Sorenstam Becomes Mrs. 59

L.A. Times Archives

March 17, 2001 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

PHOENIX — Annika Sorenstam became the first player to shoot a 59 in an LPGA tournament Friday, putting on a display of precision golf that was two strokes better than any woman had ever shot.

The day after saying she goes for a birdie on every hole, Sorenstam almost did it--birdieing the first eight and 12 of her first 13 while shooting 13 under par in the second round of the Standard Register Ping.

“It was an incredible day,” Sorenstam said. “I had a lot of thoughts in my head. I was trying to stay calm and hit good shots, trying to hit it straight every time.”

The round included 13 birdies, no bogeys and 25 putts on the 6,459-yard Moon Valley Country Club course. She reached every green in regulation and her longest par putt was 3 1/2 feet.

“You can use all the words you want--impressive, simple,” playing partner Meg Mallon said. “She had two tap-ins and one putt from about six feet. The rest were 10 to 25 feet. She put on a putting display, especially on the front side. She hit the right shots. It was the kind of round everyone dreams of playing.”

On a sunny, warm, windless day, the 30-year-old Sorenstam broke every LPGA scoring record for one or two rounds.

Her 59 was two shots better than the 18-hole record of 61 she shared with Karrie Webb and Se Ri Pak. Her 20-under 124 at the midpoint was three strokes better than the 17-under Webb shot at East Lansing, Mich., last year.

Pak’s low round was on a par-71 course, while Webb and Sorenstam shot their 61s on par 72s.

The PGA Tour record also is 59, shared by Al Geiberger, David Duval and Chip Beck.

Sorenstam started her round on the back nine and birdied the first eight holes--second best in LPGA history behind the nine in a row Beth Daniel had during a tournament in 1999--and finished her first nine in 28.

Then she birdied the next four before three consecutive pars and the history-making birdie on No. 8, her 17th hole. She closed with a 31.

On the ninth hole, where she made her first par of the day, she dropped an eight-iron shot from 158 yards to 30 feet, then left her first putt 3 1/2 feet short.

Sorenstam missed only one fairway, straying about a yard into the rough on her 15th hole. She hit an eight-iron to 20 feet and two-putted for par.

As Sorenstam made her way down the stretch, the golf course emptied behind her and the applause from a Sunday-sized gallery grew louder as fans left their greenside spots.

On the 17th hole, a 476-yard par five, Sorenstam drove down the middle and reached the green on the fly with a seven-wood.

Faced with a 25-foot eagle putt that would have to roll through a swale, she paced off the distance, fidgeted, stood over the ball, took one step back then ran the putt within 8 inches for birdie. As she pulled the putter back, the crowd around the green was so quiet the only audible sound was a dove cooing in a tree--a contrast to the applause after she made her second putt.

Sorenstam’s approach shot on the last hole landed and dug in about 10 feet above the hole.

She barely missed a 58, tapped in, and turned and leaped into the arms of caddie Terry McNamara--the first of a series of celebrations.

Sorenstam, who earned $1.4 million and won five titles last year to Webb’s$1.88 million and seven championships, has made no secret of her intention to overtake Webb on the LPGA Tour.

Sorenstam began a rigorous off-season training program, and it has paid off--she was second in her first two events and won last week in Tucson, setting a tournament record there with a 23 under for 72 holes and moving to No. 1 on the money list.

“She’s playing better than ever, because she’s practicing more and she’s in the best shape of her life,” said her father, Tom Sorenstam. “She’s motivated, not just by Karrie. By the rest of the tour. She wants to be the best.”

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Sweet and Low

Record scores in an 18-hole LPGA Tour round, with score (front nine-back nine), player, event, round and par (x-won tournament):

* (31-28) Annika Sorenstam, 2001, Standard Register Ping, 2nd, 72

* (29-32) x-Se Ri Pak, 1998, Jamie Farr Kroger Classic, 2nd, 71

* (32-29) Annika Sorenstam, 1999, Sara Lee Classic, 1st, 72

* (30-31) x-Karrie Webb, 2000, Oldsmobile Classic, 2nd, 72

* (30-32) x-Mickey Wright, 1964, Tall City Open, 1st, 71

* (32-30) Vicki Fergon, 1984, San Jose Classic, 2nd, 73

* (32-30) Laura Davies, 1991, Rail City Classic, 1st, 72

* (30-32) Hollis Stacy, 1992, SAFECO Classic, 2nd, 72

* (31-31) Kathryn Marshall, 1997, State Farm Rail Classic, 2nd, 72