Golf: Just let her play

I really don't understand all the debate about whether Annika Sorenstam should be playing in the Colonial Tournament this weekend.

In this great country that we live in, the best always try to compete against the best to see how good they are.

Sorenstam is clearly the best women's golfer and wants to see how she does against those of the opposite gender.

Why not let her see what she can do?

All I hear on the talk radio shows is that she should not be on the PGA tour or that men should be allowed on the LPGA tour.

Give me a break. I don't think all women should have a sponsor's exemption to play on a PGA tour event, but why not the one woman who appears to be the best.

After all, I would rather watch her and her body as opposed to Phil Mickelson and his body.

She seems to be a classy lady.

As far as men on the LPGA, go ahead. If you suck that bad and can't make it on the PGA tour, lower yourself and play with people who are clearly inferior physically to you.

I am not very good in golf either, but I choose to play with guys who may be a little better than me than play with junior high girls.

I stink at basketball, but I would rather play and get the ball swatted away by those my age and gender, than play with girls who are less physical than me.

This is what most people in the USA want. Play with those who are your peers.

I hear all of your outcries. She didn't go to qualifying school, she already has a women's tour, and she isn't good enough to play.

My response is that men get sponsor's exemptions every week whether they deserve is or not. It is just not as highly scrutinized as it is this week.

Yes, she does have a women's tour, but if you were the best male at your job but were told you could never be as good as a female, wouldn't you want to try and see if you can compete.

If she isn't good enough to play, what is the harm in one weekend on competing.

She will go back to her LPGA tour and the women will not be heard from again, at least not for a long while.

However, I do think Vijay Singh had the right to say what he did without all the publicity he got.

Professional golfers are seen as boring and stiff with little controversy. So, now you get one speaking his mind and he is chastised.

I think he did the right thing in withdrawing from this week's tournament.

He would have just been followed around and asked the same old questions on why he hates women, is he scared of Sorenstam, or he shouldn't be so critical of a women because he is a man of color who has been prejudged just like Annika.

Get over it people. He can say what he wants, just as Sorenstam can accept her sponsors' exemption and play against the men.

The way I see it, if she falls flat on her face, it could hurt women's golf. Those that didn't want her to play would be vindicated.

Let her play and get beat and maybe miss the cut. This would prove all the naysayers right.

Or, if she plays well and places in the top 20 or so, maybe she should be able to play once in a while on the men's tour.

The fans want to see the best on the course when they pay their money to get in, and if she is one of the best, why wouldn't you want to watch her play?

Personally, I think men's golf at the PGA level is far above the top LPGA players' talent.

I think it will be a move that Sorenstam and women's golf may regret. But, I think that realizing one's potential may involve failures.

She will just go back to her tour and dominate and chalk the Colonial up to experience.

The men will be laughing behind her back if she fails and the experiment will be considered a failure. But, if she does compete well and make the cut, maybe it will be good for golf.

Like I said before, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, I would prefer to watch her than many of the other male golfers out there.

Annika, you go girl.