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 Thursday, March 22, 2001
Sorenstam leads a powerful field into LPGA's first Major
By Judy Rankin
Special to ABC Sports Online
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- It's a great week here at the end of March for the LPGA's first Major of the year, the Nabisco Championship, which begins Thursday (ESPN, 3:30 p.m. ET). The Tour really rocketed to a serious start for the 2001 season the past two weeks in Arizona with Annika Sorenstam winning back-to-back tournaments, playing the very best golf of her life.
|  | | In four starts this season, Annika Sorenstam has two wins and two seconds. |
That included the phenomenal record-breaking 59 she shot last Friday to help her win the Standard Register PING tournament. Actually, Sorenstam stood on the ninth green -- her final hole of the day -- with a 15-footer for a 58, amazingly enough. It was an historic round that included 13 birdies, no bogeys, one missed fairway and 18 greens hit. It was about as close to perfection as you get in golf.
Watching Sorenstam around the golf course was an electrifying experience for her competitors. They all remarked about how they had a little trouble focusing on their own games because they were focusing on the leaderboard. Those players who had finished their rounds were watching the account on television off and on and going about their business until each time ESPN went to Annika going for another birdie putt. That's when everything completely stopped. So, yes, it's safe to say that her achievement was the type that really inspired every other player to be better than they've ever been before. They now have the realization that such a perfect round can happen.
The golf course that the players will be faced with at the Nabisco Championships here at the Mission Hills Country Club is familiar to a majority of the field. It's a difficult course that is demanding of all aspects of one's game. It's not the type of place where you'd expect a rookie or a non-experienced player to break through. That being said, I expect those who have played well here in the past will continue to find success this weekend.
When you take a player of Annika Sorenstam's caliber, and the fact that's she's going through a period of the hottest golf of her life, many people expect her to be a top contender here. Last year's champion, Karrie Webb, had as solid of a performance last year (274, -14), winning by 10 strokes. She'll be a factor. One also has to consider American Dottie Pepper, who has a tremendous record here over the last decade. She's won on this course twice and always comes into this tournament confident. Juli Inkster will look to get her 2001 season started here, where she's played solid golf in the past.
One player I must mention who has really disappeared in recent months is Laura Davies. With this being a long course, her big game off the tee should serve her well. She has always identified this championship and the golf course at Mission Hills as being an empty spot in her career, and the place she'd most like to win.
A nice sidebar is that there are five amateurs teeing off this weekend, with three being of real interest. The Wongluekiet twins -- Aree Song and Naree Song -- are always an amazing addition to any tournament they enter. Aree finished 10th here last year at just 13 years of age. They will be joined by University of Arizona freshman Lorena Ochoa from Guadalajara, Mexico, who will be a first-timer in this tournament. With the Wongluekiet twins now at 14 and Ochoa at 19, their possibilities are endless. All three players are excellent already and should be exciting to watch all weekend.
Women's golf is on the edge of something here. Those very close to the game have known for a long time how high the talent level is at the top. Some of the play over the last few years -- capped by Sorenstam's 59 -- is making a lot of people stand up and take notice of the top players. The LPGA is on the verge of getting its due recognition. With the scores we've been seeing lately, it should continue this weekend.
LPGA Hall of Famer Judy Rankin is an on-course commentator for ABC Sports' golf coverage.
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