Archive for the ‘Reno-Tahoe’ Category

Annika Sorenstam is not holding back on the topic of Michelle Wie and why she would choose to play with the men of the PGA this week rather than compete with the LPGA at the Women’s British Open.

Thursday begins Annika’s final Women’s British Open before retirement. Sorenstam believes the 18-year-old Wie, who will be in action in Reno, Nevada, this week, is not doing herself (anyone else) any favors by playing against the men. Michelle has slipped in the women’s rankings to number 299.

Sorenstam has some credibility on the subject. After all, she was the World’s No 1 women golfer in May 2003 when she became the first woman in 53 years to play on the US men’s tour.

Although she narrowly missed the cut, the now 37-year-old Sorenstam described her two rounds in the Colonial Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, as “a wonderful experience”. However, she never felt the need to do anything similar again.

Annika remarked, “I really don’t know why Michelle is continuing to do this. I mean, we have a major this week and if you can’t qualify for a major, I don’t see any reason why you should play with the men.”

Michelle was not granted an exemption for Sunningdale, although she did have a chance of qualifying at the State Farm Classic, an LPGA Tour event in Springfield, Illinois, 11 days ago. True to Wie form, she was one shot off the lead after three rounds, then was disqualified for not having signed her second-round scorecard until after she had left the recording area.

Wie opted against entering any further qualifying event for the British Open. Because she was not granted an exemption, she chose to go to Reno to compete against the men instead.

These exemptions are getting old. Unless Michelle starts to compete and win, the exemptions will soon dry up. She has got to learn to first, sign her scorecard correctly, then start winning on the LPGA without exemptions. She is not the cute 13 wunderkind any more. And the ladies of the LPGA are getting pretty darn weary of the whole thing.