Sorenstam puzzled over Wie competing against men

By Mark Garrod PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BERKSHIRE, England (Ticker)—Annika Sorenstam brings down the curtain on her major career at the Women’s British Open this week with a question for Michelle Wie - why on earth are you still playing against the men?

While the soon-to-be-retired Swede competes at her final major starting Thursday, Wie will make her eighth appearance on the PGA Tour when she competes in the Reno-Tahoe Open.

Wie will play against the men despite being ranked a woeful 244th in the women’s game.

Sorenstam was the world’s top-ranked player when she became the first female in 53 years to play on the PGA Tour in 2003.

Even though she missed cut ,the 37-year-old looks back on it as “a wonderful experience - a turning point in her career and as a person.”

But the 10-time major winner and first woman to have a round of 59 never felt the need to do it again and she is at a loss to explain 18-year-old Wie’s latest decision.

“I really don’t know why Michelle is continuing to do this,” said Sorenstam, who announced in May that she will retire at the end of the season. “I mean, we have a major this week and if you can’t qualify for a major I don’t see any reason why you should play with the men.”

Wie’s crash down the rankings meant she was not previously exempt for Sunningdale, but she was in with a chance of earning a late spot two weeks ago when she stood just one shot off the lead with a round to go in the LPGA Tour event in Illinois.

Then, however, she was disqualified for not signing her second-round scorecard until after she had left the recording area.

So, having not entered the qualifying for this week and not receiving an invite, she took up the PGA Tour chance instead.

Last year’s Solheim Cup captain Helen Alfredsson, winner of the Evian Masters in France on Sunday, believes Wie and her advisors have it totally wrong.

“I think the exhibition time for her is over. I feel kind of sad for her,” she said. “I think she’s a very good person. I feel sad for the guidance that she seems not to have in the right direction.

“She was so good a couple of years ago when she finished second a few times. I think she should just keep working on winning. Winning is tough - it takes a different mind-set. I think if she wants to be a golfer she should really concentrate on being on the women’s tour. I just don’t see the interest really on being on the men’s tour.

I thought she had quit that idea, but obviously not.”