The Wire, golf's only daily transaction newsletter
October 20, 2004 • Volume 6, No. 204
a publication of the Golf Press Association




CLASSIFIED ADS

Click here to read the classifieds.

The Wire is now offering classified text advertisements relating to golf services or products.

Please contact Alex Miceli via email at alex@gpagolf.com for prices and more details.


Today's News
Technology
Powers Solutions Corporation, a developer of web-based event management and fundraising software for the non-profit sector, reports that renewals for its PowersGEM are about 80 percent. For more...

GPS Industries Inc. announces that Ontario distributor Synergy Golf Solutions will introduce Inforemer, a Wi-Fi-enabled GPS golf business solution, at the Ontario PGA Golf Merchandise Show, Oct. 27-29 in Toronto. For more...

Events
The World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Fla., and The R&A have agreed to join forces in the development of an exhibit that further tells the history of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the role of The R&A as a governing body of golf and the history of The Open Championship. For more...

The English Golf Union is the latest association to lend its support to next year's London Golf Show 2005 to be held April 21-24 at the ExCel Centre. For more...

Equipment
Nickent Golf's 3DX Ironwood hybrids were in the bags of the second- and eighth-place finishers at last weekend's Chrysler Classic of Greensboro. For more...

Premium Rifle steel shafts, designed and manufactured by Royal Precision, were used by Ernie Els en route to winning the HSBC World Match Play Championship last week. For more...

Business
The GolfWorks partners with the Arthur Little Project in researching how best to foster growth and encourage participation in the game worldwide. For more...

Callaway Golf Company announces its financial results for the quarter ending Sept. 30. For more...

Travel
Gear-To-Go partners with hotels and resorts in the Phoenix and Scottsdale, Ariz., region to offer golf club Demo-RentalSM service to guests. For more...

Tours
The PGA Tour has been designated a Silver Well Workplace by the Wellness Councils of America and the Wellness Council of Florida. For more...

Tournaments
Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen commits to play the Chrysler Championship, Oct. 25-31 on the Copperhead Course of the Westin Innisbrook Golf Resort. For more...

People
Craig Harmon, PGA Head Professional at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y., has been named the 51st recipient of PGA Golf Professional of the Year. For more...

Marketing
Hollow Brook Golf Club in Cortland Manor, N.Y., signs on with Legendary Marketing to produce a number of marketing assignments for the Empire Golf Management Company club. For more...

Internet
The Oaks Golf Course in Covington, Ga., signs on to use the Cybergolf broadcast/e-mail marketing system, Web site design and hosting package. For more...

Briefly
Cushman & Wakefield's National Golf Group will sell some of Northeast Indiana's top golf facilities, including Stonehenge Golf Club.

UPRIGHT Golf will introduce its new Shag Tube, Cigar & Club Caddy and GripSlip Cigar Holder at its corporate headquarters in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on Oct. 21.

In Their Words: Annika Sorenstam
Editor's note: On Sunday, Annika Sorenstam won her fourth Samsung World Championship, making it her sixth win of the year and 54th of her career. She shot a 67 to overcome a three-stroke final-round deficit to win by three strokes. Sorenstam chipped in for an eagle on No. 15 to tie for the lead and then made a birdie at the 17th to take her first lead of the tournament. Following her win, she met with the media to discuss the win and her season to date.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's a wonderful day, to summarize it in one word. Obviously, I'm very pleased with this week and especially the way I played today. To finish with 18under on this course, it's just been a spectacular week with everything, to comeback here to Bighorn, first class, top field, great sponsor, just everything. To win this championship again it means a lot to me.

Q.: You kind of waited to take the lead at the end, once the eagle went in, do you think it was your tournament?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well you never know. But at least I got up there with [Grace Park]. It seemed like all day Grace had a nice little lead. It was either a shot or three or four all day long. You know, I didn't wait until the end on purpose. I mean, I tried to get off to a hot start. It really didn't happen. I felt like I had a lot of chances but really didn't make anything. You know when I did chipin, she probably looked at the leader word and suddenly felt, I got some tough holes left and suddenly it's all even. Then I get a little extra adrenalin pumping. I think the key put again was 17. That's such a hard hole. I hit a 4iron in and you know, I think that hole to date averaged over par and to get to 18 and really put the pressure on Grace was the key for me.

Q.: Did your standing at the time have any influence over whether to go for the green on 15 or were the circumstances just right for you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, you know, I knew I was behind. At the time I thought I was 2, or maybe even 3 because the last time I saw the leaderboard was before she played the 12th hole, and I didn't know if she was going to birdie that or not. I knew I was at least two behind. I had to do something today. Today was up to me to do something. I had 210 to the front. It was a lot of wind, downwind, and then downhill. So, it was either to hit a 7wood on the green, or just lay up with a short iron. Here was my chance. So I figured it's almost easier to make birdie from the back than maybe do a little chip shot. I didn't really plan on making eagle, but I wasn't going to turn it down. So it came really handy.

Q.: Annika, how does this compare to the other three times you won this event? Is this one different than the other three, or business as usual?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: This is special to come from behind. I played really well today. I think I played to win today, and to come here at Bighorn, which I know really well, and I had some great support today from a lot of my friends. My husband is here. So it was really fun to be able to perform this way. I've won this championship in a playoff. I chipped in against Laura Davies, my first one. So I will always remember that one as well. But when you play the World Championship like this, you got the 20 best players in the world, you really got to play some good golf. So to win here it's really cool.

Q.: Was there a sense when you were standing over to chip that you were going to make it, or had to make it at that moment?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I was just thinking, it was a little trickier than I thought. It was a lot downhill. I had a little problem reading the greens today. I couldn't really see all of the breaks. This one looked like it was breaking right and left, left and right, all over the place, so I pretty much played lefttoright, I wanted to get it close. Lorena was right there, she had a short birdie opportunity. She was playing well also. So I knew I had to do something. It was birdie that I was counting for, so it was a nice surprise.

Q.: How much do you think, you know, when your name starts going up the leaderboard that that really works in your favor?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You've got to ask those players that. I mean, I have always been a leaderboard watcher. I've always liked to see what's happening. I don't know if the other players look at it as much as I do. When I see my name up there, I want to climb the leaderboard. It's obviously easier if you see it, because then you know where you are standing and what the other players are doing.

Q.: Fifty-four victories, probably seven money titles, seven Player of the Year [awards], you talked about having to come up with some new goals, I guess you got some time to do that now, what do you think they would be?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I want to win some more majors. Obviously, I'm very proud of 54 wins. I've won 7 majors. I do want to win some more. I do think I have the game to do it. It hasn't been until the last few years where I want a few more. That's what's taking me to realize how to play the Majors. You know, sometimes I've gotten myself, I'm in my own way, I get too anxious too early. Now, I'm a little more patient; maybe a little more older, maybe more mature, who knows. I know I can play the Majors. So that's going to be my goal for next year. Who knows I might just say hey, I want to win four again. It's a very lofty goal, I know that. But you got to shoot for the stars and maybe you get half way.

Q.: Annika, knowing your love of cooking in the culinary arts, what were the ingredients that made today a win; was it the putting, the long hitting or what?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, the timing for sure. The back nine. It was just a combination of a lot of things. I think, you know, I played -- I had some courage to go for the green on 15. It was a clutch chip. And some solid golf on 17. It was patience and it just turned out to be the right ingredient.

Q.: Fifteen tournaments isn't a lot, you talk about concentrating on the majors, does that mean you might cut back?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, no, I mean, as an International member I have to play at least 15 tournaments. So, you know, this year I'm going to play 18. I think that's a pretty good schedule. You have to play a little to be competitive. I found that this is probably the minimum amount of tournaments I can play because otherwise I'm going to loose the touch of being in the atmosphere of competing. I was a little rusty this week after two weeks off. I took four weeks off in the summer and then come back. You got to continue to play, too. So I think this is probably just enough for me. It depends on how the schedule looks next year. We are talking about the World Championship -- we are talking about new tournaments in Mexico, maybe in China. I'm not really sure. Those are places I like to go, so we will see how many tournaments it will end up next year.

Reader's Forum
The PGA Tour is quickly winding down its 2004 season. If you had a vote, who would be the Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and the Comeback Player of the Year?

The Wire wants to know your thoughts. Send comments to info@gpagolf.com with the subject line "Awards." Only those responses that include first name, last initial and hometown will be considered. Send responses by 9 a.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 21. Comments will be published in the Friday, Oct. 22 edition of The Wire.

Send your responses to info@gpagolf.com