PGA golfer challenges Sorenstam

MSNBC.com ^ | 6-6-03 | AP

[TomB]

Taking exception to recent remarks by Annika Sorenstam, PGA Tour golfer John Riegger said Thursday he has backing for a $1 million one-on-one challenge against the world's top female golfer.

"WE'LL HAVE THE CASH on the tee if she wants to play," Riegger said after the first round of the Capital Open.

Two weeks ago, Sorenstam became the first woman in 58 years to play a PGA Tour event. She shot rounds of 71 and 74 and missed the cut at the Colonial, finishing tied for 96th and ahead of 11 other players.

"She made a statement in her press conference that she had last week, that if she played 30 events on the tour she could finish the top 100 on the money list," Riegger said.

"I've been playing professional golf for 18 years and this is my seventh year on the tour. I've never finished in the top 125. I've always been in the 126 to 150 category, so I just made a challenge to her."

Riegger said the challenge would be stroke play over 18 holes with both players using the same tees. He said Sorenstam could choose the time and place.

"Anywhere, anytime," he said.

continued.......

[TomB]

This should be very interesting.

[TomB]

ping

[doosee]

Riegger said the challenge would be stroke play over 18 holes with both players using the same tees. He said Sorenstam could choose the time and place.

Here we all go to Putt Putt golf in Myrtle Beach SC. Watch out for the firey dragon mouth hole.

[rabidralph]

Another short putter. I wonder if this guy is a FReeper?

[G.Mason]

I'll give nine to five that the guy throws the match, ala Bobby Riggs & Billy Jean King.

It will be the "under the table money".

[aardvark1]

Yeah, I don't think anyone is really as dumb as this guy appears. Even on the surface, it's a lose-lose.

[trebb]

Heck, if she chooses the ladies tees, he may be in for it.. Sounds like he isn't making as good a living as he wants and is just looking for the fame of publicity - a book to follow...?

[Rodney King]

Is MSNBC a required excerpt?

[dennisw]

I like it and know who I will bet on. John Riegger.

[gunnedah]

This is just another one of those Bobby Riggs/ Billy Jean King deals.

[TomB]

Yep, it warns you before you post (go figure).

[TomB]

I like it and know who I will bet on. John Riegger.

I don't know much about him, i.e. his strengths and weaknesses. However, I'd like to see which course is chosen, and how much coverage it gets. The choke factor might loom large.

But I don't see this coming off anyway. I don't think Sorenstam would take the chance. She made it out of the Colonial with her reputation intact, another loss, esp. a bad one, would be catastrophic.

[dennisw]

But I don't see this coming off anyway. I don't think Sorenstam would take the chance.............

You mean women are risk adverse???? They are genetically so.

[Rebelbase]

To make a spectale of the event Riegger ought to show up wearing a pig nose mask.

[TomB]

You mean women are risk adverse???? They are genetically so.

Well, give her credit. She did show up at the Colonial. That was a pretty big risk.

[leprechaun9]

At the time of the Bobby Riggs/Billie Jean King event, Chris Evert was asked if Men's and Women's tennis should be combined. At the time, Chris was one of the top ranked women players.

Chris said that if the two were combined that she would probably rank lower than 50th! She said she had a difficult time returning the serve of her husband, John Lloyd.

[an amused spectator]

I'm afraid I am going to get nasty here. I'm a firm believer that this whole thing was for money, and an effort to try play politics. Ms. Burke and her attack at the Masters was an ugly thing. The liberal media sucked it down like a vampire, and did way too much to try to make it an issue about women and men's golf. Kind of like the writing on a streaker's back that gets TV air time. I think Annika was put in there, and knew it, to try to squelch the attitude that had been built about women competing with men. And she was selected because she is the best woman player, possibly, of all time. By her beating anybody, which was expected, and not making the cut, also expected, it "gently," and diplomatically, watered down Burke's cause and quietly shoved her under the carpet. In the meantime, back at the ranch, it offered the amateur women the knowledge that their game is moderately competitive to the men, and solidifies the network games that mix women and men for shows so they will be watched and getting the sponsors their money's worth. Annika became a heroine and made a mint, both games were protected and advertised for sales, good for the game, good for both tours, good for the pocket book. Sorry, I still recognize it as a business like all other pro sports other than wrestling. Only we, you and I, play the game as a game. For them it is their livelyhood. And part of their job is sales. Let's face it, you wouldn't be buying the extra wedges if the pros hadn't introduced the idea, even though they don't use them like we do. It's not a put down, for us it is tool also. Just one for fun, not profit. This is why Tiger gets a half million in "show money" for a tourmnament. Because he SELLS.

Somebody didn't get the memo. ;-)

I still agree with your theory on this - older and wiser heads know it's a business, and entertainment. The Danny Glover approach ain't good for business.

[an amused spectator]

"I think the general public has a misconception of how hard it is to finish in the top 125, let alone the top 100 in the money list," said Riegger...

"I thought she played great at Colonial. I was pulling for her. I don’t have anything against Annika. It’s just a statement she had. I just don’t feel like that’s right. ... I think it’s a little far-fetched."

Kinda of like the idea that Tiger Woods would regularly shoot 52 under par in LPGA tour events. Woods sprayed one into the trees off the tee last week at the Memorial, and took triple. He ain't the perfect golfer.

I don't believe that Annika has the short game to make the top 100. I said she'd need a week or two with Pelz to clean it up. She'd need a month at least with him to dial it down and in.

[Lady Eileen]

bump

[savedbygrace]

Riegger has a verrrrrrryyyy creative agent, doesn't he?