Golf: Webb and Sorenstam go head-to-head -- but sadly, no one's watching

By Mike Round Sports Central Columnist

The LPGA Tour, unsurprisingly, suffers in comparison to the men's tour. It has less money, gets on prime time TV as often as turtle racing, and is consigned to the same sports page in your newspaper as the runners and riders from Monmouth Park. That's a shame, because sports lovers are missing a treat.

Annika Sorenstam, elegant, statuesque, slim, and Swedish started this year's LPGA Tour like she needed to finish her season by June because of an appointment. At one point, she rattled off five wins in six events. She came from ten strokes back to win The Office Depot tournament in Los Angeles, completing the biggest turnaround in LPGA history. In March she shot a 59, a score equaled only three times in PGA Tour history, on her way to a win in the Standard Register Ping in Phoenix.

The following week, Sorenstam hit thirty-five of thirty-six greens over the final two rounds to win a major -- the Nabisco Championship. That was her third consecutive win and her first major since 1996. She stands atop the LPGA's all-time money list, overtaking Betsy King this season.

Meanwhile, Karrie Webb was resting. After the Nabisco, she kept a promise she had made to herself to take six weeks off. She rested, read a few books, hung out with friends and family and, towards the end of her hiatus, practiced. It paid off. Webb, typically Australian with a feisty and determined attitude, came back to win the U.S. Women's Open and the LPGA Championship in the space of three weeks. It completed a career grand slam and made her a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame.

Sorenstam and Webb sit 1-2 on the LPGA Tour money list, both having won over a $1 million this year. But they struggle to get the respect that comes easily the way of the men. Things are so bad on the LPGA Tour that The Office Depot Open was restricted to three days because the host course, the Wilshire Country Club, refused to cancel its Easter egg hunt.

During the opening round, maintenance workers were mowing the greens whilst play continued. The first two rounds were played without enough standard-bearers for each grouping. Webb and Sorenstam spur each other on to greater heights. Both know that the other is waiting to pounce if they slip up, and that the number one spot could be lost at any time.

Whilst Webb was resting in Australia, she noticed the run of form Sorenstam hit. It added to her motivation to improve. "It works in cycles, and I think she's going at it right now. I'm hoping the work I'm doing on my game is going to, maybe sometime this summer, kick in whenever it likes. I'm going to hopefully experience some of that success," said Karrie. It did, in the form of two majors. Sorenstam knows the presence of Webb helps her, too.

"If I know Karrie right, she's been home working on her game. She's not going to give this to me at all. She's going to put up a fight and keep pushing me and maybe I'll keep pushing her."

She couldn't have been more right. Karrie Webb is currently back in Australia mourning the death of her beloved grandfather, the man she credits with inspiring her to take up golf seriously. She finished the LPGA Championship in floods of tears after hearing of his sudden illness before the final round. Typically, she fought on and won. It cost her a final chance to see her mentor before his death.

When she rejoins the tour she'll have the crowd's sympathy.

At the upcoming British Open at Sunningdale, these two are expected to go head-to-head. Try watching it (if you can find it on the remote) -- you might enjoy it.