GOLF-The Game Of Life

<Annika To Retire:


Do you believe it? , Yes you should. After her victory at Michelob Ultra Open at the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, VA, the Swede who transformed herself into the one-word superstar "Annika" told Golf World she was retiring from competitive golf at the end of this year. This was her72nd win on lpga tour-mind boggling isnt’it.

The news was not completely surprising. There always had been an unspoken understanding implied in Sorenstam's commitment to perfection that she would walk away from the game on top. In that way, she is more like Bobby Jones, who retired from competition at 28 in 1930 after winning the Grand Slam, then co-founded Augusta National GC and started the Masters. Sorenstam finished off a seven-stroke victory on the River Course at Kingsmill and broke the tournament record by five strokes with a final-round 66 in which she hit every fairway and putted or chipped for birdie on every hole. It was, as she said, like "old times" -- relentlessly methodical golf that wore down and ultimately overwhelmed her opponents. "The time is right," Sorenstam said about leaving the competitive stage. "I have seven more months and there is a lot of golf left to play, and I look forward to that. But it takes a lot of effort to be at the top, and there is a part of me that doesn't have that desire anymore. It is just the daily grind. I'm not a person who can be out here just to be out here. Today almost makes it even better. I proved today I am back, and I am leaving on my terms."
A year ago Sorenstam had to skip the Michelob because of a ruptured disk in her neck. While she was injured, Lorena Ochoa passed her to become the No. 1 player in the Rolex Rankings. And while Ochoa, with 19 wins since 2006, is the best in the world right now. Paired with Ochoa for the first three days, Sorenstam gave a lesson of her legendary consistency. She went 53 holes before making a bogey, and while Ochoa hung with her for two days -- the duo combined to make 23 birdies and an eagle over the opening 36 holes -- she cracked 44 holes into the Swede's demoralizing run of consistency, missing a five-foot par putt on No. 8 in the third round that triggered a tumble of four bogeys in five holes. " Sorenstam birdied five of the first eight holes on the back nine, all after approach shots inside 10 feet. Her 19-under 265 was seven strokes clear of Jang, Kim, Karen Stupples and Allison Fouch. Ochoa finished T-12 at 277 after a closing 70.

If one word can describe Sorenstam it is balance. Both physically and emotionally she is always in control on the golf course. Her swing has the rhythmic repetition of a metronome, classified by Hall of Fame player and TV analyst Judy Rankin as one of the three most reliable in the history, along with Ben Hogan and Wright. At her best, in an astonishing display from 2001 through 2005 when she won 43 of 104 LPGA events and finished in the top three 67 times, Sorenstam's most memorable shots were her poor ones because there were so few.
Dan Jenkins, the Golf Digest writer who has witnessed virtually every significant event in golf for nearly 60 years, has said Annika's opening tee shot at Colonial -- a 257-yard 4-wood off the 10th tee -- might have had more pressure on it than any single shot in the game's history. It was perhaps the most important shot in the history of women's golf and her superb execution in an opening-round 71, combined with the classy way she handled the attention, earned women's golf new fans and enhanced respect. "Colonial was my mission," Sorenstam said Sunday as she looked back over her career. "It was my path, my journey and I felt like people accepted that, 'Hey she's an athleteand she wants to get better' I've always let my clubs do the talking. And I felt like people accepted me for that."

'The drive' at Colonial in 03'

"Golf has taught me a lot about life, about making decisions," Sorenstam said. "I want to help the game, use the game and be part of the game. I'm going to be very active but not competing. My sponsors are sticking by me and are very supportive. There are a lot of things I can do with my knowledge and my excitement and energy -- [for example] golf in the Olympics, who knows what I can do there?"
Sorenstam rose to leave, moving toward the waiting Mike McGee, whom she will marry in January, then paused. "It's been worth every second," she said.
"From the outside you see the glamorous part, but you beat your body up week after week and I just think I am at a good part in my life, and I'm stepping away from competition on my terms. This is exactly what I want.