Annika in Contention after First Round of LPGA's Second Major

Yes, Michelle Wie struggled again, bunting the ball around the Bulle Rock Golf Course in the first round of the LPGA Championship, yet still only hitting 5 fairways and going 2-over on the par 5s on the way to a 73 (T47). Give the kid a break. A lot of very good players ruined their rounds on the par-5 15th today (which she doubled); at least she managed a bogey on the par-3 12th, which was the most treacherous hole on the course today. Just ask Super Soph in Waiting Hye Jung Choi (79), recent winner Young Kim (78), international superstar Grace Park (77), top U.S. player Cristie Kerr (75), and slumping Super Soph Brittany Lang (75), not to mention my friend Moira Dunn (74), about either or both of those holes. Even Kyeong Bae, whose 72 keeps her in the tournament (T38), tripled the 15th! By going 3-under for her final 12 holes, Wie tied Juli Inkster, Se Ri Pak, Jeong Jang, Jimin Kang, Angela Stanford, and Becky Morgan; beat Sherri Steinhauer, Christina Kim, and Lorie Kane by 1 shot; and beat Ai Miyazato and Brittany Lang by 2 shots. So lay off her. She's not the top story today.

And, yes, three unexpected people who shot 67s are in front of some very big names in the top 10. Rookie of the Year race leader Angela Park is perhaps the smallest surprise, as she's been playing great on Thursdays and Fridays this year. Birdie Kim showed some signs of life about a month ago after disappearing from the world's elite following her surprise U.S. Women's Open win in 2005, so her being on the top of the leader board is only a medium-level surprise. But the biggest surprise has to be Kim Saiki-Maloney, who's missed 6 of 9 cuts and only broken 70 once this year. We'll see how long she stays ahead of the group at 68, which includes Karrie Webb, Laura Davies, and Morgan Pressel (who have 12 majors between them), or other folks who have already won once this year like Stacy Prammanasudh (68), Suzann Pettersen (69), Brittany Lincicome (69), Mi Hyun Kim (70), Nicole Castrale (70), and Paula Creamer (71). And sure, the only multiple-winner this year and World #1 Lorena Ochoa is only 4 shots back. But they are not today's top story.

Annika Sorenstam is. Who would have expected her to even be playing the last two weeks, much less getting under par and into the top 20 (after two rounds last week and T13 today after her solid 70), after such serious injuries earlier this season? She's starting to get a little bit of power back, averaging 259 yards off the tee and hitting 12 greens in regulation despite only being in the fairway 8 times off the tee. She's been saying in interviews that playing competitive golf again is simply part of her rehabbing her neck and back and that her expectations are low. To go out and beat a couple dozen people who have been having quite good seasons--among those I haven't mentioned so far, Jee Young Lee (71), Sarah Lee (71), Catriona Matthew (71), Julieta Granada (72), and Meaghan Francella (72)--on a tough course in major-ready condition shows what a great player she is, even at 75%.

So while I'll be rooting for Meena Lee (70), Shi Hyun Ahn (71), Seon Hwa Lee (71), and Kyeong Bae (72) to finally get their years going this week, and for Ai-chan, Moira, and Cristie Kerr to recover from bad first rounds, I'll sit back and be amazed at Annika.