That Golfer Has Ovaries—Love Her! (Annika has no business playing in the all-male PGA)

Cornell Review ^ | 5/25/2003 | Joseph J. Sabia

[Qwerty]

What a whiner!

[america-rules]

Did she tee from the Blue or Red Tees?

[A CA Guy]

I agree, she was a circus act. The President of the women's tour said they would not let a professional man play on their tour.

This chick can play the mens tour for ten years and never win.
Put Tiger on the women's tour and he can win at will for the next 20-30 years perhaps straight.

Silly publicity stunt.

[RichInOC]

AIEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Enough already.

[Pure Country]

This chick can play the mens tour for ten years and never win

Same for most of the men on the tour.

[skr]

That's what I want to know.

[jlogajan]

"This chick can play the mens tour for ten years and never win"

Same for most of the men on the tour.

Ssssh! Don't confuse 'em with the facts.

[A CA Guy]

She's the #1 woman and not just some lover level male pro.

[skr]

"Lady golfers have their own little golfing group, the LPGA. There, they can pretend that they are real golfers and stay out of men’s way."

Women can't be "real golfers"? It's a "fluke" that she beat some of the men? No, I don't think forcing a group to accept someone who doesn't qualify is a good idea, but why insult women golfers, who probably work just as hard on their own level to play golf? It's not as though all male golfers are unbeatable by virtue of their gender. Sheer strength isn't the sum total of this particular game, although it's an important factor. Perhaps both groups ought to have some mixed tournaments, all playing with the same rules, and see what happens. It was ridiculous to use such an important event to try to change the rules of the PGA.

[bondserv]

This guy has it all wrong. The men’s tour will not have a lady qualified to compete on the PGA. But not because it is wrong for one to.

Annika beat 11 guys who played the worst golf that they can play. While Annika was focused beyond any LPGA major event she could have entered. She is in another class on the LPGA and knows how to handle tournament golf better than most of the 11 guys she beat.

On a good day for those 11 men, compared to her best day, they could beat her by 10 shots.

Baring a woman of extremely freakish strength and determination, there will be no women qualified to play on the PGA. If one that can qualify comes along, let her play. Don't let her take a golf cart though.

I wonder how the Royal and Ancient weighs in on this.

[Concerned]

The decision as to whether there should be women playing again on the PGA Tour should be up to the SPONSOR and the COUNTRY CLUB's MEMBERS.

If the PGA and LPGA don't want to allow mixed genders in the future, then they shouldn't allow Sponsor's wildcard invitations (or whatever the invitations were called that allowed Annika).

There is NO need for a PGA and an LPGA! There should be a Professional Golfing Assn and a Semi-Professional Golfing Assn, depending on ABILITY not gender.

[longtermmemmory]

First, the eleven guys that were beaten by a chick should turn in their manhood cards immediately and start new careers befitting their statures; maybe organizing Sex in the City fan clubs or something.

* * *** ** * * ***

Proof Golf is too easy.

This means make PGA golf harder.

[longtermmemmory]

which is why the LPGA rules require you be BORN a woman and not surgically altered to apear like one.

Intersting point about the best woman was able to compete with the lowest men.

I see this as good pr stunt. It secured her name recognition and endorsements for her as the most recognized woman golfer. It was a good business decision. I look to see more "sponsor exceptions" in future PGA games. That is unless the rule is eliminated to ensure ability only play. (she did tee off the mens tee right?)

[driftless]

While not as exercised about it as Sabia and a few others, I did originally oppose it because of the usual suspects who are behind these stunts. Of course it was a big sales and publicity stunt. And it worked great. The PGA rules do not specify same-sex members and also could have invited the Pope to play... although I've heard he has a bad slice.

The problem is that these same Annika boosters would cry foul if certain male golfers, who were not good enough to make the PGA, wanted to "test themselves" on the LPGA. In short there was an agenda behind the Annika scam. It was the same people who were outraged about The Masters's exclusionary (and thoroughly constitutional) policy. Let's hope that this is the last stunt of its kind. It proved nothing.

[Steel and Fire and Stone]

is that these same Annika boosters would cry foul if certain male golfers, who were not good enough to make the PGA...

This will certainly happen. If there can be no legal (read, legal precident, just established by the courts) reason a woman cannot play in a mens tournament, what possible reason could there be not to apply the same legal reasoning to a man's request to play in a LPGA tournament.

Remember, there's MONEY to be made for the first man ranked 20,016 in the PGA to play and win on the LPGA.

FReegards, SFS

[djf]

At first I was opposed to her being granted an exemption. Then I found out there was a qualifying round. Hey, if she can make the cut, then best wishes. She finished something like 96'th. I am not picking on women, or jews, or blacks. I am only saying there are sometimes things which a certain group are inherently better at. Mankind cannot survive if it takes on an unnatural view of the world.

[longtermmemmory]

the Lpga specifically says you have to be BORN a female. The PGA just says golfer.

[longtermmemmory]

oops forgot to mention: This problem can be avoided in the future by eliminating sponsor exemptions. No more publicity stunts. ALL will have to qualify.

[ShadowDancer]

the PGA gave her preferential treatment because she was a circus act.

What was the preferential treatment they gave her?