If Only Annika Had This Much Spin on Ball

The best female golfer on the planet enters a men’s tournament, and even selects a golf course best suited to her game, and then unceremoniously fails to make the cut.

Yet how does the L.A. Times spin this? “A win.” “Crossing a line.” “Will influence society.”

This is fundamentally dishonest journalism, on a par with Jayson Blair. It’s simply another example (not that we need another) of why people don’t trust the media.

J.M. Rodgers

Pasadena

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Whether it is Annika Sorenstam failing to make the cut at the PGA’s Colonial or Billie Jean King beating Bobby Riggs, the result is the same: Sadly, female athletes continue to let men define their success.

Ruben A. Vassolo

Santa Barbara

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Although Annika missed the cut, she made herstory nevertheless. One small stroke for woman, one giant drive for the sports world.

Mark J. Featherstone

Windsor Hills

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I was not, and am not, a fan of the Annika Sorenstam experiment. I did become a huge Annika fan as I admired the class, humility and dignity in which she handled this event.

Quoting Annika after missing the 36-hole cut -- “I’ve got to get back to my tour where I belong, this is way over my head.”

This quote puts an end to this societal experiment gone terribly wrong.

Jorge A. Badel

Manhattan Beach

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Tom Bonk, I noticed that you mentioned the “chauvinistic world of men’s golf.” Is this the same chauvinistic world that allowed a woman to play without qualifying, without going through the grueling Q-school? You appear to place the blame for Annika’s missing the cut squarely on the loss of feeling in her hands due to nervousness.

Hmm, does this mean I get to retake the SAT’s because I had an upset stomach? Can I retake the bar exam because my left pinkie hurt? How about the writers who didn’t get your job before you -- can they reapply?

It’s a simple publicity stunt, and you confused it with a sporting event.

Scott Evans

Fountain Valley

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It should be obvious to anyone that Annika could easily increase her 247.5-yard average driving distance by using a driver designed like her seven-wood that she used to hit the green on the 246-yard fourth hole at Colonial.

Joe Doyle

Ventura