Price Says Long Road Is Ahead

FORT WORTH — What is 7,080 yards long and can eat you up if you’re not careful?

It’s Colonial Country Club, a par-70 layout with a 609-yard par-five hole, but with only one other par-five hole. According to Nick Price, Annika Sorenstam is going to discover that par is greatly different from what is listed on the Colonial scorecard.

“The course is going to play long for her,” said Price, who won here last year. “It’s probably par 74 for her, so she can make the cut if she plays well, there’s no doubt. If she shoots what would normally be six, seven, eight under, she could probably make the cut.”

In Price’s mathematics, using the par he assigned Sorenstam, that’s two rounds of 66 or 68, which translates into normal rounds of 70-72 -- or two over. Last year, 72 players shot three over and made the cut.

Colonial is about 600 yards longer than the typical LPGA course setup, and although Sorenstam says she believes strength and distance here are not as important as placement, Price stressed the distance factor.

“I think she will probably find the course a lot longer than what she’s used to, the rough might be up more and the greens might be firmer,” Price said. “I’m as interested as anyone to see how well she does.”

-- Thomas Bonk