Editors Blog

Annika to appear on Letterman tonight

Golf Women — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:04:52 -0400

Annika Sorenstam's Big Apple retirement party will continue tonight when she reads the nightly Top Ten list on CBS' Late Show with David Letterman (11:30 p.m. EST). The list will feature Annika's "Top Ten Reasons For Stepping Away From Competitive Golf!"

Annika's appearance on Letterman comes one day after announcing her retirement--effective the end of the 2008 season--and throwing out the first pitch (below) at the New York Mets-Washington Senators game. Sorenstam wore a Mets jersey with the No. 59 on it, a tribute to the 59 she shot during the second round of the Standard Register PING in 2001. Sorenstam is the only female professional golfer to shoot a 59 in competition.

UPDATE: Here's the link to the video clip.

Picture by Getty Images.

What a Mess

Golf Women — Wed, 14 May 2008 08:02:16 -0400

We're down to eight players on Big Break Kaanapali after Dana (I won't use her nickname, Gayle, I promise) managed to fumble not once but several times in an elimination challenge where she could've easily put away one of the strongest players in the field. At one point while watching the show last night, after hearing myself call both Dana and her protégé Susan "stupid" for not playing it safe when they both had leads on Kim, whose putting had left the planet, I said to my husband, "Ouch -- was I too mean there?" He turned to me, eyes still wide from what he had just witnessed, and shook his head: "No," he said, "that was beyond stupid." He also asked that I print him up a t-shirt with a picture of Andrew Magee throwing his hands in the air and the quote "What's going on??" written underneath it. I may look into that. It was by far the funniest moment of the season so far.

This episode did indeed turn into one sloppy mess for a few of the players, but it also had some of the best golf shots we'd seen so far. First off, Lori ran up and crushed the glass in the glass-breaking challenge on her first swing, and Tina on her second. I don't know how familiar you are with this exercise, but it's one of the toughest things you'll ever try (Golf Channel sometimes broadcasts an exhibition they did with some PGA Tour players a few years back, where you get to see the likes of Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk take a stab at it -- not under relay conditions like the girls did in Kaanapali, mind you, but at their own pace -- and it took them quite a few tries to break that glass). Luckily for Lori and Tina, they were on the same team, so that pretty much secured their spots on the next show.

Another shot for the record books came when Kim stepped up to the tee on the third hole of the second immunity challenge, knowing that her two teammates' dismal play had already put her into the elimination (I must agree with the peanut gallery here; what in the world were they thinking putting Susan on the par 5 rather than Kim?). She was ticked off, more so than even I realized at the time (I'm loving watching the girls' confessionals on the show -- they were still pretty polite to each other on the course at this point, so we didn't quite know what they were thinking) and she pounded that drive all the way to Molokai. Then she made the long birdie putt, probably just to prove a point, and moved on to the elimination way too angry for her own good. It almost sent her home. The putts she stroked in that elimination challenge were nothing short of hideous, as she readily admitted in her confessional. But since her opponents Dana and Susan both managed to make some of the worst course-management decisions I've ever witnessed, she still squeaked by. Kim called her opponents' water shots (not just one but two for Dana) "a gift" in her interview after the round, and it couldn't have been a bigger one if it was tied up in a pretty ribbon. Since Susan chipped in early in the elimination challenge (another of the great shots on display amidst the carnage in this episode -- don't let her "Aw, shucks" demeanor fool you; this girl has a wicked short game) she was never threatened and, finally, had to watch her surrogate mom go home. What will this do to Susan's confidence? Can Kim recover from her near-fatal putting slump? Will Lori ever get nicer? You have to tune in next week to find out...

Annika's decision has been in the works

Golf Women — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:40:14 -0400

CLIFTON, N.J.--Annika Sorenstam's caddie of nine years, Terry McNamara, gave some interesting insights into the Sorenstam camp's decision to announce her retirement on Tuesday at the Sybase Classic Presented by ShopRite. McNamara said the original plan was to make the announcement at the U.S. Women's Open in late June, but Annika's performance this year (three wins in eight starts) prompted the switch to the Sybase, a tournament Sorenstam has won twice.

"As the year went on, [the U.S. Open] didn't seem very practical because she was going to try and go win it," said McNamara, who's been by Sorenstam's side for eight of her 10 major championships. "As she said in her press conference today, I want a chance to win there, and if she brings that up early in the week, that cuts down on her chances."

McNamara believes that Sorenstam would have retired at the end of last season had it not been for a neck injury which limited her to just 13 starts. Sorenstam went winless on the LPGA Tour for the first time since 1994, but did successfully defend her title at the Dubai Ladies Masters on the Ladies European Tour in December.

"Last year she played her heart out with one arm because the other arm was hurt, because of the neck," McNamara said. "But her expectations were, 'I should be able to win anyway.' "

It was after Dubai--which is slated to be Sorenstam's final tournament in 2008--that she started thinking about when to announce her retirement. Despite her fierce competitive nature, McNamara doesn't think Sorenstam will have trouble staying retired.

"People think Annika just turns on this button and plays well. It's not like that," said McNamara. "She puts a lot of time into it, whether it's going to the gym or mentally thinking about it. The commitment is unbelievable. It's a grind at times. Once you've done it all, that grind becomes hard. If she's gonna play, she's going to want to practice, because she's not going to go out there and finish 10th and be happy. It takes a lot of time to be that good."

Asked what he thought Annika's legacy would be, McNamara said, "I would hope that it would be class. "I've been lucky to have this time with her, and I'm better off because of it. It takes a good player to make a good caddie."

Ochoa "surprised" by Annika's retirement

Golf Women — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:58:02 -0400

CLIFTON, N.J.--Lorena Ochoa, the world's No. 1-ranked player, was caught a little off-guard by Annika Sorenstam's announcement Tuesday that she would retire at the end of the 2008 season. Ochoa, who overtook Sorenstam in the Rolex Rankings last April and has held the spot ever since, is expected to take the helm from Annika as the face of women's golf for many years to come.

"It caught me by surprise," Ochoa said shortly after Sorenstam's announcement at the Sybase Classic Presented by ShopRite. "I didn't think it would happen this soon. It's sad, but I'm really happy for her, because I know it's a tough decision to quit playing and have a family, and [pursue] other activities off the golf course."

Ochoa, the defending Sybase champion, won five of her first six events this season and appeared to have a lock on the No. 1 ranking and Player of the Year honors. However, Sorenstam has won her last two starts, including a landslide seven-shot victory at last week's Michelob ULTRA Open, where Ochoa finished tied for 12th. Sorenstam currently trails Ochoa by only $300,000 on the money list and has cut her lead in the Rolex Player of the Year race to 54 points.

"I admire her very much," said Ochoa. "We will miss her for sure, and we will never forget what she has done for us as players, and for the LPGA. So I thank her for every moment, and hopefully she has a great year and great success."

Ochoa wasn't the only player surprised by Sorenstam's decision. Fellow Swede Liselotte Neumann, who teamed with Sorenstam to win the Women's World Cup of Golf in 2006, said: "The timing surprised me, especially being so early in the season. She's going to be missed."

Asked if she thought Sorenstam's competitiveness would make it difficult for her to stay away from the game, Neumann added: "That's always been one of her qualities; when she sets her mind to do something, that's what she's going to do. She would never come out and announce it unless she's going to do it."

Annika: The time was right

Golf Women — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:14:47 -0400

CLIFTON, N.J.--Annika Sorenstam compared the anticipation of her big announcement on Tuesday to coming down the stretch, needing a two-putt for victory. The Hall of Famer was nervous, but didn't shed any tears as she announced her retirement from competitive golf--effective the end of the 2008 season--at an overflowing press conference at the Sybase Classic Presented by ShopRite.

Annika fielded questions from the media in attendance and on a conference call with the same focus and commitment she has displayed throughout her 15 seasons on the LPGA Tour. Here are some of the more pertinent questions asked Tuesday and Annika's responses to them.

Q: WHY THE ANNOUNCEMENT NOW, AND NOT LATER IN THE SEASON?
A: I felt the responsibility to let the LPGA and the fans know. The year goes by so quickly and all of a sudden, it's December. I wanted to have a chance to focus on my game, play some good golf. Therefore, we just thought this was a good time.

Q: WHAT'S NEXT?
A: The reason for this decision is that I have other priorities in my life. I have a lot of dreams that I want to follow. I'm getting married in January. Mike [fiance Mike McGee] and I want to start a family. I want to continue to build the ANNIKA brand of businesses, and this includes my academy, my golf course design projects, my corporate relationships, hosting golf tournaments, etc.

While I'm stepping away from competition, I will be very engaged and very involved in the game of golf, but in a different way. I want to make sure that I can give back to the game that's been great to me, by helping and inspiring young kids to develop and reach their dreams. I know I can do that with the growth of my academy, my foundation, and the commitment of my sponsors that have been there for me all these years and played an instrumental part in my success.

Q: WHAT WILL BE YOUR LAST TOURNAMENT?
A: In Dubai [Dubai Ladies Masters, Dec. 10-13] on the Ladies European Tour. (The ADT Championship, Nov. 20-23 in West Palm Beach, will be her final event on the LPGA Tour.) I'm sticking with the schedule I decided to play earlier in the year, probably a total of 25 events. So I have a lot of events left all around the world.

Q: CAN YOU ENVISION YOURSELF PLAYING COMPETITIVELY AFTER THIS SEASON?
A: December will be my last tournament. If it's forever, I'm not really sure, but it's definitely for now.

Q: YOUR 16 VICTORIES SHY OF KATHY WHITWORTH ON THE ALL-TIME WINS LIST. DID YOU GIVE THAT ANY CONSIDERATION IN YOUR DECISION?
A: Obviously, 88 wins is a huge achievement. I feel like I've achieved so much more than I ever thought I could, and to beat her record doesn't motivate me. I'm very happy in my life. I'm content with what I've achieved, and it just feels right. I still have energy and excitement to finish the year on a strong note, and that's the way I look at it. Right now, I'm second on the [LPGA] Money List (behind Lorena Ochoa). And people who know me know that I don't settle for second. So I have a whole lot of work ahead of myself.

Learning the ropes from a legend

Golf Women — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:05:39 -0400

CLIFTON, N.J.--Upon hearing that Annika was going to announce her retirement today—effective at the end of the 2008 season—I couldn’t help but think back to our first meeting in 1999. Annika was a shy Swede in braces who, despite two U.S. Open titles and more than a dozen LPGA Tour wins to her credit, was clearly more comfortable standing over a knee-knocking three-foot putt than she was talking into a microphone. I was a rookie instruction editor for Golf Magazine about to get the biggest break in my journalism career.

I knew who Annika Sorenstam was, but I had no idea who she was about to become. This was before Annika Sorenstam simply came to be known as “Annika.” You know you’re a pretty big deal when you’re simply referred to by one name. But it was hard to imagine at the time that Annika would soon join such elite company as Tiger, Arnie, Jack, Pele, Magic and Babe.

As we sat in a golf cart just off the 17th green at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, Annika’s eyes became fixed on another set of eyes much more threatening than mine. It was an alligator, making its way toward our cart. “Good thing we’re on a bridge,” I said, trying to lighten the moment. Still, for several minutes, Annika carefully watched the gator as I tried to switch the topic to lag putting.

Once we got talking, I was impressed how prepared Annika was—she had the story ideas I sent her as well as a few notes of her own written out—and how eager she was to share her knowledge. We also shot some tips on sidehill lies that day, as well as long bunker shots. To make sure I clearly understood the message she was delivering, she put her 9-iron into my hands and proceeded to watch me blast the ball out from 30 yards to about eight feet. “She really knows what she’s talking about,” I thought.

Every year, I’ve had the privilege of writing tips with Annika for the readers of Golf Magazine and, now, Golf for Women magazine. As Annika has become more popular, so have our photo shoots—at one time, it was just Annika, myself and the photographer; now, there’s a hair-and-makeup artist, a stylist, three photographers, a team of photo assistants, a video crew and several editors on sight. The scale is much bigger, but Annika is still the same person--professional, down to earth, and as kind as when I first met her--although I’d say she’s much more comfortable with public attention now.

When GFW’s editor-in-chief, Susan Reed, asked me to share some of my memories of Annika over the years for this story, three came to mind, because I think they best sum up Annika as a competitor and a person. The first occurred in May 2003, when Annika made history by becoming the first woman in 58 years to tee it up on the men’s PGA Tour. The buildup prior to her opening tee shot on the 10th hole at the Bank of America Colonial was like nothing I’d ever seen in golf. She would say later she was so nervous she couldn’t feel her arms, and that her plan was to just hit the ball and find it. Yet, Sorenstam took several deep breaths and entered her little bubble, where she’s hit thousands of 4-woods on the practice range, and somehow proceeded to stripe it down the middle. Her knees buckled in relief. She not only hit that ball flush, she hit everything pure that day in what many witnesses described as one of the best ball-striking rounds ever. The 1-over-par 71 was the highest score she could have posted, but she not only won over her male playing partners that day, she earned the respect of the entire golfing world.

The second moment occurred later that year, when we were shooting the photographs for her instruction book, “Golf Annika’s Way,” which I co-wrote with her. Annika is a very drill-oriented person, and she was trying to demonstrate one exercise in which she drives a tee into the ground with the face of her wedge. The tee is placed on an angle, and the purpose of the drill is to teach you how to approach the ball on a steep, descending path, so the clubhead bottoms out in front of the ball. Annika tried and tried, but just couldn’t get the tee to cooperate. She started to get frustrated, but wouldn’t quit, being the fierce competitor she is. Finally, after about 10 minutes, we agreed that if she had trouble with the drill, maybe we shouldn’t include it in the book. But it took some cajoling from me and her swing coach, Henri Reis, and we nearly had to pull the club out of her hands. We finally prevailed, but it gives insight into Annika’s determination to give everything 100 percent, even if it’s a drill she probably hasn’t practiced since she was a junior.

Lastly, there was a shoot with Annika in March 2006 with Golf for Women and Golf Digest. We were demonstrating her favorite distance-control drill, where someone fields golf balls that Annika hits to a target at 10-yard increments. The honor usually bestowed on Annika’s caddie was given to me; I got to put on the baseball glove and act as her target. Standing at approximately 40 yards, I was amazed how she hit one wedge after another directly into my mitt; I didn’t have to budge. I moved back to 60 yards and 80 yards and barely had to move to catch the balls. Soon, my pockets were filled with about 20 golf balls. Then I could hear Annika joke to the photographers, ‘Hey, I’m going to make Dave run a little bit.’ And, next thing I know, I’m retreating as fast as I can to try and run down one of her shots, balls dropping from my pocket. Annika could hit a wedge from 80 yards out into a garbage can, if she had to. Her sense of humor is just as well-timed.

Courageous, competitive, precise. Those three words pretty much sum up Annika Sorenstam. Classy would be another. There hasn’t been a better ambassador for women’s golf than Annika this past decade. I, for one, feel very fortunate to have received that first assignment nine years ago.

Weekend Victories: The Power of Putting

Golf Women — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:00:28 -0400

When Annika Sorenstam came back from her neck injury to win the first LPGA tournament of 2008, the SBS Open in Hawaii, most of us hoped it was a sign of a historic rivalry in the making and saw the potential for a season in which the world's no. 1, Lorena Ochoa, would have to fight hard to keep her Swedish predecessor from reclaiming her throne. Then Ochoa promptly won five of her six first tournaments, four of which had Sorenstam in the field, and those of us who had voiced our rivalry prophesies (see my item in GFW's May/June issue comparing Ochoa and Sorenstam to Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus) felt kinda' silly. But this Monday after the Michelob Ultra Open, as Sorenstam has just won her second tournament in a row (and third this season) -- this time with Ochoa not only in the field but in the same group for three out of four days -- it's clear the game is on.

So what's my point, to pat myself on the back for apparently having called this one correctly after all? No. It's to herald the power of good putting. Because tee to green last week, Ochoa actually outplayed Sorenstam. She drove the ball almost 10 yards farther on average, and hit three more greens than her elder over the course of the week. What propelled Sorenstam to the winner's circle by a healthy margin of seven strokes to the cluster of second-place finishers was her excellent putting, ironically the one aspect of her game the Hall of Famer has always grappled with. In fact, she took 16 fewer putts than Ochoa during the Michelob and ended up beating the Mexican by 12 strokes.

Now, while Sorenstam was busy showing who's boss on the LPGA Tour, Spaniard Sergio Garcia rose from the dead to win the PGA Tour's "fifth major," the Player's Championship, for his first victory in three years. As any golf fan knows, Garcia's struggles over the last 36 months have all had to do with his putting. The man had a textbook case of the yips, and he's had to watch countless tournaments -- most memorably the 2007 British Open -- slip through his fingers because he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with his putter in clutch moments. But last week, while you can argue hit was his long game that won him the tournament (he finished 1st in the field in driving accuracy and in greens in regulation), it was his T-39 in putts per GIR (a huge improvement over his average in years past) that made the difference between first and second place. To watch his confidence with the flat stick was nothing short of joyful.

Is it a coincidence that both Sorenstam and Garcia had switched back to blade putters last week after playing with mallets for years? Maybe. Is it a fluke that both have spent time working with putting marvel Stan Utley? Perhaps. But both will surely agree that the power of knowing that your putts will fall is greater than any other in the game.

Two footnotes to last week's tournaments: 1) Congratulations to former GFW associate editor Sarah Turcotte, who played in the Michelob Ultra on a sponsor's exemption as part of a blog series for her current employer ESPN The Magazine. She shot 84-89 to finish last, but did better than anyone could've imagined considering she's been living in Manhattan for the last five years. Atta girl, Sarah! 2) Paul Goydos, where have you been all my life? This man is exactly what the PGA Tour needs -- a perfect mix of humor, humility, great play and sportsmanship. Here's hoping we see lots more of him in the future.

NCAA Regionals

Golf Women — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:28:19 -0400

The girls are going low. I'm not talking about the LPGA Tour players (though they're going low, too). I'm talking about those collegiate golfers who are competing this weekend in the NCAA Regionals.

There are actually three Regional tournaments -- East, Central and West, which started yesterday and will end tomorrow. Twenty four of the top-ranked teams in their zone are competing in each Regional event. And after tomorrow, the top eight teams in each Regional move on to the NCAA National Championship, which will take place from May 20-23 at the University of New Mexico Golf Course in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In essence, today and tomorrow are critical for these collegiate standouts. Even if Southern California, the top-ranked team in the country, finishes outside of the top-8 in the West Regional, they won't travel to the National Championship. But if Jacksonville State, the 92nd-ranked team in the country, cracks the top-8 in the East Regional, they're on their way to their first appearance at Nationals.

It'll be fun to track the girls online today and tomorrow. They've already gone low, and I assure you they're not going to stop firing at the pins. My favorite part? They're not playing for money; they're playing for pride.

Big Break Shocker

Golf Women — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:37:21 -0400

I admit it, I lost a bet to Andrew Magee after the fourth episode of Big Break Kaanapali (don't get your knickers in a twist; we were only betting peanuts). Earlier that week, after watching the 12 contestants' practice rounds before the taping of the first episode, I had picked Adrienne to win the whole thing. She had serious game, lots of experience and a tenacity that was nothing short of inspirational. So when she was the third player to be knocked out of the competition, no one was more shocked than I. And losing both Adrienne and Liz in what amounted to an early-season double whammy really rattled us all. These were two of our better players and nobody expected them to go home so early. That said, their opponents in the elimination challenge didn't deserve to get the boot either; Sam and Sophie are both very accomplished players as well.

So what should one make of an outcome such as this? That life isn't fair? That it's all about luck? Well, now that Cirbie was gone, there was really no stand-out bad player who should've taken the next loser walk. (And to those of you who think Susan was the next obvious victim, all I can say is "HA!" That girl may be inexperienced, but she could play the pants off most of you, especially in a short-game challenge.) So it's all a crap shoot from here, ladies and gents. And the hits will just keep on coming.

The thing that really got to me most that fateful day in Kaanapali, however, was just how hard both Liz and Adrienne took their defeats. It wasn't shown on TV, but they were inconsolable. They had obviously never imagined getting cut so early, and once reality sunk in, it hit them hard. But I hope they both know that they have very bright futures ahead of them, and that losing out on the Big Break won't mean much in the big scheme of things in their potentially long, successful careers. As long as they keep working at it and believing in themselves, I'm sure we'll see both their names in lights soon enough. Because, besides being good golfers, they're both very nice, hardworking, talented young women. And at least they can console themselves with the fact that an early departure kept them from getting involved with the drama and infighting that's about to ensue on this season of the Big Break...

New Charge for Flying with Clubs

Golf Women — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:06:18 -0400

Traveling with golf clubs, which has never been fun, could now burn a hole in your wallet. Starting today, in an effort to counter-balance the soaring cost of fuel, several airlines, including American, United, US Airways, Continental and Northwest, will charge $50 round-trip for checking a second piece of luggage on domestic flights (frequent flyers and first and business class passengers are exempt from these charges). This is bad news for most traveling golfers -- many airlines count a set of clubs as a checked bag. So throw in a suitcase with your golf bag and you'll have to pay the second-bag charge. Plus, some airlines now exact oversized luggage with an additional $100-200 round-trip fee (though most carriers exclude golf bags from that oversized fee, check your airlines' website to be sure). Also keep in mind that charges for overweight bags (heavier than 50 pounds) are on the rise. No longer will it cost only 25 bucks.

But here's the kicker: the fees are cumulative, which means an oversized, overweight second bag could cost you $300. Ouch!

So what are your options? For weekend getaways when you'll play one or two rounds, renting clubs could be your best bet. Most courses offer decent rental clubs for less money than these airline fees. Or if you're planning a trip to Florida, use Golf Clubs Away, a new online rental service that delivers clubs directly to your hotel ($35-45 a day for a bag of clubs, a sleeve of balls and tees).

Or, you can ship your clubs, which isn't as expensive as it sounds. Golf Digest travel editor Matt Ginella says that shipping a golf bag from Florida to California in five business days costs only $60. You can choose from large package delivery companies like UPS, FedEx or DHL, or specialized shipping companies like Sports Express, Luggage Forward or Golf Bag Shipping. And you'll feel like a queen when your set of clubs is patiently waiting for you when you check into your room.

But if you insist on keeping your clubs close, just remember these extra fees and pack wisely.