December 19, 2008

Dear LPGA fans,

My last event is over and it is time to step away from competitive golf. As I sat on the plane home from Dubai I had a chance to reminisce about the last 15 years. It has been an incredible ride and I could not have asked for anything more. This wonderful game took me from a small town in Sweden and introduced me to the world. I have met some incredible people and traveled to so many wonderful places. I have learned many lessons, matured and built friendships that will last a life time. I have so much for which I am thankful!

More

“It is an honor and privilege to take an active role in assisting golf’s bid to become an Olympic sport,” said Sorenstam, a native of Sweden whose stellar career includes 89 world-wide victories as a professional, 72 on the LPGA. “Now, as I step aside from competitive golf, a major objective of mine is to help grow the game around the world and I can think of no better way to grow it than through the Olympics.”

Golf is one of seven sports vying for inclusion in the 2016 Games. The others are baseball, karate, roller sports, rugby sevens, softball and squash. Golf was last an Olympic sport in 1904 in St. Louis, Mo.

What do you think? Should golf be added as an Olympic sport?

December 16, 2008

Over at the University of Arizona, LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Fame member and U of A alumna Annika Sorenstam will serve as guest speaker at Dec. 20th winter commencement ceremony. As a member of the Wildcat’s women’s golf team from 1990-92, Sorenstam won seven NCAA titles, and was the first freshman to win the individual NCAA Championship.  (via LPGA.com)

It was just a year ago that Venus Williams walked across the commencement stage at the Art Institute in Fort Lauderdale to earn her associate degree in fashion design.

Although graduation may be a life-altering transition and a memorable time for student-athletes, the toss of the tassel to the other side of the cap means more than just a testament of hard work and dedication. For many, it also shows the ability to be a team player as well as the tenacity to succeed in competition amongst the best in the nation.

Congrats to all the winter graduates!

December 8, 2008

In particular, check out Part 4 on Annika Sorenstam:

In May, Annika Sorenstam announced that 2008 would be her last year on the LPGA Tour. One of the most dominant athletes of the past decade had decided to disappear. She had known she would retire since the previous winter, when she peeked at her watch on the driving range and wondered if it was time to go home. “I stopped and thought, Wait a minute, I used to love this,” she said. “All of a sudden, I’m watching the clock. That’s when I knew this would be my last year.”

And Part 6 on Venus and Serena Williams:

Of all the great stories of this year, the resurgence of Venus and Serena Williams was the most overlooked. After their domination at the All England Club—the first time they had met in a Grand Slam final since 2003 and the fifth time Venus had won Wimbledon—they snagged doubles gold together in Beijing. Serena then went to New York and won the U.S. Open without losing a set. (Her toughest opponent was Venus in the quarters.) After being ranked as low as 140 two years ago, Serena was once again the best women’s player on the planet. In almost any other year, the Williams sisters might have basked in a long glow. Instead, even for them, 2008 was a flash that was doused too soon.

Tennis:
Serena Williams withdraws from Australia’s Hopman Cup with hamstring injury

Soccer:
UNC soccer team wins Women’s College Cup adding to dynasty

The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team captured the 2008 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup with a 2-1 victory against Korea DPR.

Golf:
Michelle Wie earns LPGA card as Lewis wins Q-School

Hoops:
Connecticut remains atop AP poll. North Carolina is second followed by Stanford, Texas A&M, OU and Texas.

TCU shocks California and ends school-record winning streak

No. 8 Notre Dame stays perfect, knocks off No. 20 Purdue 62-51

No. 9 Texas knocks Ole Miss from unbeaten ranks

The #1 girls high school team in the country is upset

Volleyball:
Penn State sweeps Yale, advances to regional semis

Swimming:
Dagny Knutson breaks American Record at 2008 USA Swimming Short Course Nats
Mary DeScenza wins twice at USA Swimming Short Course Nationals

Worth reading:
Michael Wilbon on the end of the Houston Comets

November 21, 2008

And today, Sorenstam’s storied LPGA Tour career is coming to an end.

From ESPN:

The 72-time tour winner shot a 3-over par 75 on Friday at the ADT Championship, making her 5 over through two rounds of the LPGA’s season-ending event. The projected cut was 1 over, meaning it was virtually certain Sorenstam’s week — and career — was done.

“I know it’s over,” Sorenstam said.

She announced six months ago she was leaving the tour at year’s end to pursue business interests, get married and start a family. Sorenstam is still is No. 2 in the world rankings, but at 38 she says it’s time for new challenges.

Annika’s legacy is undeniable.  Often called the female Tiger Woods,  Sorenstam locked up 72 LPGA titles, made more than $20 million in earnings on the LPGA, and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2003.

A win this week would have been the perfect ending to her career, but alas…the legend departs before our eyes.  She is, and has always been, a class act who will be sorely missed on the LPGA. 

After her LPGA Tour swansong this week Sorenstam will play in the Lexus Cup in Singapore later this month before bringing down the curtain on her competitive career at the Dec. 11-14 Dubai Ladies Masters.

Sorenstam won’t be out of the limelight for long however.  Surely she’ll be back for a random tournament here and there and she’s launching a signature fragrance called ANNIKA for Mother’s Day 2009.  The fragrance is said to evoke the essence of Annika -  confident, casually elegant and naturally beautiful.  Won’t be nearly as good as watching her play but hey….it’s something.

Annika Sorenstam website

November 13, 2008

Since she joined the LPGA in 2003, Lorena Ochoa’s 24 tournament victories are second only to Annika Sorenstam. Last year she became the first woman to earn more than $2.9 million in a single season, topping $4.3 million in prize money.

Ochoa, who turns 27 on Saturday, takes another big step in her career today when she plays host to the Lorena Ochoa Invitational at her home course in Guadalajara, becoming the 15th woman in history to have her own LPGA tournament.

The LA Times reports that while Ochoa has come to define women’s golf, the sport is a long way from defining her.

“Who wins a golf tournament or leaves with that beautiful trophy is only a memory for a while,” Ochoa says in a second-floor ballroom overlooking the Guadalajara Country Club course, where she learned to play the game while in kindergarten. “And it’s only satisfaction mostly for you and the people around you. It sounds a bit selfish. I prefer to be remembered for other things. Being a good person. Giving back to the community and help[ing] others.”

Ochoa’s humility is evident in all aspects of her daily life. While others on the LPGA tour travel in private jets or at least fly first class, Ochoa insists on going coach. And as many as a dozen times each year she sets aside a morning to meet or make breakfast for the groundskeepers at tour stops.

The world’s No. 1 women’s golfer also has a foundation that helps with education in her native Mexico. She helped save an elementary school in one of Guadalajara’s poorest neighborhoods and now La Barranca has 245 students and a waiting list of dozens. Ground is about to be broken on a high school complex next door, a $650,000 project funded by Ochoa’s foundation.

For Ochoa, challenges come in a variety of shapes and sizes and she tackles all of them with a stroke of genius.

November 13, 2008

BMX made it’s debut in Beijing and the International Cycling Federation wants to include a freestyle event for the London games.

But last year, attempts to introduce skateboarding to the London Olympics failed.

The sports for London 2012 have already been decided but there are currently seven sports short-listed for consideration 2016 Summer Games. Only two will be added.

Leaders of baseball and softball, along with five other sports seeking inclusion in the Olympics, will present their cases to the International Olympic Committee in Geneva this week.

Golf, karate, roller sports, rugby and squash officials will also meet the 16-member commission, which will deliver a report to the IOC before the  members vote in October.

Baseball and softball were dropped after the Beijing Games because they didn’t receive enough votes in 2005 to remain on the 2012 program.

(more…)

October 5, 2008

Golf: Paula Creamer calmly won her biggest LPGA Tour title yet, holding off a large pack to win the Samsung World Championship on Sunday near where she grew up in the Bay area.

Snowboarding: U.S. rider Jamie Anderson claimed the final Slopestyle Title of the Southern Hemisphere portion of the Swatch TTR World Tour  and finished the southern hemisphere season as tour leader.  

Surfing: Silvana Lima has claimed the Billabong Ladies Pro in Costão do Santinho against fellow Brazilian Tita Tavares along with ASP South American title.

T&F: Yelena Isinbayeva, often called the Queen of Pole Vaulting, has capped another tremendous year by being voted the female Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year 2008.
 

September 12, 2008

Understandably, players, fans, sponsors, civil rights advocates and a lot of other people freaked out. Most saw the policy as offensive and directed at the large segment of Asian players on the tour.

To many, the policy came off as harsh and xenophobic (look it up) but the LPGA claimed it was a business decision meant to grow the audience for women’s golf.

Not that surprisingly the LPGA announced last week that they were going to rethink their new policy. From the LPGA website:

The LPGA has received valuable feedback from a variety of constituents regarding the recently announced penalties attached to our effective communications policy. We have decided to rescind those penalty provisions.

Obviously, the LPGA got a lot of hate mail and had to restore their reputation. Hopefully they can find a way to work something out that is less offensive, and more inclusive. Maybe they can find some college students who would be willing to go on tour as English tutors?. Whatever the solution, we hope that no permanent damage has been done to one of the more successful endeavors in women’s sports.