ANNIKA SORENSTAM
PLAYS GOLF: SO WHAT
The good thing about Annika's appearance on the PGA Tour (we use her first name because the folks at TomPaine.com seem to think it means we're chauvinists -- morons), is that no one is screaming about this being a battle of the sexes. Perhaps that's because it's not an unfair fight between a woman at the top of her game and a has-been old guy, or perhaps it's because we realize that it's just about Annika trying to see how good she really is.

Anyway, I'm completely in favor of her attempt to compete with the men (and she seems to be competing quite well -- she's even after 23 as of this writing.) Why am I for it? 1. It's classic free-market activity. If she can compete then she'll be welcome to return and it won't change the level of play on the PGA tour. If people stop going to tournaments and stop tuning in because women are playing, then the market will make a change. Conversely, if men started joining the LPGA, it would change the level and character of play and surely effect the ratings as it became integrated with Buy.com tour people (or whatever they call that tour now). 2. Neither Government nor some bitter old hag (e.g. Martha Burk) is forcing this on the PGA. 3. No one who deserves to be playing is being denied a spot. Oh, I know it's a sponsor's exemption that would have gone to a man, but it would have been a man equally undeserving who had failed to otherwise qualify. 4. Because Vijay Singh and Nick Price disagree and they had the guts to say so.