Here’s a different scene: There is an LPGA event going on just a few yards away on a magnificent June day in Michigan, but the accomplished pro sitting directly across in player dining doesn’t have her clubs. It would make great fodder for some 3 a.m., cold-sweat nightmare if it weren’t something that Juli Inkster is finding so absolutely glorious.
Inkster is in Michigan on this day as the guest of Cathy Cooper, the longtime tournament director for the Meijer LPGA Classic outside of Grand Rapids. There were no clubs required, which delighted Inkster, who gleefully wheeled her small carry-on bag down the aisle of her flight and hoisted it into an overhead bin. That’s a dream moment for somebody who spent decades lugging two weeks of clothes and heavy golf clubs around the world.
Inkster is in Michigan to, well, be Juli Inkster. Shake some hands, kiss some babies, talk a little golf, visit with younger players, share some funny stories. To just be there. It is a task that she takes on and performs exceptionally.
For Inkster, who will turn 64 on June 24, her playing days are fading, which is not easy for the ultimate competitor, but she is finding peace with that fact. She is in a great place in life and expresses her gratitude. Finally, people who spent all those years watching Inkster are fully appreciating what they witnessed.
It was special, wasn’t it?
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