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SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN, Ariz. - LPGA player Rosie Jones has acknowledged she is a lesbian and has entered a sponsorship agreement with a travel company that caters to a gay clientele.
Jones, a 13-time winner in 22 years on the tour, explained her decision in an article she wrote in the sports section of today's New York Times.
"I'm a little bit nervous," she said at the Safeway International tournament. "This is different for me only because it's all right out there - to my fans and the media. Before I wasn't really open to scrutiny, but now I'm going to be."
Jones, 44, will be sponsored by Olivia, a prominent company that provides travel services to gay people.
"I'm sure some people will criticize me for coming out so late," she wrote in her Times article. "To them, I say simply, I wasn't ready until now. If gay rights is about anything, it should be about letting people come out on their own timetable and on their own terms."
That was one reason for making the announcement in an op-ed piece.
"I got to say it the way I wanted to say it on my terms and in my timing," she told the Associated Press.
In the tournament, Annika Sorenstam had a great start and a good finish to take a two-stroke lead into today's final round. Sorenstam, in her LPGA Tour season debut, chipped in from 60 feet for eagle on the second hole, then finished the third round with a pair of birdies for a 4-under 68 that left her at 16-under 200. Jones shot 69 and was 10 back. Nineeteen-year-old tour rookie Shi Hyun Ahn shot 66 and was in second at 14-under 202 on the 6,620-yard layout at the Superstition Mountain Golf Club 50 miles east of Phoenix.
Michelle Wie kept up her impressive play with 70. The 14-year-old sensation was ninth at 7-under 209. Her best finish in 11 LPGA events is a tie for eighth at last year's Nabisco Championship.
"I think today was the hardest round of my three rounds," she said. "I didn't really hit my drivers and my irons that good today, and I had the worst lies."
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Morris Hatalsky shot 5-under 66 to tie front-running Tom Purtzer for the second-round lead in the Toshiba Classic in Newport Beach, Calif.
Purtzer had par 71, a day after he matched the best score in the history of the 50-and-over tour with 11-under 60.
"Nothing felt as good as yesterday," Purtzer said.
The leaders were at 11-under 131 on the Newport Beach Country Club course, a stroke ahead of John Jacobs (65) and Keith Fergus (66).
EUROPEAN PGA: Greg Hanrahan shot 5-under 67 to take a share of the lead with Barry Lane through three rounds at the Caltex Masters in Singapore.
They were two strokes ahead of overnight leader Mardan Mamat. Lane also shot 67, while Mardan had 70.