Upon Further Review: Sorenstam creating controversy
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As most of you know the men’s professional tour has had its share of bad publicity in recent months. Martha Burk and her campaign at Augusta National for equal rights for women to be members of the all-male club stirred up several months of controversy.
But as the week of play at Augusta got started, her threats of big demonstrations turned out to be nothing more than a few women carrying signs of protest for the first few days of the tournament, having little effect on Augusta National and the tournament.
This week have somewhat of a more different — and difficult — situation.
Next weekend the world’s No. 1 LPGA player, Annika Sorenstam, will be competing in the PGA event the “Colonial” in Fort Worth, Texas.
She will become the first woman in 58 years to compete on the PGA Tour. The last woman to compete in a PGA Tour event was Babe Zaharias, who qualified for the 1945 Los Angeles Open.
Now is this just some type of publicity stunt? Or does she think she can go out there and strike the ball with the same power as the men?
Several of PGA players have been very outspoken about Sorenstam playing in the tournament next week.
Vijay Singh, a two-time major champion and ranked No. 7 in the world, is not happy about Sorenstam playing next week.
In fact he said, “I hope she misses the cut and if I’m paired to play with her, I won’t play. I’ll withdraw from the tournament.”
Now granted, Sorenstam is one of the best female golfers to ever hit the links. But I don’t think she has the power to drive the ball like the men do. On her drives she averages around 245- 250 yards when she’s playing some of her best golf. But the men are hitting the ball 300-plus yards and I’m curious to see how she can play with such a disadvantage.
I did a little reading to see why she wants to play in the “Colonial,” and found out it’s mainly to prepare her for the LPGA U.S. Open.
She feels like if she can go out there and compete in the “Colonial” with all the pressure on her as a woman, it will make playing the LPGA U.S. Open a lot easier. She also hopes it will raise the level of women’s golf on the LPGA tours.
If that’s her only reason, then I say go for it. She’s not trying to integrate both tours, she’s trying to mentally prepare for the LPGA U.S. Open.
Sorenstam may not be able to play at the same level as the men do. But what would happen if she goes out there next week and finished in the top 10? Would she try to keep playing on the men’s tour? After all, there’s more money in the PGA events.
I don’t think that will happen, she just wants to try something different to raise her game up a notch. Honestly, I don’t see anything wrong with that.
It seems that with all the negative comments from several of the PGA players, maybe they feel a little nervous about a woman coming out there and kicking their butts.