Sorenstam should play at Dayton

The reaction to Annika Sorenstam receiving an exemption to play in the Colonial Invitational on the PGA Tour in May was typically politically correct for the most part.

But there were still those who cried about the special treatment that Sorenstam was receiving and didn't deserve and how unfair it was that a woman could play on the men's tour but men couldn't play on the women's tour.

Yeah, right. Every time I hear upper middle class white males whining about how unfair they're being treated, it makes me want to gag.

Not that anyone who has a little bit of an edge over the rest of us has ever received preferential treatment in this country. Heaven forbid. I'm sure George W. Bush, a self professed partier until he was 40, got into Yale University because he deserved it.

Yes in this country, if you know someone, or have money and power, or have marketing and entertainment value, you may actually receive special treatment.

Sorenstam is the best women's golfer today -- and possibly of all time -- so it's obviously an intriguing proposition for any PGA event to offer her an exemption and see how she does against the men.

But just to shut up the critics who say Sorenstam is receiving unfair special treatment, I say she should qualify for the PGA like most of the players on the tour have to do.

There isn't a more logical place for Sorenstam to do this than Dayton Valley Golf Club, which is one of the sites that hosts the first stage of PGA qualifying. Obviously, I would love to see Sorenstam play against some of the top up and coming male golfers in my own back yard.

But Dayton is also logical choice for Sorenstam since she has a residence in Incline Village.

It's no surprise that Dayton Valley Golf Club General Manager Jim Kepler agrees with me. While Kepler said that Sorenstam receiving an exemption to play on the PGA Tour is great for the game, he would love to have her play at Dayton. "It would be O.K. with me," said Kepler in an understatement.

Kepler said if Sorenstam had to qualify for the PGA tour, it would be a better barometer of how she stands with the men.

Dayton would be a perfect course for Sorenstam. It's a shot makers course which stresses course management, a strength of Sorenstam.

Kepler said many young golfers struggle at Dayton because they don't play the course intelligently. That wouldn't be a problem with Sorenstam, he said. "She's a very smart player," he said.

While he didn't believe Sorenstam would win at Dayton, Kepler said she would hold her own.

"I think she would do great," he said. "She would certainly make the cut. She would probably have no problem getting by stage one."

Depending on the course she would receive the chance to play on, Kepler said he believed that Sorenstam would have a chance to also advance past stage two of PGA qualifying and make it to the PGA Qualifying School.

Kepler said he believes that Sorenstam will make the cut at the Colonial as well.

There are those who are also complaining about how Sorenstam is taking someone else's spot by receiving an exemption. Who's spot is she taking? The 140th ranked player on the tour?

Again, it's hard for me to feel sorry for someone, who, if he doesn't make it on the PGA Tour, will probably still be making a pretty nice living somewhere as a golf pro.

Kepler noted there are those PGA players, who through exemptions, played in enough events to earn their way onto the Tour and never had to go through qualifying school.

Sorenstam reminds Kepler of another player, Reno's Patty Sheehan. Kepler called Sheehan a "phenomenol" player.

"She could play with all the men when she played around here," Kepler said.

He said Sorenstam has taken the women's game to another level. "She's got game, there's no question about that," Kepler said.

Charles Whisnand is the Nevada Appeal Sports Editor.