Great Golf Tournaments This Weekend

Whether you’re a golf beginner or just a fanatic (I am both) you will appreciate both the amount and type of golf that is being played this weekend.

In LPGA news, Annika Sorenstam will be defending her trophy at the ADT Championship being played at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. This is the season-ender for the LPGA tour and it is usually an exciting competition. Last year Annika needed a playoff hole to crown her the champion (her third win at this event). Only the top-thirty golfers on the official money list will be on hand to grab their share of the $1 million purse.

What is also interesting about this tournament is that Sorenstam will be going against golfers who are about ten years her junior. The girls are getting younger and are playing terrific golf. Between 19-year-old rookie Paula Creamer who won twice this year on the LPGA tour as well as having two international wins and the effervescent Natalie Gulbis (22) who is being trained now by Butch Harmon (Tiger’s previous coach) I think the LPGA is going through changes that will affect it’s future and dominance for years to come.

Just wait until next year when Michelle Wie (now just 16-year-old) and Morgan Pressel start competing! Of course starting these youngsters out so early has its drawbacks. For example Morgan Pressel has turned her nose up at college to begin her new career. Looking back, Christina Kim who won just last week at the Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions, left high school to turn professional and got her GED instead. It worked for her as this is her second win in two years. (Click here for our golf-for-beginners podcast 11-13-05 which relates to this article)

Another interesting tournament this weekend is the WGC World Cup Championships being held in Portugal on the European Tour. What is so interesting about this event is the format. For those of you who are beginners, this event will give you an intro into the different types of competition if you don’t feel like playing a simple stroke-play format. The first day the teams (another interesting part of the tournament is that it is in team format)play a four-ball format with foursomes being played on Friday. It’s back to four-ball on Saturday and foursomes again on Sunday.

Look for David Howell playing alongside of Luke Donald. As you may remember Howell recently won the HSBC Championship with Tiger Woods in the field. Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington will also be among the players.

Hopefully there will be many of us who can get a round of golf in before our seasons end due to snow or cold. This way we can make a few golf memories of our own!