Annika Sorenstam--You Go Girl! (1 Viewer)

[Hunter P]

After the first round she is only one over par. That is great as far as I'm concerned. I think that she can make the cut.

Anyone that knows me knows that I say a lot of sexist things. However I'm rooting for this broad to show that the best woman's golfer can beat half of the men's golfers. Annika may never win a PGA event but it's stupid to think that a woman will never ever do it.

If you pit the best male athlete in a sport against the best female then the male will win 99% of the time if strength and speed are a factor in the sport. Darts, pool, bowling and other non-physical "sports" do not count.

The Billy Jean King v Bobby Riggs tennis match was not a true battle of the sexes because Bobby was just a male blowhard and not real representative of an elite male athlete. The Williams sisters might not be able to beat the top 20 male players but I bet they could do beat most of the male players lower than 100.

I just don't understand why it upsets these pro golfers that Annika (or any female golfer) might be better than the worst PGA player. If these scrubs are allowed to play then why not allow the women who are better than these scrubs? Doesn't it raise the level of talent in the PGA overall?

I feel this way about all sports. If a female athlete has the talent then let her play. I understand the need for a all women's league but not an all men's league.

 

[Hunter P]

BTW, Singh is a chicken shit. Sorry, had to say it.

 

[MickeS]

She played pretty good, but her putting was bad. If she can improve that tomorrow she'll probably make the cut. She might make the cut even if she just plays like she did today (she's tied for 71st right now with some players yet to finish).

I wish her the best.

 

[Joel Mack]

I'm a big fan of Annika's. Glad to see her hold her own against the men today.

Met her at an LPGA event in Phoenix a few years ago, and she's a very nice person. Makes me wish she wasn't married.

 

[Tony Whalen]

Hey... if she can beat the guys...she deserves to be there. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

 

[Josh Lowe]

One thing Vijay said makes no sense to me. He said the PGA was a men's tour. The last time I checked, the PGA was open to -anyone- who could earn a spot and qualify. The only reason there is a dedicated LPGA is because most female golfers simply can't compete among the men. But when one who -is- capable comes along then they can participate. Am I wrong here? I've never heard of the PGA being for men only.

 

[MikeAlletto]

Am I wrong here? I've never heard of the PGA being for men only.

It isn't men only but they are looking into changing it. Even the LPGA is for it being men only because if Sorenstam succeeds even a little, more women will try and it will pull people away from the LPGA and it will start losing out. It'll just become like the WNBA.

 

[Lew Crippen]

But when one who -is- capable comes along then they can participate. Am I wrong here? I've never heard of the PGA being for men only.

You are correct Josh. Check out this article in the New York Times (I think you have to register, but its free).

Basically the article says that a movement exists to formally ban women from the PGA. Tom Pernice who is on the board is quoted as a source (note that he does say he favors the movement, only that it exists and can’t be ignored).

As for me, I’m in agreement with Hunter’s thread title: You go girl

 

[MickeS]

I think it's like that with most sports, they're not explicitly open to men only, but thanks to tradition and different athletic ability that's how it's become.

The LPGA however is open to women only, AFAIK. What would happen if say the best high school golfer was offered a spot in an LPGA tournament? Would they let him? I don't even think they can, can they? If the PGA is open to women, should the LPGA be open to men?

 

[Tom Meyer]

there's already some goof on the junior men's tour who wants to play in an LPGA event. I don't know if any self-respecting guy would do it, however. He'd be a laughingstock purely because of the male ego.

That said, Sorenstam is going to have to play better tomorrow if she wants to make the cut. 1 over isn't gonna cut it. She'll probably have to be at least 2 under.

 

[Chris Lockwood]

> If the PGA is open to women, should the LPGA be open to men?

Yes.


Does anyone know if she's using the women's tees or the men's?

 

[Joel Mack]

She's hitting from the same tees as the men, AFAIK.

 

[MikeAlletto]

Does anyone know if she's using the women's tees or the men's?

I was told today that there is only 1 tee distance in a PGA tournament.

 

[Evan S]

She's definately playing the same tees as everyone else.

 

[Brian Perry]

The last time I checked, the PGA was open to -anyone- who could earn a spot and qualify. The only reason there is a dedicated LPGA is because most female golfers simply can't compete among the men. But when one who -is- capable comes along then they can participate. Am I wrong here? I've never heard of the PGA being for men only.

Key word is "qualify." Annika did not qualify for the event as the other men did. She was given a sponsor's exemption, which is often used to stir up interest in an event (boy, did it ever in this case). For example, before Tiger had earned the right to play on tour, a few of the lesser-known tournaments gave him an exemption because 1) it was good PR and 2) if and when he became famous, he might come back to play that tournament again.

I believe that if a woman can qualify fair and square, she should be allowed to play in a PGA tournament. But if she is given a spot that would ordinarily be taken by a man who is trying to earn a living, that is wrong.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Yes, Annika is playing from the same tees and under the same conditions as the men. As for the PGA thinking about banning women, it's a ridiculous idea -- there is no need to do this. There is no way that Annika (or any woman) can compete week after week on the men's tour and make any money. Sorenstam is a great golfer (I've been a big fan of hers, and think her participation in this week's tourney is a great thing for the sport), but she had to pick a course where her weaknesses compared to the men would be minimized. The course does not penalize short hitters, and the rough is not too deep. She simply cannot hit the ball as far as most men on the tour to compete on a weekly basis.

As for today's round, she played terrific from tee to green. Putting has always been the weakest part of her game, and it hurt her some today. She could have easily shot a 68 if she had putted better.

I hope she makes the cut, and I'm sure the PGA does as well. What other tournament could possibly have drawn this much public interest without Tiger Woods playing?

As for the mini-tour guy trying to make a case to play on the LPGA tour, that's also ridiculous. Leagues with certain competitive restrictions are set up in all sports. They can be for gender, age, etc. Should this guy be able to play in a junior tournament because some high school kid played in a PGA event in Florida a few years ago? Should an NFL player be able to play Pop Warner football?

Some players complained that Annika was taking a spot away from players who qualified for the tournament. That is wrong -- she was given a sponsor's exemption, which would have went to some male golfer who didn't qualify if it had not gone to her (that's what an exemption is). This could have been another high school kid, a local college kid or a local club pro just as easily as some mini-tour player trying to make it on the major tour.

I loved Mitch Albom's comment on the radio this afternoon. The world did not come to an end today after a woman played in a PGA event. It's just a golf tournament, and not a big one at that.

BTW, Singh is a chicken shit. Sorry, had to say it.

I agree. He made some bold statements, then ran and hid this week.

 

[Joel Mack]

I believe that if a woman can qualify fair and square, she should be allowed to play in a PGA tournament. But if she is given a spot that would ordinarily be taken by a man who is trying to earn a living, that is wrong.

So if a man was given the exemption (thereby also denying some other man a chance to earn a living), that'd be okay?

 

[Richard Travale]

I disagree with her being in a PGA tournament. As far as I'm concerned she should have to qualify for the PGA just like everyone else did. If she is looking to challenge herself, why did she not play in the Canadian tour, or the Nike tour? She should have to work her way up to the PGA just like guys like Mike Weir had to.
Look at Haley Wickenheisser. She is arguably the best female hockey player around. When she decided that it was no longer competitive enough against women, did she go play in the NHL? No, she is playing in a second tier Finnish League to get her feet wet. When (if) she dominates there, then she will move up and maybe eventually play against NHLers someday.
This is how I feel Annika should be doing it.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I disagree with her being in a PGA tournament. As far as I'm concerned she should have to qualify for the PGA just like everyone else did.

Um, the whole point of the sponsor exemption is that you don't have to be qualified. She has been held to the exact same standard as anybody else who the sponsor would give an exemption to.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I disagree with her being in a PGA tournament. As far as I'm concerned she should have to qualify for the PGA just like everyone else did.

As many others (including myself above) have said, a sponser's exemption is, by definition, awarded to someone who has not qualified for the tournament. Annika is not the first person to be given an exemption who has no intention of trying to make a living on the PGA Tour, and she will not be the last. If she was some male local club pro, what would be the difference (except the gender)?