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Cheer and jeer for Sorenstam
FORT WORTH, Texas (CNN) -- A lot of cheering, and possibly some jeering, is expected to greet Annika Sorenstam when she tees off on the 10th hole on a course in Fort Worth, Texas on Thursday. As cameras capture the moment, Sorenstam will make golfing history by becoming the first woman in nearly 60 years to compete on the men's PGA tour. The Swede is the world's best woman golfer, a winner of 43 events -- including four majors -- and now she is mixing it with the men for the first time after accepting an invitation to play in the Colonial tournament. And what a stir it has caused. Nearly 600 journalists have been accredited for the tournament, and bookies are offering odds on how many birdies or bogies Sorenstam will hit, and whether she will still be playing on the weekend. Vijay Singh, now ranked the world's fourth best golfer, kick-started the controversy two weeks ago when he said Sorenstam should not be playing on the men's tour. Fijian said he would pull out if he were grouped with her. Singh has since withdrawn from the tournament citing personal reasons. The world's No. 2 golfer, Ernie Else, has a different take on the matter. But he delivered with a warning. "I think it's a special situation. You have a girl that's so much better than the rest of the girls and if she wants to prove something to herself, I'm all for it," said Els.
"If she wants to prove something to us, I think she's making a big mistake," said Els. Tiger Woods, golf's supreme being, has supported Sorenstam's cause and rang her to tell her so. Sorenstam sees the event as a personal challenge and insists it will be just her against the course, not the men. "I'm just here to test myself.... I love challenges," she said. "I have practiced for this for years, and now I'm here and I personally feel like I've got nothing to lose." During a rain-interrupted Pro-Am event Wednesday, crowds lined the fairways, furiously applauding her shots. "Go Annika" read the green $3 buttons that have appeared everywhere in the lead up to the PGA. "I've never seen anything like it. The last time I saw crowds like this was the U.S. Open on a Sunday," a clearly impressed Sorenstam said. Described as a "circus" by David Toms, a member of the PGA Tour's policy board, and as a "sideshow" by defending Colonial champ Nick Price, the buzz about Sorenstam's appearance has certainly got mouths wagging. Though some men were clearly sick of answering the same questions and more concerned about trying to win the $5 million event, Sorenstam's presence at the event may force a debate on the PGA Tour's bylaws. Currently there are no gender restrictions.
Regardless of her showing, Sorenstam's appearance will be good for golf. Or at least good for the Colonial and her own pocketbook. Already she has won more money than any other female player -- $11,724,869 to be precise -- and her off-course income is set to rise following the interest afforded her by her Colonial outing. The gallery is expected to be bigger than usual, with fans the world over drawn by Sorenstam's entry, and the tournament will be carried live in many countries. Certainly, the nerves will be there at 8:58 a.m. Thursday as Sorenstam, as well as the two Tour rookies grouped with her, tries to cope with the attention usually reserved for Tiger Woods.
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