Won and done(Vijay Singh wins Byron Nelson)-(Tears o'Martha Burke Alert)

Fort Worth Startlegram ^ | 5/19/03 | Gil Lebreton

[headsonpikes]

Vijay's wearing the long pants this week. ;^)

[Hatteras]

I worked with a fellow named Singh for a while, a few years back. This guy was extremely sexist. His attitude was that women are less superior and should be treated as such. I believe it's a Sikh thing, I could be wrong.

At the risk of painting with a broad brush, I do sense this is a cultural thing with ViJay. I don't believe he's concerned about losing to her but he's not going to play because he really doesn't believe she should play in a "men's tournament".

[Kozak]

Would LOVE to see a rush of male golfers trying to qualify for the LPGA events. Sauce for the goose....

[bourbon]

If Annika is so great, how come John Smoltz beat her? I mean, here's a guy who spends most of his time pitching for the Braves, and he beat the world's greatest female golfer. You'd have to think that the guys who play golf for a living would be able to do better than him.

[Zansman]

It really doesn't matter if Annika can make the cut or not, there has already been a clear winner in this situation.

This past week brought us the Byron Nelson and all anyone wanted to talk about was Annika and The Colonial.... excuse me , THE BANK OF AMERICA COLONIAL.

Regardless of the side issues, B of A got the absolute most out of their soponsor's exemptions and you've got to admire their PR department (from a pure business stand point at the very least) for pulling this off.

Don't cry to me about "taking some more worthy golfer's place", part of the sponsorship package includes several exemptions for whomever that sponsor may want. In this case, B of A used one to create the most hype surrounding this tournament in it's history.

Annika may or may not make the cut, but I feel pretty certain this will wind up in a Harvard Business School text book as a case study in brilliant sports marketing.

[gunnedah]

Thanks guys for having the courage to stand up like men.
Of course neither of you are not white American males that have been brainwashed into thinking they owe the world something and just need to keep quite.
Anyone want to bet whether Anika gets to wear shorts this week or not?
This PC Crowd is pitiful but what is more pitiful is the American White Male.

[VRWCmember]

Check the tee times and pairings before you make such stupid statements.

Apply this same advice to your comment about the 5-iron and putter. What kind of score do you think your 100 buddies who need a sponsor's exemption in order to get into a PGA tournament would post through two days of playing from the championship tees on a course like Colonial? 8 under? 5 under? even par? Not likely.

From what I've heard, Annika's short game is comparable to an average player on the PGA tour, but her putting is very good. I think it will be interesting to see how she fares against the men on the tour. I guess every guy that she beats will probably think "Wow, I guess I should have just brought my 5-iron and my putter instead of all 14 clubs."

[Labyrinthos]

Although long pants are without question the rule in the PGA, I would rather look at Annika's legs than Phil Mickelson's or Craig Stadler's gut. And since this is nothing more than a publicity stunt, I would like to see Annika play in a mini skirt, with a white halter top, braless.

[Kozak]

Rumor has it that corporate sponsors are pressuring the Westminster Dog Show to allow Martha Burke's and Maureen Dowd's cats to compete.

I think Burke and Dowd would personally qualify for the dog show without an exemption.

[gunnedah]

Do you feel the same about men who have won tournaments playing on the womens tour?

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Are there 100 sponsor's exemptions? If not, which of the 100 would you invite? Would that be fair to the rest? Why is the anger directed at the invitee rather than the invitor? (Hint: The invitor puts up the money these guys win.) Doesn't the publicity help generate interest in this tournament? Doesn't the PGA want publicity and viewership to increase so as to increase the value a the TV contract?

If Sorenstram does well in this tournament she may decide to try to qualify for the mens' tour. Is that OK? Is there an equal corollary of men being able to join the women's tour? NO. That would destroy the LPGA but a woman playing with the men would only increase interest.

They say golf is a thinking man's game. Think about these issues, unless you are not one of the thinking man golfers.

[Howlin]

Sorenstam's historic Colonial appearance

What's so historic about getting into a tournament just because you're a woman. She didn't even qualify!

[gunnedah]

Thank God they are mostly White guys!

[af_vet_rr]

Considering she wasn't even required to qualify for the tournament to begin with, a very good question.

[VRWCmember]

So the Indiana Pacers invited her to try-out. If you look closely you can still see "Spalding" on her forehead!

Hahahahaha. That really is funny. It will be interesting to see if you see "Lady Titelist" imprinted on the @$$ of any of the PGA players next week.

[Howlin]

Would LOVE to see a rush of male golfers trying to qualify for the LPGA events.

The LPGA bylaws specifically exclude men.

[Howlin]

Do you feel the same about men who have won tournaments playing on the womens tour?

Who would that be?

[7thson]

Being a non-golfer, I really do not, or I should say, I did not care about this. The only thing that bothers me is that it brings out all the fems where I work. And I get sick of it all. Let's just cut the crap and make a PGA - Pro Golfers, men and women. you make the cut, you get to play. Cut out the WNBA. You wanna play pro ball, go up against the Shaq and the rest of the big guys. You want to play tennis, go up against the guys. Boxing, football, soccer, whatever sport. No female leagues. Go up against the men pros - same rules they play by. If you can last, you can play.

[Labyrinthos]

Obviously, neither of you have a clue what you're talking about... And, no they don't give sponsor's exemptions to "has-beens". Check the tee times and pairings before you make such stupid statements.

You are the one without a clue. According to my sister-in-law, who is a top executive with one of the major sponsors on the PGA, Senior PGA, and LPGA, the sponsor can hand out something like four exemptions to just about anyone they want (the other four go to active touring pros who are otherwise not qualified). In most cases, the sponsor gives the exemption to either top ranked amateurs (like Tiger before he went pro or that 16 year old kid we have seen of late) or has beens, who have served the sponsor well over the years (can you say Jack, Arnie, Lee, and Gary?).

[discostu]

And if she wasn't there it would be 99 divorced guys with 3 mortages... oh the humanity.