When Meg Mallon threw out the ceremonial first pitch early lastweek at a White Sox game, the ball didn't quite make it all the wayfrom the pitcher's mound to home plate.
"I told John (Dormann, her caddy), that pitch is just how myseason is going: It's really exciting to be there but it just came upa little short," Mallon said.
Mallon won four tournaments last year on the LPGA Tour, two ofthem major titles.
This year, Mallon hasn't won any tournaments. The redeemingfactor is she's playing better golf and still is making a lot ofmoney.
"My main goal coming out this year was to be more of aconsistent player," said Mallon, who shot a second-round 2-over-par74 Saturday to fall four strokes off the lead in the Sun-TimesChallenge at White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville. "I didn't feellike I had that last year. It was kind of a roller-coaster ride.One week I'd finish 30th and the next week I'd finish first."
This year, Mallon has 11 top 10 finishes in 20 events and hasearned $322,463, good for seventh place on the LPGA Tour money list.
Her scoring average of 70.93 is nearly a full stroke lowerthan last year. And she ranks seventh in birdies with 230.
So the consistency finally is there for the former Ohio StateBuckeye, now in her sixth year on the tour.
"I just haven't gotten that win, although I've come closeenough," Mallon said. "I guess if you knock enough on the door, it'sgoing to finally open."
One thing Mallon does have is a winning smile. And along withher golf clubs, she brings a personality to the course, which makesher a crowd favorite.
On Thursday, while waiting to be interviewed, she spied therumpled jacket collar of a disheveled radio reporter, straightened itand, with the air of an older sister, said kiddingly, "You men justdon't know how to take care of yourselves."
Dormann, Mallon's caddy for the last 1 1/2 years, said thatkind of familiarity stems from her big family.
"She's friendly with everyone on the tour," said Dormann, whois married to tour player Dana Lofland. "She always has a hello foreveryone. She's very family-oriented."
Of course, that's only half of the Mallon personality. Theother is the hard-working champion.
"She can be tough when she needs to be," Dormann said. "Youdon't get to be as successful as she is without being verycompetitive. When she's off the course, she's the friendliest personyou can meet. But on the course, it's time to work."
Mallon, 29, finished 20th at the Mazda LPGA and fourth at theU.S. Women's Open.
She said she has a grand plan about how long she wants to playgolf and when she'd like to get married and start a family. Thebiological clock isn't a big topic of conversation on the men's tour,but it's relevant for the women's.
"I'd like to be married by 33, have kids by 35 and know I won'tbe on tour any later than 38," Mallon said. "I'd like to have nineor 10 more good years out here. But I don't want to make my familycome out here. When they reach school age, that's when I'd like tobe able to call it quits.
"That's the grand plan. Now I've got to find someone to goalong with that."
But she isn't looking for help, not even from her family."For the first time this year my mom said, `Do you mind if I set youup with somebody?' And I said, `Yes, I do.' "
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