Golf Talk

Annika tries to save her round.

In the quirky format that was the ADT Championship this week, history was made as Annika Sorenstam finished the year without a win, the first since her rookie year way back in 1994. Once the most dominant female golfer in the world, Sorenstam suffered a neck and back injury earlier in the year and just never recovered. In fact, she never even really came close to winning all year, and was well back in all four of the LPGA’s major tournaments.

It certainly has been a strange year for Sorenstam, much can be attributed to her injury which forced her to miss most of the season and competing in just nine tournaments all year. But there are a couple of other factors which have distracted her from golf. One of them was the engagement to her boyfriend Mike McGee just a few months ago.

But even months after the injury, Sorenstam has just been off on her game. Her usual steady iron play has been widely inconsistent all year and her putting has been way off. If there is one thing that you always expect from Sorenstam has been her ability to make fairways, hit greens, and two-putt. Prior to this year, she led or was in the top five in most of the categories of fairways, greens in regulation and total putts.

So the big question comes, whether Sorenstam has lost it for good, or is 2007 just a blimp on the radar screen. It’s tough to tell, but it certainly appears that that her best golf is behind her. With her wedding coming up next year, and following marriage usually comes motherhood. With only a few years left on her biological clock, Annika will probably have kids earlier rather than later.

And if you factor in the upcoming young talent that has seized the LPGA over the past year, it would appear that Annika’s best days are behind her. Players like Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Suzann Pettersen look a lot hungrier at this time and their talent and athleticism will be tough for a 35-plus mother-to-be to compete against. Then again, the ageless Julie Inkster would prove otherwise.

Perhaps the greatest sign that time is passing her by was Sorenstam’s loss at the Solheim Cup. Pressel beat Sorenstam on her home soil.

Annika Sorenstam

After the four-ball matches, Team USA still leads 4.5 to 3.5 at the Solheim Cup. These are the results of the four-ball,

Match 1
Team USA Pat Hurst/Brittany Lincicome
4 and 2
Team Euro Catriona Matthew/Iben Tinning

Match 2
Team USA Angela Stanford/Stacy Prammanasudh
Halved
Team Euro Annika Sorenstam/Maria Hjorth

Match 3
Team USA Nicole Castrale/Cristie Kerr
3 and 2
Team Euro Sophie Gustafson/Gwladys Nocera

Match 4
Team USA Paula Creamer/Morgan Pressel
Halved
Team Euro Trish Johnson/Laura Davies

Shot of the day, was Laura Davies par save from the bushes. Other stories include the cold and windy weather (hence the long sleeves and pants, shucks, and here we thought we’d get to see more than just golf). Other buzz include Laura Davies’ comments to the press on Thursday. This is what she had to say about ‘one’ of the Team USA members (wonder which one),

“We’re all good friends now. Except for maybe that one — I consider all of them my friends.”

And who would ‘that one’ be? “I would never tell you,” she said.

Later in the same press conference she had this great quote,

“I’m playing as well now as I’ve ever played, and age is nothing,” Davies said. “Golf — everyone goes on about all this fitness — but golf is walking and swinging a club.”

LPGA Tour, Solheim Cup

Americans lead the Solheim Cup 4.5 to 3.5 in the day one foursomes. These are the results of the matches,

Match 1
Team USA Cristie Kerr/Pat Hurst
Halved
Team Euro Suzann Pettersen/Sophie Gustafson

Match 2
Team USA Sherri Steinhauer/Laura Diaz
4 and 2
Team Euro Annika Sorenstam/Catriona Matthew

Match 3
Team USA Juli Inkster/Paula Creamer
2 and 1
Team Euro Laura Davies/Becky Brewerton

Match 4
Team Euro Gwladys Nocera/Maria Hjorth
3 and 2
Team USA Natalie Gulbis/Morgan Pressel

Big surprise of the day was the Natalie and Morgan dropping their match to the unknowns (Maria Hjorth isn’t an unknown but Nat and Morgan should’ve won). Another slight upset in cagy vets Laura Diaz and Sherri Steinhauer downing Annika Sorenstam and Catriona Matthew. Annika hasn’t been on her game all year long, but still, Laura and Sherri haven’t either.

It’s looking good for Team USA so far, but anything can happen in a couple of rounds. We’ll see how they turn out.

LPGA Tour, Solheim Cup

You know what’s next, babies, and more babies. Annika and her fiance announced today they will be getting married. Could this be the end of the Annika dynasty?? Very few women have come back from motherhood to really play at the level they were prior to motherhood. Case in point, Lindsay Davenport in tennis, recently retired as she said her body has changed following pregnancy. I’m not saying that should Annika become a mother that it would be impossible for her to regain her previous form, but it would be tough. Juli Inkster is probably the rare example of where a mother can compete at the highest level. Plus Annika has publicly said she wants to focus on her golf school soon.

Annika Sorenstam engaged.

Now that Lorena has a 6-shot lead heading into the biggest day of her life so far, the British Open is definitely hers to lose at this point. I’m still not ruling anything out for Sunday, though it would be the biggest collapse of her career and indeed the LPGA since I can remember. Lets not forget that less than 2 months ago at the Ginn Tribute, Lorena had as big as a 6-shot lead over Nicole Castrale before she lost it in a playoff. Enough of the negativity, lets hope for Lorena and the LGPA Tour, that she holds on and captures her first career major.

If there was a darkhorse I’d pick, it would have to be Annika Sorenstam (though not really a darkhorse). She’s got the experience to mount a charge and finish under-par for the final round.

LPGA Tour, Women’s British Open, Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam

For Lorena, it was all about holding serve and she did that quite nicely on Friday. Nothing spectacular, but she played the tough course conditions as well as she could, perhaps a little defensive at times, but she didn’t make any major mistakes to shoot an even-par round for a 6-under total. She is one ahead of Wendy Ward and Catriona Matthew at the moment. I think with the course is setup, 8 or 9-under should be enough to win it which means there’s plenty of work remaining. Good Luck Lorena…

Other contenders, Annika is 3-back, though I don’t think she’ll catch the leaders.

As for Michelle Wie, she blew up today and shot an 80 round and missed the cut.

LPGA Tour, Women’s British Open, Lorena Ochoa, Wendy Ward, Catriona Matthew

It was at all surprising to see Lorena Ochoa jump out to an early 2-shot lead at the Women’s British Open after her 6-under first round. After all, she is the number one player in the world. The big question everyone is asking, is whether she can keep it. We’ll have to wait three more rounds to get that answer.

I didn’t see any other names among the leaders that jumped out other than Brittany Lincicome at 2-under and Annika Sorenstam at 1-under. Brittany has made a habit of playing well on Wed only to falter in the latter rounds, lets see if she can buck that trend.

Michelle Wie managed an even-par round, so did Natalie Gulbis and Paula Creamer.

LPGA Tour, Women’s British Open, Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam, Brittany Lincicome

The Women’s British Open starts tomorrow at Royal St. Andrews in Scotland. And since it is a major, I think it’s worth at least a dedicated preview post here, no? My gut tells me that the general public is rooting for a second straight Natalie Gulbis victory, I know I am, funky swing and all. But all the heavy hitters will be there and it will be a tough field to crack. Let’s take a look at this stacked field.

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As I predicted yesterday, Vijay Singh continued his strong play through to today and if it weren’t for a couple of bad holes on 17 and 18, would’ve had a sizeable lead going into final round Sunday. I have to say though, Vijay got extremely lucky with his tee shot on 11, it hit the rocks near the water twice before bouncing back onto the first cut of the rough.

Other strong play included Hunter Mahan who bounced back after a terrible second round. The second round leaders, Steve Allan and John Mallinger played well, but not well enough to win this thing. Jim Furyk is dangerous, sitting at 9-under and only 3-back, I’d be worried about him.

Mike Weir had a solid third round, he’s too far away to win, but his 4-under round today was good enough for him to tie Stephen Ames for top Canuck.

A little controversy after the round when players were criticizing tournament officials for the super-soft greens and odd hole locations to compensate. I have to concur.

Tomorrow will be good to watch, if it comes down to Vij and Jim, it’ll be wire-to-wire.

I apologize for the lack of Evian Masters updates as I simply haven’t watched any coverage or highlights. I’m liking the way Annika is playing though. A quick scan of the leaderboard and I saw some horrendous scores, Michelle Wie shoots +12, Suzann Pettersen +9, Brittany Lincicome +10, ouch…

PGA Tour, Canadian Open, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, Evian Masters, Annika Sorenstam, Michelle Wie

It’s pretty late and I have an early tee time tomorrow so this update will be short and sweet. Vijay Singh methodically worked his way up the leaderboard, he’s just 1 behind the leaders who are a couple of journeymen. It certainly looks good for Vij right now for the Canadian Open.

Mike Weir was lucky to make the cut, and no, I don’t think he’ll make any charge on the weekend. Camilo Villegas and Mark Calcavecchia are doing pretty good so my pool is doing OK.

Didn’t watch any coverage or highlights of the Evian Masters, but I hear that Annika Sorenstam was the big mover of the day. Michelle Wie broke par since forever and made the cut as well.

Anyways, talk to y’all tomorrow…

PGA Tour, Canadian Open, Vijay Singh, Evian Masters, Annika Sorenstam, Michelle Wie

Shooting a Canadian Open record 62 on the first day of action, Hunter Mahan got the best of Angus Glen with a 9-under par round to lead all scores. Meanwhile at the Evian Masters, it’s a three way tie between Patty Hurst, Brittany Lincicome and Eun-hee Ji. Jump on the link for more details.

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Tomorrow is the start of the biggest tournament annually for the women, the US Open. Now this is a USGA sanctioned event and so it’s not LPGA. In any case, lets see who could take the trophy on Sunday.

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Another day, another sad installment in the latest saga of the Michelle Wie soap opera as this time Annika Sorenstam, lady duke of the LPGA, chimes in on Michelle’s “lack of class and respect” regarding her antics last week at her tournament.

“I just feel there’s a little bit of a lack of respect and class just to leave a tournament like that and then come out and practice here [Bulle Rock].”

When asked to respond to Annika’s comments, Wie had this to say,

“I don’t think I need to apologize for anything, I just have to take care of my body and move forward and only think of positive things.”

Regarding complaints from playing partners at Monday’s Pro-am at Bulle Rock who allege that Michelle showed extremely poor etiquette on the course prompting a terse dressing down by LPGA commisioner Carolyn Bivens,

“I think it was very insulting because I tried my best.”

Personally, I think Danica Patrick and Michelle Wie should get together and bitch it out in a mud wrestling match and have it all taped. Oops, did I say that out loud??

LPGA Tour, Annika Sorenstam, Michelle Wie

With the LPGA Championship starting on Thursday at Bulle Rock in Maryland, it’s time to handicap the field and see who to look out for in this year’s tournament.

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A selection of quotes from the past week of golf.

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