Sorenstam finishes first round at +1

By Stephen Hawkins, Associated Press, 5/22/2003

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Annika Sorenstam became the first woman in 58 years to play on the PGA Tour, shooting 1 over par Thursday in the first round of the Colonial.

Of the 55 men who also played morning rounds, 35 shot par or better, ahead of Sorenstam.

"I've been nervous all day. Obviously, I'm very happy with the way I played," Sorenstam said. "I'm just glad the day is over. It's a relief now."

Sorenstam, the No. 1 female player in the world, started with PGA Tour rookies Dean Wilson and Aaron Barber. Hitting a 3-wood, she outdrove Wilson and Barber, though both hit their first shots with irons.

Her first tee-shot was a 243-yard drive into the fairway, which was lined with spectators, many of them women wearing "Go Annika" buttons.

She slumped in mock relief, then seemed at ease throughout her round.

Her 9-iron approach from 143 yards on that first hole settled just more than 15 feet from the cup, and she two-putted for par.

Sorenstam's historic tour debut before a cheering gallery included one birdie and two three-putt bogeys. She had pars on 12 of her first 13 holes before missing her first fairway.

"She's a machine. She's awesome," Barber said. "I've never played with someone over 18 holes who didn't miss a shot."

Like everybody else, Sorenstam was ready to find out how she scores and how she copes with all the attention of being the first woman since Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1945 to play on the tour.

She was given a 500-1 chance by Las Vegas oddsmakers and is under more scrutiny than any player since Tiger Woods made his pro debut in the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open.

For the first time in years, Sorenstam is also playing in a tournament she is not expecting to win. The 32-year-old Swede said she would be "so pleased" to shoot par.

Sorenstam isn't trying to prove she can beat the boys. She isn't suggesting that the LPGA Tour, where she has won 43 times and four majors, is no longer a challenge.

What a sponsor's exemption in the Bank of America Colonial is allowing her to do is find out how her game stacks up against the best in the world. She said a week on the PGA Tour will satisfy her curiosity.

"I'm sure she's feeling a lot of pressure, but she's putting it on herself wanting to perform well," said David Toms, who tied for second last year. "She's won big tournaments, won a lot of tournaments, and she obviously handles the pressure very well. It will be interesting to see what happens."

Golfer Jay Haas said Sorenstam's debut "might be bigger" than Woods' first pro event.

"Was Tiger's debut spread across the front page of the newspaper?" Haas said. "But it's certainly different. Everyone was talking about Tiger dominating the tour, and they don't think Annika is going to come out here and do that."

Her final practice round on the par-70 course ended on the 11th fairway Wednesday when the pro-am was called because of steady rain. She was at least 1-over par, having picked up her ball on a couple of holes.

"I worked a little on my swing and I was more calm," she said. "I hit some good shots. I love the golf course."

The 7,080-yard layout is a longer, tougher course than any she has played in competition. But two days of rain might have provided a break, making the normally crusty and firm greens more forgiving, allowing her to aim at the flag with long irons and her 7-wood.

While Sorenstam is making history, Nick Price will try to defend his only PGA Tour win since 1998.

"I think I've answered enough questions about Annika the last three months," Price said. "Every one knows what my feelings are on that."

Price, 46, one of the more gracious players in the game, has said Sorenstam's appearance "reeks of publicity." And he said five-time Colonial champion Ben Hogan would roll in his grave if he knew what was happening.

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