Sorenstam's gamble

By Tom Fordyce

The greatest female golfer in history is about to take the biggest gamble of her professional career.

Sorenstam's driving is the equal of that of many PGA professionals

On 22 May, Annika Sorenstam will tee off in the PGA Tour's Colonial Tournament.

That's right - the PGA Tour. The men's circuit.

It is 58 years since a woman last entered a professional men's tournament. Back in 1945, Babe Zaharias made the cut at the Los Angeles Open before a final round 79 pushed her out of contention.

This time around, no one is quite sure how Sorenstam will fare - or what exactly her participation means for golf.

There is some logic behind her decision to challenge the men.

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The 32-year-old Swede has won more tournaments around the world in the last two years than any other golfer, including Tiger Woods, and last year alone won 11 times on the LPGA Tour.

Sorenstam averaged 265 yards in driving distance last year, and this season is averaging 280, which is more than defending Colonial champion Nick Price, David Duval, Brad Faxon, Jose Maria Olazabal and Bernhard Langer.

The Colonial course is also, at 7,080 yards, one of the shortest on the tour. The premium is on accuracy rather than length.

She has a good chance of making the cut, but then she could also have an absolute stinker.

The fear is that if it is the latter Sorenstam will have done unnecessary damage to her reputation.

Sorenstam says she will play it safe at the Colonial

Does Sorenstam need to beat men to secure her place in the pantheon of golfing greats?

Paula Radcliffe is no less of an athlete because her marathon world record is 10 minutes slower than Khalid Khannouchi's men's mark.

And Serena Williams does not have to beat a male tennis player ranked in the world's top 100 to prove her talent.

"I don't want it to reflect (on women) if I don't do well," admits Sorenstam.

"It will reflect on me. I'll be upset with myself and I'll be going straight to the practice tee."

There are also reasons why the LPGA Tour might not be so happy with Sorenstam's decision.

I want to test myself and face a new challenge

Annika Sorenstam

Ignore for a moment the damage a poor display from Sorenstam could have on women's golf.

There is also the prospect, if she plays well, of Sorenstam and other top female golfers taking part in more men's events - stripping the LPGA of its most prized assets for large chunks of the year.

Sorenstam insists that this is an experiment that will not be repeated, claiming: "It's a one-off opportunity.

"Who knows if this is the right way to get to the next level? I have to have a little bit of imagination and try different things, and this is what this is.

"I want a new challenge, but it is on the LPGA Tour that I still want to set records. That is my priority."

The Colonial's commercial partners, on the other hand, are delighted to accommodate Sorenstam.

The Bank of America recently signed a $25m sponsorship deal with The Colonial, and Sorenstam's entry has sent interest in the Fort Worth event through the roof.

Whether the arguments, for and against, will be the same for those who follow in her footsteps is another matter.

Michelle Wie, the 13-year-old prodigy from Hawaii who can drive 300 yards, is the nearest the women's game has to Tiger.

Sport Academy:
How to drive the ball 300 yards

Wie entered the qualifying competition for the men's Sony Open at the start of this year, shooting a one-over-par 73 and finishing 46th out of a field of 96.

Who is to say that in the future she might not be able to compete with her male counterparts on a permanent basis?

"One day there might come a lady who's six foot-something and hits 300 yards and wins every (women's) tournament by 10," says Sorenstam. "I could see her wanting a tougher challenge.

"Michelle could be the one. She's already six foot tall and hitting it 290. She is determined to play on the PGA Tour. That's the kind of attitude you need to have."

But with men golfers also hitting it further every year, is attitude ever going to be enough to bridge the male-female power gap?