Some of the numbers suggest that, however, Sorenstam may have been more spectacular. Woods has never shot a 59, never came from 10 shots behind going into the final round to win a tournament and he had nine top-10s in 2001 compared to Annika's 19.
Why has there been so little exposure and little hype?
At least a part of the blame, if that's what it is, belongs to Sorenstam herself. She deserves credit for saying the right things about trying to be herself, but she isn't exactly the most charismatic or the friendliest player on the LPGA Tour. Somehow, that she can play better than anyone else never seems good enough.
The LPGA Tour has struggled with obtaining sponsorship for tournaments, and has cut down the number of tournaments to 31 from 36 of a year ago. Television coverage has been lacklustre at best, and only the last two rounds of the second major, McDonald's LPGA Championship, were aired by CBS-and two hours each day at that. One day telecast of some regular PGA Tour events is longer than that.
On March 8, LPGA commissioner Ty Votaw convened the first-ever, mandatory Player Summit in Phoenix. 178 players from 23 nations gathered to hear Votaw's five-year plan for increasing interest and revenues in the LPGA. He offered "five points of celebrity" for each player to work on: performance, appearance, passion, relevance and approachability.
Sorenstam is a marvellous performer who, thanks to her rigorous training regimen, is fit and attractive, and no female golfer is more relevant than Annika. But she has yet to display-outwardly, at least-the kind of passion that Woods has, nor has she been very approachable to autograph seekers.
It's a shame that for female athletes, it usually takes more than just good or even monumental performance to attract fans, television and corporate sponsors. What many must realize is that appeal can come in many different ways, not just in sex appeal.
Sorenstam has won half the tournaments she's played, and enters the U.S. Women's Open as a 6 to 5 favourite to win while preparing to battle Pak, Webb and others for her fifth major championship.
