short putts that I needed to make," she said. "I really worked hard today, I'm kind of tired."
Murky waters
The soggy, wet course was the talk of the day for most of the golfers. Cap was no different. At times, it was playing through a pool of water, she said.
"It was really hard to get speed on the puts today," she said. "I thought that was the most difficult thing.'
Cap also talked about the length of the greens. With the bad weather, the grounds crew did not get a chance to mow the greens before the event began. Cap said that when she returned to action today, she hoped they would be mowed to provide better ball speed.
Another difficulty Cap experienced was getting a clean hit on the ball off the fairway.
"It was hard picking the ball clean," she said. "If you got a little bit behind the ball, you're going to hit a fat shot and get mud all over you."
Back in the saddle
The Giant Eagle Classic is the only the second tournament Cap has played in this year. She lost her tournament card last year but regained it for 2003. In her only other tournament of the year, The Ashai Ryokuken International in North Augusta, S.C, she missed the cut.
Obviously, she is excited to get back into the field.
"I need to get myself into a rhythm," she said. "I have high expectations and high goals. But when things start clicking, you never know."