KAPALUA // Annika Sorenstam's storied career is quickly coming to a close and the 72-time US LPGA Tour winner has no second thoughts about her decision to retire at the end of the season. "Once I make a decision I stick to it," Sorenstam said as she prepared for the inaugural Kapalua LPGA Classic, the season's final full-field event in the US.
"This is a decision I made a long time ago. It's the right one and I'm excited about my next chapter, and golf will always be part of my life." Sorenstam, however, still has a lot of game left and acknowledges she feels "healthy and strong". She has three wins this year and is third on the money list with US$1,605,186 (Dh5.9m). She's coming off a 15th-place finish in the Samsung World Championship. The Swede opened the season with a victory in Hawaii at Turtle Bay and finished fourth the following week at Ko Olina.
"Looking back at the year, of course I'm happy with the three wins, and playing some good golf," she said. "It would be nice to finish a little better than the way I played the last few months." Sorenstam is greeted with warm words from players and fans everywhere she goes. It's not that unusual for a player who has dominated for so long. But this time, Sorenstam is soaking in every moment and smile.
"I've been to so many places and just really enjoying the farewell tour and trying to say goodbye," she said. "This tournament is the last, or one of the last for a lot of players." Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa will play together in the opening round, along with Morgan Pressel, Kapalua's touring pro. "Every time I play with Annika, it's very special," Ochoa said, herself having a stellar year with seven victories. "I think you can always learn from her. And now that these are her last few tournaments, I think me and all of the people are trying to just enjoy her as much as we can."
The field of 132 includes Yani Tseng. Not entered this week are the Fields Open champion Paula Creamer and South Korea's In-Kyung Kim, who won her first tour at Danville last week. * AP