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Skepticism greeted the women's world golf ranking when it made its debut in February. But nobody can deny its importance this week at the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship.
Half the 64-player field was determined by the rankings. So were the seedings, which set up for some intriguing matchups -- No.1 Annika Sorenstam vs. No.2 Michelle Wie on Sunday? -- at Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, N.J., starting today.
At stake: a $500,000 winner's check, second only to the $560,000 won by Sorenstam at last week's U.S. Women's Open and more than the $470,000 check the winner gets at this week's U.S. Senior Open.
The $2million purse is the fifth-highest on the LPGA tour.
The 16-year-old Wie faces a strong headwind in her side of the bracket. If she beats Candy Hannemann, Christina Kim looms as a possible second-round opponent. Se Ri Pak or Natalie Gulbis might be next.
If Wie makes the quarterfinals, Ai Miyazato could be waiting. In the semifinals, there's a chance of Wie vs. Lorena Ochoa or Cristie Kerr.
In the opposite bracket, teenagers Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel could square off if both win their first two matches.
Sorenstam's path appears clear until at least the quarterfinals, where No.8 seed Juli Inkster might stand in her way. Then again, upsets are common in match play; Sorenstam was bounced by Candie Kung in the third round last year.
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