Sorenstam ponders offer to play in men's event

Annika Sorenstam, the women's world No 1, is considering an invitation to play in a men's event on the US PGA Tour. Sorenstam said last week that she would be interested in playing in a men's tournament and the promoter of the BC Open has offered the 32-year-old Swede the opportunity.

The BC Open, which suffers in publicity terms by being staged in the same week as the Open Championship in July, is held at the En-Joie club in Endicott, New York. The course measures 6,974 yards, on the shorter side, but demands accuracy, Sorenstam's forte.

Sorenstam, who won 13 times last year, would otherwise be playing in the Sybase Big Apple Classic, also held in the state of New York on a course that measures only 6,161 yards. But while the LPGA event offers prize money of $950,000 (£580,000), the BC Open has a purse of $3m.

The week after the BC Open, Suzy Whaley, a club pro, will play in the Greater Hartford Open after winning a pre-qualifier in which she played from shorter tees than her male opponents. Either Sorenstam or Whaley will become the first woman to play in an official US Tour event from the same tees.

Laura Davies, who played an exhibition event in Asia against Ernie Els and John Daly, said: "Not only are you playing a much harder golf course, but you're trying to justify being there, at least I was. I was trying to justify that I was teeing it up with the men from the back tees. It's a very difficult thing to do, but if anyone can do it Annika can. I would never bet against Annika in anything. I think she'd make the cut comfortably."

Mike Norman, the tournament director of the BC Open, said: "It's a no-brainer to ask one of the best golfers in the world to play our event. It's not her playing against the guys. It's her playing against the course. She's one of the best shot-makers in the world and she should be given the opportunity."