Golf phenom Annika Sorenstam is halfway to accomplishing what no woman has ever done. Denver has a front-row seat for her quest – and to the efforts of ambitious opponents who stand in her way.
The U.S. Women’s Open tees off tomorrow morning at Cherry Hills Country Club, where Sorenstam will be seeking her third win in a “major” tournament this year. No one has won the first three legs of what’s known as the Grand Slam – male or female – in modern times. (In 1930, Bobby Jones won what is considered the first Grand Slam by capturing the U.S. and British amateurs for men, and the U.S. and British opens in the same year. Tiger Woods recently won all four legs consecutively, though not in the same year.)
Sorenstam is golf’s “it” girl, and she’s been on a tear since 2003 when she shook up the staid golf world by playing with the boys at the Colonial. She was the first woman to golf on the PGA Tour in 58 years since Denver’s legendary Babe Didrickson Zaharias.
Sorenstam already has competed in eight tournaments this year and won six.
A win at Cherry Hills would give the 34- year-old Swedish star 10 majors, tying her with Zaharias and giving her bragging rights in her friendly competition with Woods. (Among women, Patty Berg has won the most, at 15.)
Colorado has been good to Sorenstam before – 10 years ago she won her first LPGA Tour event at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. She’s won 61 tournaments since.
Her run at golf immortality is only one of the exciting stories to be had at this week’s Open. The field includes the eye-popping amateur Michelle Wie. Billboards across the metro area have been touting her arrival for months with the words “Wie will be here.” The 15-year-old wunderkind finished second at the recent LPGA championship, three strokes behind Sorenstam. Her 300- yard drives make competitors wince and have earned her playing time at PGA events. Her LPGA finish has folks talking about her as Sorenstam’s heir apparent.
There’s also 18-year-old Paula Creamer, just out of high school, who also fuels golf’s youth movement, which not only has veteran golfers looking over their shoulders but is also helping to draw younger fans – and TV viewers – to the game.
Sorenstam is the clear favorite to win the Open, but the top of the field is eager to give her a run, including Lorena Ochoa; Natalie Gulbis; Denver native Jill McGill, who now lives in San Diego; Hee-Won Han; Christina Kim; Juli Inkster and defending champ Meg Mallon.
Cherry Hills will be a picturesque backdrop for a tournament that could make golf history. Denver should be glad to have such great seats.
