Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam at the 2022 PNC Championship. | Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
After his second round at the LPGA Tournament of Champions, former All-Star pitcher Derek Lowe had high praise for Annika Sorenstam.
After playing alongside Nelly Korda during the second round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, two-time All-Star pitcher Derek Lowe praised golfing legend Annika Sorenstam.
“She’s obviously the Tiger Woods of the LPGA,” Lowe said of Sorenstam.
Sorenstam won 10 major championships during her illustrious career and is widely regarded as the greatest women’s golfer ever.
She is competing alongside Lowe in the celebrity division at this week’s Tournament of Champions, being held at Lake Nona Golf Club in Orlando, Florida.
After carding a 4-under 68 on day one while racking up 40 Stableford points, Sorenstam posted a 1-over 73 on Friday. She added 35 more points during her second round, thus bringing her total to 75 through 36 holes.
She now sits tied atop the leaderboard with former NHL All-Star Jeremy Roenick.
“Just going to enjoy this as much as I can,” Sorenstam said after her round on Thursday.
“I’ve played in, I believe, 11 of these celebrity events and been close and never been able to finish. I would love to keep going with what I have, and then who knows what that will be. I want to feel good about my game for 72 holes, and that’s really what I care about now.”
Lowe, meanwhile, shot a 2-under 70 on Friday, and is four points behind Sorenstam and Roenick.
Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Derek Lowe hits a tee shot during the second round of the 2024 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
“It was one of my better rounds that I played in these events. Lucky enough to shoot 70 for me, which is a little above my pay grade,” Lowe said after his second round.
“But the biggest thing for me is driving it straight. If you can keep it in play, you’re going to give yourself a chance.”
The 2004 World Series Champion totaled four birdies on Friday, along with two bogies.
As for the professional competition, former world number one Lydia Ko and 23-year-old Ayaka Furue lead the way at 8-under.
Two strokes behind this pair are Gemma Drybaugh of Scotland and Gaby Lopez of Mexico.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson is currently at 5-under, while Korda, Rose Zhang, Charley Hull, and others are at 4-under through 36 holes.
Third-round coverage of the 2024 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions begins at 2 p.m. ET on Golf Channel, while NBC picks it up at 3 p.m. ET.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
