The Golf Watch

Annika Sorenstam: A true ambassador for women’s golf

There's been a void this year on the LPGA Tour--and it has nothing to do with the economy.

When Annika Sorenstam announced her retirement last year, I had some concerns about who would carry the torch in her absence.

Lorena Ochoa had that potential, but ask anyone--this hasn't been her strongest year.  

With the LPGA losing tournament after tournament, there is only one person who can save the day.  And that's Sorenstam.

Commendable in every way, Sorenstam has decided to step up for the Tour in the interim as they look for a new commissioner.  

Sorenstam is very much responsible for the growth in popularity of the LPGA over the years. It's only right that she continues to watch over it, even during her elongated "off-season."

Notes from the ADT Championship

It's difficult to imagine how Carolyn Bivens must be feeling now.  Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa had early exits, and to make matters worse, Sorenstam was randomly selected for a drug test after her farewell.  Here's the rundown and a few notes from the last LPGA Tour event of the season, the ADT Championship:

* Paula Creamer produced a real gutsy effort this week.  After going to the hospital Saturday night and fighting an ailment all week, no one would have questioned her withdrawal.  But she fought it out, and finished in a tie for third, four shots behind winner Ji-Yai Shin.  What a performance.

* Although she has already hinted at a return in the near future, let's say for argument's sake this was Sorenstam's last hoorah.  Is there a worse way to go out--missing the cut and then having to give a urine sample?  As Jay Busbee put it: 

It was yet another in the long list of PR bullets that the LPGA has fired into its own feet in recent weeks, from the "Speak English or die" campaign to the "We're gonna weather this economic crisis just fine ... except for a few missing tournaments" proclamations.

* As for the format of the ADT, I have always been a fan.  The PGA Tour execs. could learn a thing or two.  But Brian Hewitt hits the nail on the head with this observation:

Finally, while we’re at the business of solving the LPGA’s problems, especially as they relate to ADT, the million-dollar first prize, as official money, has got to go. The amount is fine. But the fact that all of it counts as official money skews the money list. Give the winner the million bucks but make half of it official money and the other half a bonus.
 
The FedEx Cup first-place money doesn’t count as official money, nor will all the money earned by the winner of the first Race to Dubai. The LPGA needs to take a cue from the men, in the future, when large, season-ending sums are being doled out to its players.

Thompson: Sorenstam's retirement could prove costly for LPGA

I've been waiting for someone to write an article about the repercussions of Annika Sorenstam's retirement at the end of the season, and, now, someone has.  Robert Thompson of the National Post suggests that Sorenstam's departure could be a major blow to the LPGA, as she is 'one of the LPGA's few visible stars'...

Sorenstam, in Aurora yesterday for an event in support of women's charities, said the response to her decision has "been very positive."

It may have been positive for her personally, but the move raises questions for the LPGA, which has to develop new stars and attract corporate dollars out of a floundering American economy...

The decision to stage a retirement tour of sorts should lead to increased interest in Sorenstam as the year progresses. But where are the stars to replace her?

Thompson makes a great point.  Players like Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel will need to step up once Sorenstam retires.  If not, women's golf could suffer.

Sorenstam's retirement call causes little stir

Annika Sorenstam's announcement on Tuesday that she is retiring at the end of the year from competitive golf came as no surprise to the media and many fellow LPGA Tour golfers.  Jason Sobel of ESPN.com writes:

The news shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody who has been listening carefully over the years. Sorenstam never planned on gradually fading from the limelight or the Rolex Rankings. She never intended to battle the aging process while continuing to battle her younger peers on the leaderboard. In fact, it can be argued that the announcement of an early exit was even more predictable than any of Annika's 72 victories, most of which came when she was the top-ranked, no-doubt-about-it, best player in the world.

Fellow Scandinavian player Suzann Pettersen said she wasn't surprised by the news, as Steve Elling of CBSSportsline.com observes:

Suzann Pettersen has a different take on her Scandinavian sister's somewhat abrupt retirement news this week.  Pettersen...said she wasn't exactly shocked to hear that world No. 2 Annika Sorenstam had decided to retire at year's end, since she had openly talked about quitting the LPGA tour grind for months.

Associate editor of Deadspin, Rick Chandler, applauds the way Sorenstam handled the announcement:

Now this is the way to quit. Simple announcement, no ambiguity, definite schedule for withdrawal. Annika Sorenstam, who announced on Tuesday that she's leaving the LPGA Tour at the end of the season, is employing an exit strategy the Bush Administration is envying.

Sorenstam's words were sincere and heartfelt.  She will leave the game as one of the top women golfers in the world, with a resume that will go down as one of the greatest in history.  Check out the press conference below...

Scott, Sorenstam, Clarke wins make for a memorable Sunday

Looking at each tournament before Thursday's play began, nothing really stood out for me.  But after Adam Scott, Annika Sorenstam, and Darren Clarke captured the title at each of their respective events, there's plenty to talk about.

First, Adam Scott.  The guy shows flashes of brilliance, but also looks clueless on the greens at times.  This is why I still can't see him winning a major championship any time soon.  Bill Nichols' story from the Dallas Morning News can be read here.

Annika Sorenstam's win at the Stanford International Pro-Am reminded us that she is only 37 years old, and is still hungry.  It was only a year ago that Sorenstam was the talk of the tour.  It's nice to see that she can still intimidate her opponents the way she used to.  Read the final round wire wrap-up here.

Darren Clarke won the Asian Open yesterday by sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole.  It had been awhile since we had seen Clarke fire a crowd up like that.  After all, his last win came in '03.  What a feel-good story.  The Reuters recap can be found here.

AP: Sorenstam announces engagement

According to the Associated Press, Annika Sorenstam has announced her engagement to Mike McGee, a former sports agent who now serves as managing director of the "Annika" business.  This will be Sorenstam's second marriage. 

Sorenstam hopes to regain form

Annika Sorenstam said last week, "I'm just happy to be back." The world's former number one golfer hopes to be in contention again, after being sidelined for almost two months because of two injured discs in her neck.  During her recovery, Sorenstam lost her world number one ranking to Lorena Ochoa.  Last week's tournament, which Sorenstam hosted, led to a T-36, and the 69-time winner on the LPGA Tour finds this encouraging, according to Lynn Zinser of the New York Times.  Zinser writes, "The biggest question is whether she can regain the form that made her the face of women’s golf for so long. It is a high bar to reach, because she placed it so high in the prime of her career."

Sorenstam questioned Wie's integrity

According to Beth Ann Baldry in a post on Golf Week's blog Our Take, Annika Sorenstam "hit Wie where it really hurts: She questioned her integrity."  Annika Sorenstam said during a press conference yesterday, “I just feel that there’s a little bit of lack of respect and class just to kind of leave a tournament like that and then come out and practice here, especially being the hostess."  Michelle Wie withdrew from Annika's tournament, the Ginn Tribute, after being 14-over-par through 16 holes.  Wie cited a left wrist injury, but many question whether or not she withdrew due to the 88 rule of the LPGA.  "I mean, when I was injured, I wasn’t able to touch golf clubs for weeks. It’s a little funny that you pull out with an injury and then you start grinding. My doctor told me to rest," said Soresntam.  Baldry writes, "Wie needs to hear the truth..."

Read the entire entry from Baldry here.

Sorenstam says Wie showed lack of "respect and class"

Ginn Tribute host Annika Sorenstam criticized Michelle Wie at a news conference on Tuesday.  The world's former number one player said that Wie's decision to play this week at the McDonald's LPGA Championship after withdrawing last week shows a lack of class.  “I just feel that there is a little bit of lack of respect and class, just to leave a tournament like that and then come out and practice here, especially being the hostess.  I don’t know the situation if its injury, or whatever it is, it just seems really weird," said Sorenstam.  "I know what it’s like to be injured, when I was injured I was unable to touch golf clubs for weeks, it’s a little funny that you pull out of an injury, and then you start grinding.  My doctor told me to rest…"  Michelle Wie responded by saying, “I don’t think I need to apologize for anything…I just need to take care of my body and move forward and look forward and only think of positive things."

To read a full story from Golf World Magazine Executive Editor Ron Sirak on the controversy, click here.

Sorenstam "empathizes with Wie"

The Associated Press reports that Annika Sorenstam's return to the LPGA was "better than she hoped."  Michelle Wie's opening round "literally went down the drain Thursday."  Wie withdrew from the tournament after 16 holes citing that she reaggravated her wrist during her round.  "I know what it's like to have an injury," Sorenstam said. "I guess mine healed better than hers." Read the full recap here.