Golf

Sorenstam: 'Glad we're back' in Fla

By TIMES WIRES
Published April 27, 2006

REUNION - Just about all of the big names in women's golf are here, including the No. 1 player, Annika Sorenstam. The $2.5-million purse is larger than all but two events on the schedule. A pristine Reunion Resort is ready for the first full-field LPGA Tour event to be played in Florida in five years.

And it's about time.

The Ginn Clubs & Resorts Open, which begins this morning outside of Orlando, fills a big void on the LPGA schedule. Although the season-ending ADT Championship is played in West Palm Beach, that tournament is only for the top money-winners.

"We have not had a full-field event here in quite some time, and this to me is a good golf town," said Sorenstam, who lives in nearby Lake Nona. "There's a lot of courses to showcase women's golf and I'm glad it's here and I'm glad we're back, and hopefully it will stay here for some time."

The LPGA had always been well-represented with Florida tournaments, but not since it began the 2001 season with events in Orlando, Naples and Miami has the tour returned to the state where its headquarters are located (Daytona Beach) and where an abundance of players live.

Former commissioner Ty Votaw had his reasons. Sponsorship issues plagued those early-season Florida events, and when they ceased, he insisted the tour would return only with solid events.

The Ginn Co. put together a tournament that has a bigger purse than three of the four major championships, attracted 29 of the top 30 money-winners (only Michelle Wie is missing) and will be on network television (CBS) this weekend. It has a contract for the next three years as well.

Palm Harbor's Dakoda Dowd has been waiting for this day for nearly six months, since the Ginn Co. gave her a sponsor exemption.

"Six months turned into six days," said Dowd, 13, who will play with tour players Kate Golden and Tracy Hanson at 8:32 this morning off the 10th tee. "It went by really fast. I can't wait for (today). I'll be nervous but I can't wait."

The Ginn Co. offered Dowd a sponsor exemption after it learned that her mother, Kelly Jo, had cancer and wished to see her daughter play in a tour event.

"I get emotional every single time I talk about it," Kelly Jo said Wednesday before Dakoda teed off in the pro-am with LPGA player Natalie Gulbis. "There will be tears of joy and tears of happiness."

Eckerd College has been selected to play in next week's NCAA Division II super region in Duncan, Okla., a first in school history. The Tritons, seeded sixth out of eight teams, will be joined by four other Sunshine State Conference schools: Barry, Rollins, Lynn and Florida Southern. The super region is one of five being played across the country Monday through Wednesday. The winner of each advances to the finals May 16-19 in Daniels, W. Va. Ten other teams will be selected to fill out the field.

JUNIOR PGA:

Junior boys and girls can enter the North Florida Section PGA Championship, with a chance to advance to the Westfield Junior PGA Championship. The North Florida event is June 15-16 at Orange County National Golf Club in Winter Garden. The winners of the boys and girls divisions will qualify for the PGA of America's flagship junior event, the Westfield Junior PGA, Aug. 10-13 at Westfield Group Country Club in Westfield Center, Ohio.

Junior golfers can obtain entry forms at area PGA facilities, by calling (386) 322-0899 or by visiting nfpga.com.

[Last modified April 27, 2006, 02:18:05]