Fans enjoy the week with LPGA professionals

Some walked, some sat, others just came to see Annika Sorenstam.
By ROB MEYER
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
VIENNA -- Some walk the course with an ice cold beer in hand. Others set up camp by a particular hole, complete with lawn chairs, umbrellas and blankets. Certain people have favorite golfers they come to see. Then there are the Annika Sorenstam followers.
Every spectator that comes to the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic comes from their own reason. Sunday's crowd was visibly the largest of the three days, thanks to the good weather. The first two days were played under dark clouds and on wet, muddy grass.
Regardless of the weather, people still came to see.
Travelers
Dick and Patty Anderson of Geneva were two of the many who decided to sit in one place. They set up their lawn chairs on the 10th hole, near to where the golfers tee off. Sunday was the first day they attended.
"It's so nice out here today," Dick said. "This is our second time down, we enjoyed it last time we were here."
The drive from Geneva to Squaw Creek Country Club is about 60 miles. But the two didn't seem to mind the trip, as they were relaxing, enjoying the weather and watching the action.
As expected, the Andersons were interested in seeing Sorenstam play the course. But to them, the hoopla and excitement surrounding her is nothing new.
"She gets that stuff everywhere she goes," Dick said, with Patty nodding hear head in agreement. "She's just another ladies golfer."
Local watcher
Many of the fans watching the tournament are locals from the Youngstown area. Chip Hauschak falls into this category.
A Youngstown resident, Hauschak is an avid golf fan and his wife works in the transportation area of Squaw Creek. So it was only natural that he attend the tournament.
"The first two days were the worst conditions I've ever seen here," said Hauschak, sitting on one of the many picnic tables. "But there's really nothing anyone could have done. You don't have any control over that."
One of Hauschak's favorite parts about Sunday's round was witnessing Meg Mallon almost get a hole-in-one on the ninth hole.
As for Sorenstam, Hauschak said he was surprised at how "congenial" she was when signing autographs.
"She's the number one player in the world, but sometimes it has to be embarrassing for her," he said. "People follow her rather than the leader."
Randoms
Simply taking a 10-minute walk around a couple of holes allows you to see some interesting spectators.
After Sorenstam's drive on the ninth hole, one man was frantically trying to see where her ball was on the green.
"Where is it, where is it, oh my God where did she put it," the man was asking his companion over and over again. "I need to see it, I came here to see it."
Another common practice at the tournament is fans reprimanding other fans for moving or talking when golfers attempt a putt.
When Christina Kim attempted her putt on the ninth hole Sunday, one woman close to the hole apparently forgot she was supposed to be silent. She carried on a conversation with another woman until a spectator shouted at her to quiet down.
In other words, the people watching the tournament can be more entertaining than the golfers themselves.