Equal rights still have far to go in sports

As if there hasn't been enough hype surrounding her lately, I, too, have decided to put in my two cents on the issue of Annika Sorenstam competing in the PGA last week.

First off, I have to say that I admire her ability to golf with the media breathing down her neck and the public judging her every move. That's more than enough pressure for any golfer, let alone the first woman in 58 years to join the men on the PGA tour.

Secondly, I believe Sorenstam planned her debut well. She let the media know beforehand that no matter how she played, this would be her only PGA competition. No doubt she made this statement for fear critics would portray her as the woman who abandoned the LPGA, but I truly believe she did not want to be that player.

Sorenstam also chose to play at Colonial Country Club, likely the best course for her. A par-70 with shorter and tighter holes than most courses, Sorenstam had her best chances for competing.

But Sorenstam shot 4 over par and didn't make the cut to continue play into the weekend.

But even if she did not walk away with a victory, Sorenstam was successful.

She risked failure before an enormous audience with a kind of pressure she had never encountered in the LPGA, yet she still managed to keep her composure. She held her own against a kind of competition she had never faced, for two days at least.

Her courageous decision thrust her into the spotlight and Sorenstam, in a matter of months, became one of the biggest stars women's sports has ever seen.

It is unfortunate Sorenstam's previous credentials didn't make her a star because she had established herself prior to the Colonial. She won four straight times early in the 2001 season, which included a 59 in Phoenix, a 10-stroke comeback in Los Angeles and a major championship. Last year, she won 13 times in 25 tournaments worldwide, the most by any golfer, male or female, in 39 years.

But it was not until one not-so-successful stop on the PGA tour that her name became famous. Sorenstam achieved more than just a self-victory, however; she also sparked a debate that has been ever present in American society: equality between men and women.

Many people have weighed in on this debate, including some of the players Sorenstam faced last week.

Tiger Woods worried about the effect Sorenstam's performance would have on the LPGA: "It will only be great for women's golf if she plays well. If she puts up two high scores, it will be more detrimental than good."

Others, however, were more vocal about their thoughts on Sorenstam competing. "Maybe we should put men's in front of it and call it the Men's PGA Tour. I think this should be supported as a men's tour," said Greg Norman.

I tend to agree more with Jack Nicklaus' statement: "I don't care what your race or gender is. Bring your golf clubs and go play."

In a perfect, equal world, this would be the way sports were played. But the world is not perfect, and we still have a ways to go before men's and women's opportunities and activities achieve a balance.

Jessica Smallman is a senior at Carson High School. She is writing a regular column for the Nevada Appeal as her senior project.