Golf Confessions

Annika is looking for a much needed victory at the Stanford International Pro-Am at Aventura, Florida this week.  Since the number one ranked women’a player Lorena Ochoa is not playing this week, Annika can gain some much needed ground with a victory. 

The course is playing more like a US Open and par is a good score this week.  The harder the course plays should be an advantage for Sorenstam.  Annika is still getting her game into shape after missing much of last year with chronic back problems. 

Paula Creamer trails leader Young Kim by five shots going into round three and Natalie Gulbis finds herself fourteen shots off the lead.  Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez will not be around for the weekend after shooting 91-81.  

The Legends of Golf is being played this week in Savannah, Ga.  The Legends of Golf had its beginning in Austin, Texas in 1978 at Onion Creek CC. This origional tournament was won by Sam Snead and Gardner Dickinson and this was the beginning of what today is The Champions Tour.

Tom Watson and Andy North grabbed the early first round lead by shooting a scorching 59.  Five other teams are tied for second place after shooting 62.  There will be a lot of birdies this weekend and the winners will have to keep up a torid pace.  To win the event a score in the low sixties will have to be shot and look for a chance of a playoff come Sunday afternoon.  Watson accounted for most of the teams scoring, looking like the Watson of old, hitting great irons and following that up with deadly accurate putting.  Tom is using a new putter that he put into the bag for last week’s victory.  North also played well, but was unable to follow some of his good shots with his putting.

The event has implemented a rule that may have some controversey.  The new rule will make a player eligable for the tour if he is not currently eligable if they win the tournamnet.  This being a team event I wonder how this will be accepted by all of the players.  I beleive you should only gain eligablity if you succeed as an individual.  In other words should Watson and North go on to victory then Andy North would have a one year exemption for The Champions Tour.  At this time Andy is not totally exempt for the tour.