Posted on 05/22/2003 6:33:00 AM PDT by 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)
It's not a perfect system but does establish continuity for players of varying skill levels.
I shouldn't jump in at post #910, but isn't the question of whether or not she "belongs" decided by a year's record on the men's tour?
If she qualifies, she does belong, if she doesn't, she doesn't.
This is the central flaw in Title IX. Let all Division One "first teams" be open to men and women both, under the same rules.
Any female athlete who makes it, fine. Any who don't, no $$.
What could be more fair than that?
61???
Wow.
She won't be within 10 shots, so she'll need to be tied for 70th or better. Right now she's tied for 79th.
I'm not making any excuses -- they way she played today, 71 was a reasonable score. The discussion on the putting was specifically related to the talk about averages on long putts. I absolutely agree that conservative play left her with very few birdie chances today.
Why is it that when a man cheats on his wife women all refer to him as that dirty, rotten, scumbag SOB!
But when a women steps out on her husband they say "what do you suppose that dirty rotten scumbag SOB do that drove her to another man!"
from http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/2003_pga_exempt.html
12. Sponsor exemptions (a maximum of eight, which may include amateurs with handicaps of 2 or less), on the following basis: A. Not less than two sponsor invitees shall be PGA TOUR members not otherwise exempt. B. Not less than two of the top 35 finishers and ties from the last Qualifying Tournament, as well as 2-15 from the 2002 Nationwide Tour money list, if not all of them can otherwise be accommodated. (Note: PGA TOUR members may receive an unlimited number of sponsor invitations. Non-TOUR members may receive a maximum of seven per year).
You're killing me
Nonsense.
Nope -- when I say "handicap", I mean handicap index. It doesn't matter what course or tees you compute it from, the HI is the "neutral" number that is used to compare golfers to each other. If Mom usually plays the red tees and Son usually plays the blues, then Mom probably is scoring lower per round than Son if the HIs are equal (assuming that reds have a lower rating [almost certainly] and slope [typically]).
Now, if both typically shot 20-over from their usual tees, Mom would have a higher HI because she plays the easier course.
Remember tomorrow Annkia will be teeing off last with all of the spike marks on the greens and no morning moisture to slow her mid iron approaches..I may not have to eat that steaming plate of Garafalo just yet! (after I predicted 75-75)
I predicted 76-78...whoops.
Roughest course I ever played was Quaker Ridge in Westchester, a PGA-style course. Tap the ball a touch too hard on some of those sloping greens and you are by the hole, off the green and ten yards down the fairway. That's why her putting impressed me, for someone who usually plays on easier LPGA greens.
The "10 shot rule" only applies to majors.
I would agree that there may be a few here who want to see Annika blow it, but, you're refusal to objectively analyze Sorenstam's performance is equally partisan.
The fact is she played well for her game and on this course but is not scaring any of the leaders (so far). Some day she might, but not today and not tomorrow with the game she took with her to the course this morning.
It matters not. What we saw today was a media event and the only appropriate analysis is in that context. The media will fawn over her, other players will make pithy comments, feminists will drone on about how it is the dawn of a new age while omitting the fact that she ended up in the bottom 20% of the pack on the easiest course the PGA has to offer. When it is over, the reporters will forget about it, Annika will go back to the LPGA, and extremists on both sides will argue minutia for years to come.
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