The PGA pro threatens to withdraw if he is paired with the top LPGA player.
By Associated Press
Published May 13, 2003
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Vijay Singh said Annika Sorenstam has no business playing in the Colonial next week and "I hope she misses the cut." On the odd chance he gets paired with her, he said he will withdraw.
"Why? Because she doesn't belong out here," Singh said after the Wachovia Championship. "If I'm drawn with her, which I won't be, I won't play."
Singh knows he won't play in the same group as Sorenstam when she becomes the first woman in 58 years to compete on the PGA Tour. His name will be drawn from a pool of tour winners when the pairings are made.
Still, his comments are the strongest about Sorenstam's decision to accept a spot in the Colonial. The last woman to play on the tour was Babe Zaharias, who qualified for the 1945 Los Angeles Open.
Nick Price, the event's defending champion, has said Sorenstam's presence "reeks of publicity." He believes she should qualify if she wants to play.
Most players have been cautious with their comments, not willing to predict a score and hopeful she plays well so it doesn't reflect poorly on the LPGA Tour.
Singh held nothing back in an interview as he left the locker room Sunday, saying the 32-year-old Swede should stick to her own tour.
"What is she going to prove by playing? It's ridiculous," said Singh, a two-time major champion ranked No. 7 in the world. "She's the best woman golfer in the world, and I want to emphasize woman.
"We have our tour for men, and they have their tour. She's taking a spot from someone in the field."
The Colonial is an invitational with a limited field. Sorenstam received one of eight sponsor's exemptions.
Singh speaks from experience.
In 1998, he played in an unofficial event called the "Super Tour" that matched the scorecards of nine pros after playing 18 holes a day in four Asian cities. Laura Davies was invited to play and finished 39 strokes behind Singh.
"Laura Davies is a long-ball hitter, but she still had to hit good irons," Singh said. "It's just different for ladies to play on the men's tour.
"It's like getting the Williams sisters to play against a man, and they're far better athletes than (Sorenstam) is."
Sorenstam has become significantly stronger during the past two years as she has taken over women's golf.
She won 13 times around the world last year, the most by a woman in nearly 40 years, and two years ago became the first woman to shoot 59.
She was returning from Japan on Monday, where she won the Nichirei Cup by nine shots, and was not available for comment.
Sorenstam has been playing from the back tees to prepare for the Colonial, including a round with Tiger Woods in which she reportedly finished 10 strokes behind.
"Some people don't believe she should be out here, golfers and men in general," said tour player Scott Hoch, who once played with Sorenstam in a mixed-team tournament. "Most guys hope she plays well and what comes out of this is that she realizes she can't compete against the men."
