Oct 13, 2006 - Shootout reunites Sorenstam, men's tour pal

The sporting world first picked up on Dean Wilson in 2003 when he was paired with Annika Sorenstam at the Colonial tournament.

His graciousness — and hug after the round — was a counterpoint to the sentiment among some that Sorenstam did not belong on the course with the PGA Tour's big boys.

Wilson and Sorenstam have remained friends since and Monday will be the featured pairing for the fifth annual Save Mart Shootout at Riverbend Golf Club.

"It was so special to have Dean share my opening rounds at Colonial," Sorenstam said this week by e-mail. "We both had to face the media, the pressure, the nerves together and it helped form a special bond having gone through it together.

"I have kept in touch with Dean and watched his progress since Colonial and it will be fun to play with him again — under much less pressure!"

John Bladholm, who organizes the Shootout for Peter Jacobsen Productions, said this is the strongest field since the Shootout began in 2002.

Headliners for past Shootouts read like a Who's Who of professional golf: 2002, Arnold Palmer and Nancy Lopez; 2003, Fuzzy Zoeller and Chi Chi Rodriguez; 2004, Fred Couples; 2005, John Daly and David Duval.

This year's appearance by Sorenstam, the most accomplished female golfer on the planet, is a coup for Jacobsen. So is Hale Irwin, a three-time U.S. Open champ and a dominant senior tour player who would be the featured act if Sorenstam weren't around.

But look further.

Three of the other eight men in the field have won on the PGA and Champions tours this year — Wilson (The International), Arron Oberholser (AT&T Pebble Beach) and Scott Simpson (First Tee at Pebble Beach).

Irwin (1974, '79, '90), Simpson ('87) and Johnny Miller ('73) are former U.S. Open champions.

And former Fresno State All-American Nick Watney arrives as the latest Million-Dollar Man after finishing in the top 10 in his past two PGA events.

Watney and Natalie Gulbis make for a glamorous pairing in Monday's main act of the two-day Shootout.

Sunday's opening day is jam-packed with morning and afternoon pro-ams featuring less-known PGA and LPGA pros paired with teams of locals in a scramble format.

Monday's main event features nine teams, each consisting of a PGA pro, LPGA pro and three amateurs, in a best-ball format.

Sorenstam easily is the most accomplished of the women golfers in Monday's lineup.

Gulbis, a Sacramento-area native who has played tournaments in Fresno since her junior days, is the LPGA's calendar girl and ranked No. 14 on the money list. The 21-year-old Lincicome, No. 12 on the money list, is part of the LPGA's youth movement that includes Paula Creamer (age 20), Morgan Pressel (18) and Michelle Wie (17).

Jenna Daniels, Erica Blasberg, Angie Rizzo and Stephanie Louden are touring LPGA pros. Paige Mackenzie was the top female amateur in the country before recently turning pro and Suzy Whaley is a Connecticut club pro and popular Shootout participant.

John Cook is a veteran PGA Tour pro with 11 career victories. Mike Springer is a Fresno-based touring pro with two career tournament wins and Matt Weibring plays on the Nationwide Tour.

Sunday's pro-am play begins at 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Monday's event begins with Jacobsen's popular golf clinic at 9 a.m. and the Shootout begins at 10:13.

The nines will be played backward for the shootout, with players starting at the course's normal No. 10 and ending at the normal No. 9.

Riverbend is at 43369 Avenue12 in Madera County. Turn east on Avenue 12 off Highway41 and the road ends at the golf course.

Tickets cost $10 for Sunday, $20 for Monday or $25 for a two-day ticket. They are available at Save Mart supermarkets or at Riverbend. The reporter can be reached at krobison@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6279.