Annika Meets the Boys at Colonial [Finishes Day +1]

CBS Sports/USA Network and PGA.com ^ | May 22, 2003 | Jim Nantz

[ewing]

LPGA player Annika Sorenstam will be teeing off shortly in a men's PGA event at the Colonial Country Club [the first time in 60 years this has happened]

Live shot for shot coverage as long as she is in contention to make the cut on USA Networks, PGA Radio is free today for those cubicle bound and wanting live update (link included)

[Protagoras]

One under

[1Old Pro]

birdie putt is GOOD!!!

tHE BOYS ARE GETTING NERVOUS

[dwilli]

That's pretty slim for someone folks are accusing of being a steroid freek.

[ewing]

She's one shot off the lead!!??

[Teacher317]

Within two of the leader (3 straight birdies for Brian Gay, she's tied for 9th, even par is tied for 20th place. 12 of top 19 started on the back 9)

[Guillermo]

Sponsors of tournaments each get a certain number of exemptions that they are allowed to give to whomever they please.

Sorenstam did not take the place of a card holding player. She did not sue the Tour or Sponsor to force them to let her play. She was invited by the people who pay for the tournament and assume all the risk.

[the bottle let me down]

Did she have to qualify for it like all of the other guys in it? Just how did she get into the PGA tournament?

For each PGA tournament, the sponsor gets a limited number of exemptions that they can distribute. Some of them must go to tour players not exempt from qualifying, but the sponsor can give a few to pretty much any golfer with a 2 handicap or better. Annika was given one of these exemptions. In short, she was invited in a proper manner.

It will be interesting to see what the gap is between the best men and women.

[ChadGore]

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Uh Oh! A birdie! Now she has to bogey 6 of the remaining 14 holes to hit 75 today.

[HamiltonJay]

The PGA does not now, nor never had a gender requirement for play, in fact a woman played the PGA tour in the 40's!! IT has never been about "men" only.

The LPGA on the other hand is founded for women only. Annika playing is neither a precident setting event or a violation of the PGA rules.

There is this idiocy that PGA is a mens only organization, and that is just not true. I have never seen so many grown men acting like children! Annika could wipe the floor with nearly anyone posting here... this isn't about men or women its about golf. The sponsors used the rules to let her place, so let her play! Her playing is not a threat to anyones scrotum and its a shame that far too many are so insecure that they think it is.

[jackbill]

She's playing really well, and deserves credit for that, but come on, their praise is so over the top.

Considering the pressure that she's under, she's deserving of every bit of the praise.

[Lost Highway]

Starting on the back will give her some confidence. Look out! It's early but she is doing well.

[KellyAdmirer]

Pressure is needing to make the cut to pay your hotel bill.

[NittanyLion]

The sponsors used the rules to let her place, so let her play!

And if the first four holes are any indication, she deserves to be there. I expected she'd be +1 or +2 at this point...

[Guillermo]

I wasn't aware of the handicap requirements for a sponsors exemption. I thought they could invite who they wanted. A friend of mine was invited to play in the Bell South Classic by the sponsor, but I guess he had at least a 2.

I would say every professional golfer, including the minor tours, have at least a 2 handicap.

[1Old Pro]

THE HORSHOE INFO:

Hole#,Par,yardage

3	4	476	This is the beginning of Colonial's "Horrible Horseshoe" - the three most difficult holes on the golf course. The long dogleg left requires a perfectly placed tee shot around large tree and bunkers. A long approach shot makes birdies rare. This ranks as the second most difficult hole at Colonial.
4	3	246	This is the longest of the par 3s. The elevated green is difficult to hold. This is the only par 3 that has not yielded a hole-in-one during the 55-year history of the tournament. Even birdies are rare.
5	4	470	This is the hardest hole at Colonial and the last of the "Horrible Horseshoe." The tee shot must be precise -- there's a ditch to the left and a river on the right.

[sparkomatic]

How long was the birdie putt?

[daylate-dollarshort]

Actually it was reported that B of A had 12 exemptions, Sorenstam was offered one and I think Ricky Barnes, the reigning U.S. Amateur Champion who plays college golf for the University of Arizona, got one, I don't know who else accepted one.

[Teacher317]

10th (par 4, 404 yds): On the fairway twice, birdie putt is short, makes par.
11th (par 5, 609 yds): On the fairway all three shots, birdie putt is short, makes par.
12th (par 4, 443 yds): On the fairway, second shot on the rim of the green, makes par.
13th (par 3, 178 yds): 3 inches off of the carpet, birdie putt is GOOD!
14th (par 4, 457 yds): Drive on the right edge of the fairway (most tee shots have been nicely centered)
15th (par 4, 430 yds):
16th (par 3, 188 yds):
17th (par 4, 383 yds):
18th (par 4, 427 yds):