Annika Meets the Boys at Colonial [Finishes Day +1]

CBS Sports/USA Network and PGA.com ^ | May 22, 2003 | Jim Nantz

[ewing]

LPGA player Annika Sorenstam will be teeing off shortly in a men's PGA event at the Colonial Country Club [the first time in 60 years this has happened]

Live shot for shot coverage as long as she is in contention to make the cut on USA Networks, PGA Radio is free today for those cubicle bound and wanting live update (link included)

[1Old Pro]

Uh Oh! A birdie! Now she has to bogey 6 of the remaining 14 holes to hit 75 today.

I predicted 74, so that's 5 bogeys

[Teacher317]

From the far side of the green, I'd call it 22ft. (These announcers aren't mentioning distances much, and I'm horrible at eyeballing it.)

[Labyrinthos]

Those are the 4 or 5 spots...

There are eight sponsor's exemptions. Four of them go to PGA pros who would not have otherwise qualified. The other four go to whom the sponsor wants them to go as long as the person has a 2 handicap.

[You Dirty Rats]

If nothing else, Annika has got a lion's heart and courage. Just think of all the media pressure, the controversy, the naysayers, the hostile attitude of many of the golfers ... and yet she is coming out and playing great.

If she makes the cut, the ratings over the weekend will be off the hook.

You go girl!!!

[ewing]

[vollmond]

Looks like my 82 prediction for her first round may have been a bit over. I figured I'd shoot a 164 there, so I'd put her at twice as good as me :).

[Protagoras]

Annika could wipe the floor with nearly anyone posting here.

Beat me, whip me, make me write bad checks, wipe the floor with me.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Lol, ok. Many have said she will have to play good just to make 75, so if she beats that, I think there will be a lot of people starting to quite down about how she doesn't belong, and how she isn't deserving.

[HamiltonJay]

agreed, lots of people, and freepers going to be eating crow after today if she keeps it up, and a few of us who had a little faith, will be able to gloat.

[jgrubbs]

Yeah I saw that too:

[Your Nightmare]

Four of them go to PGA pros who would not have otherwise qualified.

Those lame, cheating SOBs. They should have earned it. :-)

[Labyrinthos]

The praise the announcers keep heaping on her is sickening.

Turn the sound down. Rush is on in an hour. You can listen to him, while watching the play.

[Babsig]

I really don't hear all the praise that you are complaining about. In fact, the one announcer just stated that the Colonial is playing very easy today - wet greens and no wind. - implying that she is having a easy time of it today because of the conditions.

As a woman golfer I think this is great PR for the LPGA..I mean who really watches the LPGA on TV? This is also helping the PGA because since the debut of Tiger Woods, there really hasn't been much excitement in golf.

I hope she does well and all the media will eventually fade away. Its all about money for both the PGA and LPGA.

[kevkrom]

(Hopefully) Before anyone says something stupid, let me point out that handicap index is calculated exactly the same for men and women and accounts for the length (course rating) and relative difficulty (course slope) of the courses where the scores where calculated. A woman's 2 handicap is exactly the same as a man's 2 handicap.

[Labyrinthos]

Well said.

[Lost Highway]

She's put the crow in the oven and turned it to 350 degrees. If she makes it through 3 4 and 5 I will be donning my bib.

[1Old Pro]

 

14	4	457	This long dogleg left requires a draw off tee and a long approach shot. The green can be tricky.
15	4	430	Your tee shot must navigate a gauntlet formed by out of bounds to the right and trees to the left. A short approach makes birdies possible on this two-tiered green.
16	3	188	The steepest green on the course requires a good shot to stay below the pin.
17	4	383	This is a short but dangerous hole. It's a dogleg right but you must keep your tee shot left. Accuracy is a premium all the way with short but hazardous approach.
18	4	427	You need to hit a draw off the tee on this dogleg left with trees capturing wayward shots. A lake protects the left side of the well-bunkered green.

[Teacher317]

10th (par 4, 404 yds): On the fairway twice, birdie putt is short, makes par.
11th (par 5, 609 yds): On the fairway all three shots, birdie putt is short, makes par.
12th (par 4, 443 yds): On the fairway, second shot on the rim of the green, makes par.
13th (par 3, 178 yds): 3 inches off of the carpet, birdie putt is GOOD!
14th (par 4, 457 yds): Drive on the right edge of the fairway, second shot bounces about 10 ft from the hole, and runs 25 ft further. (35 ft ? birdie putt attempt coming)
15th (par 4, 430 yds):
16th (par 3, 188 yds):
17th (par 4, 383 yds):
18th (par 4, 427 yds):

[Guillermo]

This course is suited to her. It's "only" 7,000 yards.

Over the course of the season, I don't think she could be competitive day in/day out, but it might be possible.

At this level of golf (PGA Tour and what used to be the Buy.Com tour), what seperates the men is not physical, ie how long they can hit the ball or whether they can putt. It's all about how they can handle the pressure.

While Sorenstam is at a disadvantage because she is not as long as PGA players, if she can handle the pressure, she could make money on the PGA Tour.

[NYC Republican]

"Turn the sound down. Rush is on in an hour. You can listen to him, while watching the play."

Great idea! Will do. Thanks