Sorenstam to Donate Colonial Earnings to Charity

[fireice]

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.a...00&select=9347
Good for her......

[mr shank]

...I heard Vijay is going to pull out of the tournament if he is paired with Annika.

while it's admirable for Annika to donate her earnings...I say good for Vijay for having the kahuna's to speak his mind.

I'll bet there are other players who feel the same way & are afraid to speak out.

[em69]

Does anyone really care if Vijay is in the field? I personally couldn't careless. I never really watched the Colonial before, but I'm sure to check it out this year to see Annika play.

[fireice]

IMO I don't mind Vijay speaking his opinion but to pull out of a tournament if he's paired with her seems a little childish. If he does get paired with her he should just try to out score Annika which I'm sure wouldn't be that hard. Is he scared, like em69 says "who cares".

[Kilroy]

My opinion of Vijay just went down. That is not very sportsmanlike.

[Colby]

Singh also said in his statement that "We have our tour for men, and they have their tour." Which is half true. The PGA Tour is for the best golfers in the world, not the best male golfers in the world while the LPGA is the women's tour. It just so happens that for the past 58 years the best golfers have been men and they have played in all of the PGA events. And that may well continue, and probably will. Annika may score poorly and look foolish. She may score well and surprise some people. She's up against incredible odds and pressure, and that is what she will measure herself to.

The Bank of America was not the only suitor for Annika's playing time. She had a number of events to chose from. How well she does in this event may dictate if she receives more invitations.

It may be a two day excursion for Annika. And which one of us wouldn't trade spots with her. Is she taking away a spot from a lower end PGA player? I don't know. From what I've seen, most sponsor exemptions are handed out to top amateurs or pros in the area, or an older player with no status on the Tour. Either of which probably won't make the cut or count in the money.

In any respect I think the show of unsportsmanship detracts more from golf's image than Annika playing. This is supposed to be a game of ettiquite and good sportsmanship. I'm sure when Babe Zaharias, who qualified for the 1945 Los Angeles Open, played she was treated well by some and not so well by others. It will be an interesting week coming up.

Whose picking Annika in their pool

[mr shank]

Holy political correctness - have some balls boys - Annika doesn't have a prayer, this is a circus and it makes a joke out of the tour.

Maybe Annika should strap on the blades & play for the Sens tonight too? - "just because people would watch"??
- a moronic reason to allow someone to play if there ever was one.

Personally, I can't wait to watch Annika embarrass herself and shoot a pair of 88's.

and as far as watching Annika instead of Vijay? If you prefer watching golfers with inferior talent, just go to any local course on the weekend. You'll love it!

[Colby]

There's no political correctness here! No rules on the PGA Tour were changed to allow Annika to play! The same rules were in effect in 1945 when Babe played in L.A. If there was a rule prohibiting female players on the PGA Tour, like there is prohibiting male players on the LPGA Tour, I'm sure Martha would be all over that like a bad smell.

Annika is doing it for reasons known to Annika (maybe there is some money involved) Bank of America is doing it for viewership and the almighty $$$. To them it's a publicity stunt, who knows if the face Annika is putting forward is the actual one.

But to hope that someone does poorly at anything they are trying, for any reason based on sex, race, colour or disability is extremely small minded and in the case of a sporting event, most unsportsmanlike. It just reminds me of all the guys gathered around Danny Noonan in Caddyshack as he was trying to putt, and they were yelling at him in hopes of him missing. :shakehead

[mr shank]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Colby
[B]There's no political correctness here! No rules on the PGA Tour were changed to allow Annika to play! The same rules were in effect in 1945 when Babe played in L.A. If there was a rule prohibiting female players on the PGA Tour, like there is prohibiting male players on the LPGA Tour, I'm sure Martha would be all over that like a bad smell.

- Babe Zaharius qualified far and square. If Annika can do the same, I say go for it. But she didn't & can't so this is not the same at all.

Nothing positive can come from this other than for Annika's bank account. The reason I want her to falter is she is selfish & this is going to benefit her only.

She has no regard for the LPGA - the tour that made her.

I don't give a rat's ass if anyone thinks it's poor sprotsMANship. I hope she falls flat on her hairy face.

[Colby]

Originally posted by mr shank

Babe Zaharius qualified far and square. If Annika can do the same, I say go for it. But she didn't & can't so this is not the same at all.

Technically it is the same thing. Annika is following by the rules as set out by the PGA Tour. Not everyone who plays in an event qualifies. There are a certain number of sponsor exemptions that they can give out to anybody, including you and me if they so feel like it. And the Bank of America handed one to Annika. They were at the head of a long line to do so. Now the others will wait and see what happens.

Of course she cares about the money. And so do her sponsors. You don't think Callaway is happy that she is going to get some major TV coverage?

[mr shank]

Originally posted by Colby
Technically it is the same thing. Annika is following by the rules as set out by the PGA Tour. Not everyone who plays in an event qualifies. There are a certain number of sponsor exemptions that they can give out to anybody, including you and me if they so feel like it. And the Bank of America handed one to Annika. They were at the head of a long line to do so. Now the others will wait and see what happens.

Of course she cares about the money. And so do her sponsors. You don't think Callaway is happy that she is going to get some major TV coverage?

- technically it's the same thing because the rules allow it?

Colby- I know how sponsers exemptions work & they are a necessary EVIL, but - you are saying a sponsers exemption is the same as qualifying for an event? Hardly.

Maybe the bank of America should hand an exemption to Cindy Crawford huh?
Why not?
It's within the rules right?

[spidey]

Amazing.

How can guys feel so threatened? What in the world is so imposing about a woman playing an event that makes guys get defensive like there's something to lose?

What's wrong with sponsor's exemptions. They're the way other men get into events that they're not otherwise entitled to. Tiger Woods f'rinstance, got his card from 7 sponsor's exemptions. Ricky Barnes is planning to do the same thing. How come they didn't have to qualify?

Didrickson Zaharias, in fact, played 3 events in a row and made the cut in all three of them. Annika doesn't want to do that. She wants to have a shot at playing a tough one. Tougher than they make on the ladies' tour. In fact if she wants to use a PGA tour event every year as a tune-up going into a ladies' major, good for her. AND if it raises the profile of both the PGA and the LPGA tour, good for them. AND if the Colonial gets additional publicity out of it that it can sell, good for them.

Is she taking a spot from a man? Maybe, but probably a man that has no more chance of winning than she does. So, do I want to see a nobody male, or a somebody female. Given the choice once in 50 years, I'll take the female. Then you can go ahead and show me males again for the next 50 years.... none of which are ever going to win the event either.

You'd think the earth was being taken over by hostile martians or something. It's a woman. And she doesn't have designs of world domination. And she's probably scared sh*tless enough already without big hulking dominating overbearing males looking down their noses and threatening her.

In fact it'll be interesting, since her game matches more closely the game of many of the amateur males who'll be watching, so it'll be interesting to see how a game like ours stacks up on a PGA tour course.

Tiger doesn't want to play in the event with her... But he's got a lot more class than the Nick Prices and Vijay Singh's who can't see past their inflated machoist egos. I think they're afraid that she's going to beat them, and their egos will never let them live it down. In fact I think you'll be able to watch them drop like flies... all the guys with their testosterone leaking out of every pore are going to be crumbling like little babies for not beating Annika.

Sorry, boys. This is just another example of where you've got to learn to suck it up and soldier on. If you can't handle this, you certainly can't handle US Open pressure, or any pressure for that matter.

[Colby]

Originally posted by mr shank
- technically it's the same thing because the rules allow it?

Colby- I know how sponsers exemptions work & they are a necessary EVIL, but - you are saying a sponsers exemption is the same as qualifying for an event? Hardly.

Maybe the bank of America should hand an exemption to Cindy Crawford huh?
Why not?
It's within the rules right?

By qualifying you get to play. By being granted a sponsor's exemption you get to play. I never said anything about skill required, just that within the rules of the PGA Tour they both get you into the tournament.

The PGA Tour is having trouble keeping some of the smaller events, and lost a few this year, including the Air Canada classic. Events that don't attract Tiger's attention are relegated to second tier status and linp along at times. Some in fact have no sponsor and are being kept running through fund raising efforts. If a sponsor can up their visibility, I'm sure the PGA doesn't mind. I haven't seen anything official, although I could have missed it.

Tiger didn't play the Colonial last year, and probably wasn't going to this year either. So him reporting that he was missing it and not commenting is an easy and intelligent way to bypass the controversy.

And Spidey, hats off to you. Good posting!

P.S. Cindy is always good to look at...

[el tigre]

In any respect I think the show of unsportsmanship detracts more from golf's image than Annika playing.

I couldn't agree more. Telling the press that you hope another competitor plays badly is poor sportsmanship - regardless of the sport or the circumstances. For golf, a sport that prides itself above others regarding etiquette and sportsmanship, Vijay is definately hurting the image of the game.

Nothing positive can come from this other than for Annika's bank account. The reason I want her to falter is she is selfish & this is going to benefit her only.

Huh? She's donating her earnings (if any) to charity. She's doing this to see if she can compete with the world's best. If that is being selfish, then so is everyone else on the tour.

She has no regard for the LPGA - the tour that made her.

Professional golfers are free agents - they can play on whatever tour will have them. Annika is hardly leaving the LPGA behind in any event.

Besides, the LPGA didn't "make" Annika any more than the PGA "made" Tiger Woods- the athletes do that themselves with hard work, talent and practice. The tours provide them with a place to play and make money doing it. It's a win/win situation for both.

[mr shank]

Originally posted by el tigre
It's a win/win situation for both.

- I must disagree, I think this is a lose/lose situation for both tours which is why I think it's idiotic.

- Spidey - what a great (not) line - "In fact I think you'll be able to watch them drop like flies... all the guys with their testosterone leaking out of every pore are going to be crumbling like little babies for not beating Annika."

I really love the part about "testosterone leaking out of every pore..."

Is Spidey - a.k.a Martha Burk?

Prepare to eat those words like a plate of Swedish meatballs after Colonial.

[em69]

Originally posted by mr shank
If you prefer watching golfers with inferior talent, just go to any local course on the weekend. You'll love it!

Where are you playing next shank?

[Colby]

And so it begins:

AIR TIME: CBS Sports will devote an extra hour to the PGA TOUR's Bank of America Colonial tournament next week so it can show Annika Sorenstam playing the third round -- or highlights of her missing the cut.

CBS announced Tuesday that it will start its third-round telecast at 2 p.m. EDT, an hour earlier than planned, to cover Sörenstam's becoming the first woman to play in a PGA TOUR event since 1945.

She will be shown live if she plays in the afternoon, and on tape if she plays early Saturday. If she misses the cut, CBS said the extra hour will feature highlights of her play in the first two rounds.

[mr shank]

Originally posted by em69
Where are you playing next shank?

- Rideauview - care for a money match big shooter?

[el tigre]

mr shank:

When I said it was a "win/win situation for both", I was talking about how the current system in pro golf benefits both the various tours and the athletes involved. Whatever debts and obligations Annika may have owed to the LPGA have been paid in full a long time ago.

Spidey:

I thought the testerone line was great. ESPN has an article with a similar take on it:

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/columnist?id=1552925

[mr shank]

elTiger - I guess I misunderstood the point you were trying to make? Or not, I think the current system hurts the LPGA.

I'll just be glad when Colonial is over, and we can all go back to watching the best golfers in the world & Annika can go back to where she belongs - in the kitchen.

[spidey]

shank sez...
Prepare to eat those words like a plate of Swedish meatballs after Colonial.

Are you telling me that there won't be any men out there hurting if they get beat by a woman........??????

So it's a circus. Maybe if Air Canada had raised a ruckus like this it might still be around. Certainly the best (available) golfers in the world weren't enough to keep it alive.

[em69]

Originally posted by mr shank
go back to where she belongs - in the kitchen.

...no thanks shank. Your words speak for themseleves.

[powerlefty]

So playing on a sponsor's exemption is seen by some as not legit... that to be able to play on tour you should actually "qualify".

Let's apply that retroactively. Whoops - I guess Tiger does not have a card then since he never actually "qualified" to play in a Tour event (he would have qualified for the US Open, The Open Championship and the Masters by virtue of winning the US Amateur but they are not actually Tour events). Tiger earned his Tour card by earning enough money (and winning an event) while playing EXCLUSIVELY on sponsors exemptions at the tail end of the season in his first year after turning pro following the US Amateur. He never went near Q School. Oh and by the way, he was given sponsors exemptions to play in the LA Open and other Tour events while he was still an amateur an I don't recall people bleating that a "kid" was taking some highly qualified no-name journeyman pro's spot.

[mr shank]

Originally posted by em69
Your words speak for themseleves.

Brilliant!!