Golf at The Standard Portland Classic must have been a little like old times for Hall of Famer Juli Inkster.
Inkster was about to tee it up the LPGA event she won 26 years ago, and another Hall of Famer, Nancy Lopez, was there as a sponsor guest. The two legends of the game chatted on the tee box before Inkster’s first shot of the event. Who knows, maybe Lopez cracked a joke about how to hang with the talented crop of LPGA Tour’s 20- and 30-somethings, many of whom could be her daughter or granddaughter.
Inkster is 65 years old and had planned on using this event as a warmup for next week’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open in San Diego.
Inkster shot a 69-74 for a one-under 143 total in the two rounds at Columbia Edgewater Country Club and, though there was anticipation for much of the day that she would be the oldest player to make it to the weekend, the Northern California native came up one shot short, with the cut coming at two under.
Inkster is 65 years, 1 month and 22 days. She was trying to surpass World Golf Hall of Famer JoAnne Carner, who was 64 years and 26 days old when she made the cut at the then-Nabisco Championship (now Chevron) in 2004. (The oldest player to make the cut on the PGA Tour was Jay Haas at 68, but his comes with asterisk because he was playing alongside son, Bill Haas, in a two-man team event. Going solo, Sam Snead was 67 when he reached the weekend in the 1979 Westchester Classic.
“I frigging love JoAnne Carner. Yeah, just kind of means that I have a passion for the game. I love the game,” Inkster said. “I’m really happy I played this week. When I signed up, I was kind of like, what are you doing? I was free; I was out there with Hannah Green and Stacy [Lewis] and had a great time. Just love watching the young kids swing. It’s so impressive. I think the game is in a really good shape and happy to be here.”
Asked if she was aware of the cut line, Inkster said, “I knew if I could get to one or two under I would make it. One [under] might be a little iffy. I did the best I could out there. Yeah, wasn’t really pleased with the way I drove the ball on the back side or my front side. Hopefully there is tomorrow, and I can improve.”
Inkster is a mom and grandmother, so making the cut would have been a victory for women everywhere. Golf is a game for life, but to play like this against the best golfers in the world, many of whom are four decades younger, is really special. And Inkster already has done so many special things. She captured seven majors, won 31 times on tour and starred in nine Solheim Cups.
The last time Inkster made a cut in an LPGA event was in 2021, and her last start came in the 2022 JTBC Classic. Her last victory was in the 2008 SemGroup Championship, while Inkster has won six times on the Legends Tour.
Her short game was on point, and there seemed to be little rust. She needed 31 putts on Friday and just 27 in her first round.
“I feel like I’m putting pretty good. My irons are pretty good. I’ve got to shore up my rescues and fairway woods a little bit,” Inkster said. “Yeah, I think it was really good for me to play, whether I win or lose next week, whatever. I’m glad I put myself out there.”
When Inkster finished her round Friday, just after noon locally in Oregon, she was tied for 58th, right on the projected cut line.
Inkster had three bogeys and one birdie in the second round, but more importantly, when she was on the cut line after consecutive bogeys at the third and fourth—she started at No. 10—Inkster finished with five consecutive pars she needed to stay there.
She enjoyed the cheers she got from those in her gallery.
“I did. I think they’re all my age,” Inkster said. “Yeah, it was great. We had a really good group out there following us so it was fun.”
Inkster shot a three-under 69 in the first round and was tied for 32nd, which certainly was the reason for the nerves as she was in prime position to make the cut. She had just one bogey en route to her first round in the 60s since the Meijer LPGA Classic in 2021.
