ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, December 7, 1996 TAG: 9612090056
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
Two rounds into her professional career, Kelli Kuehne has learned it won't always be this easy - Tiger Woods won't always be around to lend a hand.
Woods and Kuehne, the reigning men's and women's U.S. Amateur champions, found the perfect routine for the alternate shot format Friday to get within a stroke of the lead after the second round of the $1.5 million JCPenney Classic in Tarpon Springs, Fla.
The Woods-Kuehne team shot a 7-under-par 64 to get to 12-under 130, one stroke behind the leading teams of Mike Hulbert-Donna Andrews and Scott McCarron-Pat Hurst.
The teams of John Daly-Laura Davies and Jeff Sluman-Dottie Pepper are among those two strokes off the lead at the Innisbrook Resort Copperhead course.
Kuehne, the two-time U.S. Women's Amateur champion, is making her professional debut in the tournament that pairs players from the LPGA and PGA tours. Woods turned pro after winning his third straight U.S. Amateur, and won twice in just eight official PGA events.
``I'm lucky. This is my first tournament and it's team competition,'' Kuehne said. ``We're 12 under. Compared to how I've played, it makes me look great. Obviously, I won't be able to do that in a regular event.''
Woods said she shouldn't worry about it. Although Kuehne admittedly struggled through the best-ball format in the first round, she found her game Friday and quickly settled into an enjoyable routine. Woods would hit the approach shot on the green, and Kuehne would make the putt.
LENGTH: Short : 34 linesby CNB