Can Annika finally get some pub?
By Matthew Rudy
GolfDigest.com exclusive
LPGA Tour
Annika Sorenstam is breaking LPGA records in bunches -- the 18-hole scoring record (a 59 at the Standard-Register PING), the greatest final-round comeback (from 10 behind, at last week's Office Depot), the most consecutive wins (four and counting, tying her with Mickey Wright and Kathy Whitworth). Now, if she could only solve the this timing thing.
With Tiger Woods winning the sort-of-Slam two weeks ago at the Masters, Sorenstam -- and the LPGA -- has been cast even more into the PGA Tour's formidable shadow. Sorenstam's fourth straight win even came on a Saturday, when fans aren't conditioned to be reading about final tournament results. By the time Sunday evening rolled around, Jose Coceres (Jose Coceres???) was getting more play for his PGA Tour win in Hilton Head.
What more do the ladies need to do? Sorenstam and Karrie Webb make a true rivalry, unlike anything the men have been able to muster. Sorenstam has won a major and three other events, all in a row. All signs are pointing to a classic battle at the Women's Open May 31 -- a tournament that's even being played at a great venue in Pine Needles. That Sorenstam isn't able to generate more attention with her recent play shows what the women's tour can expect in the way of coverage -- unless some kind of charismatic star takes a hold of the game.
Sorenstam will try to win her fifth straight tournament this week at the Longs Drugs Challenge in Lincoln, Calif. For the second straight week, Webb isn't in the field, either. Instead, Sorenstam will have to contend with defending champion Juli Inkster (who hasn't done much this year -- 21st on the money list) and a host of other almost-famous characters like Sophie Gustafson and Pat Hurst (who kicked away that 10-shot lead over Sorenstam last week). See it all, or at least what they'll be showing on tape delay, on the Golf Channel.
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour's next stop is the Shell Houston Open. Luckily enough for the card-carrying members of the tour, that inter-loper Jose Coceres isn't in the field. To hear the PGA Tour tell it, the win by the non-Tour member Coceres was a figment of somebody's evil imagination. As of Tuesday afternoon, the front page on the tour's website didn't have a link to the game story about Coceres' win, and the season schedule hadn't been updated to show his win. Coceres should hurry up and cash his $630,000 check before something untoward happens.
This week in Houston, David Duval comes out to play for the first time since Woods stole his marbles at the Masters two weeks ago. This feels like one of those weeks that Duval goes postal on a less-than-complete field. He's shown that he can make truckloads of birdies if his wrist is right (and if he's not playing the 72nd hole at Augusta). None of the other big names in the field -- Vijay Singh, Hal Sutton, Justin Leonard, Robert Allenby -- have shown much form recently, although Allenby is the defending champion.
European PGA Tour
The European Tour finally reaches Europe for the Open de Espana, and the native speakers are primed for the occasion. Jose Maria Olazabal has won every EuroTour event played in Spain during his active career at least once -- except for this one. He finished second in 1998.
Sergio Garcia's results here have been mixed as well -- he tied for 12th last year, but struggled in three visits before that. He needs to have a good week to restore some confidence in European Ryder Cup watchers. In three official EuroTour events this season, he's finished 19th, second and missed the cut. That kind of inconsistency has dogged his game since the beginning of last year. The betting favorite is Darren Clarke, but Clarke's results so far this year have been worse than Garcia's.
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