Rain fails to dampen Annika mania

FORT WORTH, Texas - Annika Sorenstam, a day away from becoming the first woman in 58 years to play on the PGA Tour, warmed up Wednesday in the pro-am, and if rain put a damper on her day it certainly didn’t stop the crowds turning out to watch her.

"I played 10 holes," said Sorenstam, whose round was cut short when rain halted the pro-am in mid-afternoon. "I wasn’t really keeping score, but level, plus-one, something like that."

The footpaths around the first tee were jammed with umbrella-wielding fans 20 minutes before Sorenstam was due to tee off. They stuck with her all the way, lining the fairways and crowding around the tees and greens.

"I’ve never seen anything like it," she said. "The last time I saw crowds like this was a US Open on a Sunday." (AFP)