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Posted on 05/29/2003 12:35:36 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
Annika Sorenstam, who dominates the Ladies Professional Golf Association, became the first female golfer to play in a Professional Golf Association event in 58 years.
She finished her first day one over par, but did not make the 36-hole cut because during the second day she finished with a 74, missing the cut by four shots.
During her press conference, she sounded surprisingly down, and practically conceded that she reached beyond reasonable expectations. Hey, after one try, why not give it another shot before throwing in the towel?
In any case, many fail to realize that the PGA never forbade female competitors. Indeed, Babe Didrikson Zaharias played in a PGA tournament in 1945, making the 36-hole cut, but failing to make the 54-hole cut. By contrast, the LPGA tour, by definition, confines its entrants to females.
How did Sorenstam qualify for Texas' Colonial invitational in the first place? She received a "sponsors' exemption," which allows, by any criteria, a select number of entrants to play. Some men, at first, grumbled that she failed to qualify by playing in a tournament from the women's rather than from the men's tee. She, therefore – according to the critics – entered under less trying circumstances than those required for men.
Golfer Vijay Singh, in particular, said, "I hope she misses the cut. Why? Because she doesn't belong out here." He then quickly backed up and said, "She's the best woman golfer in the world, and I want to emphasize 'woman.' We have our tour for men, and they have their tour. She's taking a spot from someone in the field." Yet, in years past, several men received sponsors' exemptions, including past "champions" no longer competitive. Thus, she did not "take a space" from a male tour golfer.
What's the harm? Last year, the 32-year-old Swede won 13 tournaments, exerting a dominance beyond that of even Tiger Woods. Fellow LPGA player Juli Inkster likens Sorenstam to Woods, "She's the Tiger Woods of our tour. If Tiger had a 'next level' to go to, I bet he would do it. I think she's one who always wants to challenge herself and see how she stacks up against the best. The men are the best."
Sorenstam simply crushes her league. She hits a ball longer than many men. She said she made no statement concerning women – not one of those I-am-woman-hear-me-roar deals, but simply sought to elevate her game by playing with the best.
Does this mean that men can now compete in an LPGA Tournament?
Years ago, a boy in New York tried out for and made the girls' high-school field-hockey team, which state regulations allowed him to do because there was no boys' field-hockey team. New York reporter Melissa Hebert summed it up precisely when she wrote, "With girls going out for boys' teams, the question is, is she good enough? When a boy goes out for a girls' team, the question often is, is he bad enough?"
One female commentator cheered on Sorenstam and called golf a "non-gender sport." If, by that, she means both sexes play the game, sure. If, however, she suggests that most professionals possess equal skills or hit the ball just as far, she fails to properly credit Annika with abilities far beyond those of most professional female golfers.
As mentioned earlier, Annika called the Colonial a one-time event, and that she did not anticipate entering into any other male events. The Colonial, say experienced golfers, while 700 yards longer than the typical LPGA setup, remains one of the shorter men's courses with only two par fives, and thus the Colonial is one where women might likely compete more effectively. Other courses, with higher pars, likely serve more problematic for female golfers, however talented.
Still, Sorenstam beat 11 other men, and displayed poise, class and a sense of humor. Hey, if a female pitcher for the New York Yankees can throw a 95-mile-an-hour fastball, imagine the attendance.
Where is Martha Burk, the woman who banged on the gates to let women into Augusta? Where is the National Organization for Women, one of whose chapter presidents disagreed with charging Scott Peterson for double homicide in the murder of his wife, Laci, and unborn son, Conner?
As a step forward for, call it, female achievement and accomplishment – especially without the supportive agitation of some civil-rights group – this seems far more historically significant. Most male golfers offered support, and, in fact, pulled for her and cheered her on. Television ratings soared, and the event drew 400 reporters, nearly four times the customary number. Meanwhile, Burk's anti-Masters protest drew about 50 attendees, many of them members of the press.
Somehow, someway, Sorenstam pulled this off without NOW's Kim Gandy or the National Council of Women's Organizations' Burk. Say it ain't so.
LOL! Driving distance stats are taken on only 2 holes per round.
Sounds like someone worth following.
What's his name?
I took it as a realistic assessment that, although she is the best female touring professional, she is not up to competing with the best male touring professionals.
It was part of her gracious comments following what I am sure was a disappointing round of golf for her.
B*stards! First betrayed by that PGA Tour newbie, Jack Nicklaus, and now the official tournament stats have been "fiddled with" to make it appear that Sorenstam did better than the Procrustean bed you tried to force her into.
It's a giant conspiracy, I tell you!!! ;-)
Backtracking from our original position, are we?:
presidio9: "I stand by my belief that Woods would shoot four consecutive rounds in the 50's on the LPGA tour."
presidio9: "But I'll even give you a freebie, because I have a soft spot for people who argue for the sake of arguing without the benefit of facts: Woods wouldn't need to be hitting greens with irons to break 60 on the course in question. There are 5 greens know he CAN drive. There are 3 more that he could putt to after his drive. He would be on all par fives in two, with a wedge on two of those. That makes seven eagle putts, plus 3 easy birdies. After that there are two more birdie-length par fours and 4 short par threes. One of them is 125 yards. I stand by my earlier statement. He shoots four rounds in the 50's here."
presidio9: "Tiger would shoot 4 rounds in the 50's on most LPGA Courses. He would be driving the greens with irons on a lot of par fours!!!"
===========================
We're getting sick of you shifting your positions around all the time, you little weasel. If you can't get your story straight, why don't you just STFU?
Oh, that's right - we're on the Net, and keyboard commandos like you can just keep on coming. :-)
'Driving Distance-Measured Drvs.' is the average number of yards per measured drive. These drives are measured on two holes per round. Care is taken to select two holes which face in opposite directions to counteract the effects of wind. Drives are measured to the point they come to rest regardless of whether they are in the fairway or not.
~159 out of 183-185
That's only a nickel on the fairway - not even half a club.
Look, I got nothing personal against you. I'm here to enforce the facts against smearing losers like presidio9.
He's talking all wrong about my gal. It's the wrong tone. - paraphrase of Christopher Walken in Joe Dirt
I'm finally getting around to you, if the other posts didn't sink in. You're wrong. Her short game sunk her, and this sort of thing is easily addressed by people like Dave Pelz.
If nothing else she CRIED. There is no room for tears at the 19th hole.
Nancy Lopez would not have made the cut either, but she would not have cried.
Pardon me for posting the facts, Eaker.
I'm disappointed with you, Eaker. I thought you were better than this.
95 guys finished ahead of her. 17 guys couldn't beat her scores.
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Not the rating itself, but rather the increase over ratings in prior Colonials. IOW, the number of viewers who watched this year compared to past years was significantly increased.
Tom, this guy must be a Michigan grad. ;-)
I did not see any non-emotion based facts presented.
Simply because a statement is shouted doesn't make it true. Simply because one wishes with all their heart that x is y, doesn't make it so.
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