Sophie Gustafson enters today’s final round of the LPGA event with a six-stroke lead, meaning she’ll need to perform like the 2007 New York Mets, or the ’64 Phillies, or the ’78 Red Sox, or even the ’69 Cubs not to winthe pennantthe event.
Well, you get the point. Gustafson is a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour but hasn’t won since 2003. Other than being married to former LPGA commissioner Ty Votaw, she’s also known for wearing the caps and shirts of Major League Baseball teams.
Gustafson has worn the Braves’ cap the first three rounds of the Ginn Tribute in Mount Pleasant, S.C., so it’s likely she’ll sport the same today. And while it’s creative enough endorsement, the monochromatic shirts wouldn’t catch your eye from a distance. And we wonder what’s in it for Major League Baseball. Is MLB, which sets attendance records in spite of itself, trying to convert LPGA fans to baseball?
When Payne Stewart wore the colors of NFL teams, he was instantly recognizable 440 yards away. It was partly because the designs were fairly inspired: bold argyles, stripes and checks in the alternating colors. And, if memory serves, he’d wear the home team’s colors on Thursday and then change it up through the weekend. But mostly it was because Stewart was in plus-fours and newsboy cap. And even when the NFL deal ended, Stewart continued to dress in plus-fours.
Gustafason’s MLB outfits don’t rise to that distinctive level. Of course, that doesn’t mean her golf can’t. — RL
