Sorenstam gets taste of things to come

PGA Tour rookies Dean Wilson and Aaron Barber are about to enter the spotlight without getting into contention. They’re playing with Annika Sorenstam in the first two rounds at Colonial.

Sorenstam, the first woman to compete on the PGA Tour in 58 years, was drawn out of the third category of players reserved for those who haven't won or finished in the top 125 on the money list. Names were selected randomly by computer and her group will start tomorrow on the 10th tee at 8:58am, and from the first tee at 1:43pm Friday. An early first round start is considered more favourable.

Sorenstam played a practice round yesterday morning with Sergio Garcia and Jesper Parnevik, although they didn't get far. Rain and the threat of storms stopped them before they finished the first hole.

Sorenstam hit her drive into the right rough, advanced it up the fairway and still had 190 yards to the middle of the green on the 565-yard par 5. Her approach went short and right of the green, hopping into a bunker.

Wilson has spent most of his career on the Japanese tour, winning three times in 2001 to finish third on its money list. He finally earned his PGA Tour card last year and two weeks ago tied for seventh in the Wachovia Championship, his best Tour finish.

Barber tied for eighth at Q-school. His only top-10 this year was a tie for fourth in Tucson, which was played opposite a World Golf Championship event.

Despite a relatively calm day along the banks of the Trinity River, anticipation was growing about how this week would unfold. How will she play? What will she shoot? How will she handle the crush of media? The tournament has issued 583 media credentials. Not only is that up way up from 178 last year, it computes to nearly five media for every player in the field.

Sorenstam got a taste of that early on. After hitting balls for about 30 minutes, she got into a cart and was surrounded by 20 media so thick the cart had nowhere to go. The 32-year-old Swede got presidential treatment, with reporters shouting questions that received one-word answers. How will you handle the media attention? Sorenstam smiled and replied, "I don't know.' Everything remains a mystery.

After three months of hype, debate and controversy, she finally gets to test her game against the best in golf after accepting a sponsor's exemption. Even the players are curious.

Two-time US Open champion Lee Janzen emerged from the clubhouse and walked past the horde of media.

"It looks like something big is happening soon," he said with a smile.