Oh, there are lots of them that can come close to Tiger, but he has the best skills of all and while any of the top players can beat Tiger on a given day, he is still the best...hands down!

Tiger has missed a lot of tournaments this year and is taking it "easy" and I have a hunch he will not win a major this season, not that it would mark him a failure or anything like that! I just do not think he will win one of the remaining majors!

Charlie

Mag,

What's Vijay's reason for bowing out? Integrity? I know he's great. He should've stayed in and proven it yet again.

I agree w/j.d. that she has done some great things in the LPGA, but until they let women in and they have to qualify with the men, they shouldn't be allowed to compete for the cash. You gotta have rules. Nothing wrong with doing it as a personal test though.

Just MHO.

sketcha

Vijay's reason for not playing in this tournament is, that he told his wife he wouldnt play whatever the next tournament was, if he won the last one, well he did win.

It may be just an excuse, so he wouldnt have to be a part of the media attention he would have had, due to his earlier statements. Knowbody knows for sure but him.

Since I havent heard that he is a known liar about other matters, I think we will have to take his word for it.

In my opinion, if his true reason is because of Annika, then he did the right thing. Why participate in something you dont want to be a part of. Why have the media hound you the whole time about another golfer. He gets enough of that with Tiger around.

As the saying goes, if you cant say something nice dont say anything at all. I think thats what he may be doing. Thats smart. He doesnt need to beat her score to prove himself, hell he's won the Masters!

Mag

Every tournament has a certain number of what's called "sponser exemptions". These are slots that they can fill with whomever they want. They can allow Joe Blow Bricklayer play if they so choose. This is how ageing stars and players who maybe are off their game get to play when they've lost their tour card.

That's how Annika was entered into the field. So, this talk about making her qualify isn't really pertinent. There will be others playing who didn't qualify either. Arnie and Jack get into tournaments this way frequently.

I see no problem with it as long as she follows the same rule book everyone else is following. No special slack or any other "exemptions" because she's a woman. I see no problem with any woman in any sport as long as no rules are changed because they are a woman. I also have no sympathy for any man out there who is bitching about it. If you can't cut it then take your ass whoopin by your opponent (man or woman) and get on with it.

Mag and THL,

Thanks for the moments of clarity.

THL, you hit it on the head. With guys like Rod Curl in the field "taking up a slot" is a non argument. Every year the Colonial has traditionally give exemptions to the head pro at Colonial. He has no interest in competing on the tour, yet takes up a slot. No one seems to have an issue because he's a guy.

Go Annika.

kv

This is a mixed bag in my opinion.

On one hand, you can not deny the obvious media attention and the resulting higher ratings. This will be a boon for both the PGA and LPGA, so in that regards this is a great side show.

On the other hand, this is hypocracy at it's best. It's not called the MPGA only because it was historically a man's game. To allow the best women to play in the "big leagues" should result in the lower tier men playing in the easier LPGA. Why? Because if the players sex is no longer the issue, then only the level of play distinguishes the PGA from the LPGA.

Trust me, I don't suggest that the lesser skilled men play in the LPGA. I only need to point out the obvious contradiction that the PC crowd is spewing.

Heck, let's combine the sexes for ALL non-contact sports. Bowling, tennis, billiards, track and field.

Oh, wait. Are you trying to tell me that there is a difference between the sexes after all? How very UN-PC of you...

I think Serena Williams might be able to take Agassi!

She looked good off the first tee this morning. Go Annika!

Tailgater writes:

" ... Oh, wait. Are you trying to tell me that there is a difference between the sexes after all? How very UN-PC of you ..."

Yep, that'd be me ... the Un-PC ... always have been, always will be ... and let's face it, things are what they are ... damn right there's a difference between the sexes and (thankfully) those differences go well beyond the differences in plumbing ...

I don't care if this gal plays in the tournament ... fine by me ... IF she qualified to play in the same manner as the other participants (of any species, race or gender).

Women that wanna be firemen should be physically able to perform at the same level men are required to do ... not capable of picking up your fellow firefighter and carrying him out of a burning building ?? ... bzzzzzztttttt .... sorry, you can't BE a fireman ...

My problem with the PC crowd is that a level playing field doesn't suit 'em .. they want special rules put in place ... true equal opportunity is out, affirmative action is in (even though there is absolutely nothing affirmative about it) ... the special rules, mind you, can only be special in the sense that they favor the pet subjects of the PC folks ... if they favor anyone else, they're just not PC ...

But, with that in mind, welcome to the PGA Annika ... just don't ask to have the basket lowered, the length of the field shortened, or the fences moved in ... if you're on first base tryin' to steal second, don't expect the catcher to have to throw left handed so's to give you a special chance ...

But ... if you ARE playing by the same rulse and you ARE successful, I'll be standin' and cheering for you just the same as I would for anyone else ...

I certainly hope that I was wrong with my prediction as she is currently one under par and the leader is 4 under (Andrade) would love to see her make the cut and end up in top 15 or so...

Go Annika!

Charlie

My high school had a girls volleyball team, but not a boys team.

Should I have forced the school to let me play?

Conversely, they had both a male and female track team. And the top girl cross country runner regularly finished with a time that would be in the top ten times on the boys team over the same course. Should she have run with the guys?

Why can't men and women be different AND equal?

This is not like another sport where there are no female equivalents. If a girl is the best fieldgoal kicker in the school, she should be allowed to play on the team until such time there is a girls league. I think it's great that there are women drivers on the racecar circuit.

But if Annika deems the LPGA to be too watered down for her talent level then she should not be allowed to play in LPGA events and take their purse (a little sexist pun thrown in).

Let this simply be the spectacle it is intended to be. It will be good for golf if she makes the cut, regardless of how she fares in the standings.

My high school had a girls varisty lacrosse team and not a boys varsity lacrosse team. However, boys were allowed to tryout and play for the team. Likewise, girls were allowed to try out for the varsity football team and wrestling team. My friends and I almost tried out for fun one season, but we didn't want to wear the skirts.

Yeah, but think of the lockerroom stories...

first round 71, so she has a good chance of making the cut if she maintains it tomorrow...

Down in flames, but think of the commercial deals she will make.