http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Ottawa...05/370412.html
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA -- Mianne Bagger was aware of all the attention on her at the Women's Australian Open, and it took a while for her to calm down. "I was pretty numb the first seven holes," Bagger said. "I couldn't really feel much below my shoulders."
After a year in which seven women competed in men's tournaments, Bagger made history yesterday as the first transsexual to play in a pro golf tourney. "I want to play pro golf and have the same opportunities as other women," she said.
Bagger struggled mightily, though, shooting a 12-over 84 to drop 16 strokes behind first-round leaders England's Laura Davies and Denmark's Christina Kuld.
Bagger was born a male in Copenhagen in 1966 and began playing golf as an eight-year-old.
Bagger got down to a 4-handicap, but stopped playing golf in 1992 to begin transformation to a female with hormone therapy. Bagger had the sex-change operation three years later, then resumed playing in 1998.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA -- Mianne Bagger was aware of all the attention on her at the Women's Australian Open, and it took a while for her to calm down. "I was pretty numb the first seven holes," Bagger said. "I couldn't really feel much below my shoulders."
After a year in which seven women competed in men's tournaments, Bagger made history yesterday as the first transsexual to play in a pro golf tourney. "I want to play pro golf and have the same opportunities as other women," she said.
Bagger struggled mightily, though, shooting a 12-over 84 to drop 16 strokes behind first-round leaders England's Laura Davies and Denmark's Christina Kuld.
Bagger was born a male in Copenhagen in 1966 and began playing golf as an eight-year-old.
Bagger got down to a 4-handicap, but stopped playing golf in 1992 to begin transformation to a female with hormone therapy. Bagger had the sex-change operation three years later, then resumed playing in 1998.
Comment