End of an era as Annika Sorenstam bows out of golf

Jul 27 2008 Euan Mclean

THE queen of women's golf abdicates her throne this week when Annika Sorenstam bows out of the last Major of her illustrious career.

The Swedish sensation, 37, will say an emotional farewell to the game she has transformed at the Ricoh Women's British Open in Sunningdale.

Her desire to settle down and start a family has convinced the 10-time Major winner to call time on her 16-year career - a decision respected but also mourned by some of the biggest figures in golf.

The adulation Sorenstam commands goes way beyond the boundaries of the women's game and she counts Tiger Woods among her best pals.

So it was appropriate MailSport should catch up with another member of that star-studded circle of friends, Mark O'Meara, who paid tribute to the second biggest phenomenon in world golf.

The American, competing in the Senior Open at Troon this week, said: "Annika has meant to women's golf what Tiger means to the men's game. There can be few higher compliments than that.

"It's hard to say anyone is like Tiger because he is in a world of his own - but Annika is so close. She would be the nearest in terms of her commitment and the way she has dominated her sport.

"There have been some fine women players before her like Nancy Lopez but Annika has put herself on an unbelievably high level.

"It's a loss for the game she's walking away but she's going out the way she wants to and you can only admire that.

"I know her socially and she's a super gal, impressive on the course and as a human being off it.

"I don't claim to know her as well as Tiger because they are really close but I respect anybody who is a champion like that.

"Annika has meant so much to the game and she's a wonderful person so I think everybody wishes her nothing but the best."

Sorenstam's career stats are exceptional. She has won 90 international tournaments, 10 of them Majors, and tops the LPGA's career money list with more than £12million.

No female golfer has more victories to her name and she is the only woman to have shot a 59 in competition play.

But it was the invasion she mounted into the men's game that perhaps earned Annika the widest recognition with a historic appearance at the 2003 Colonial tournament in Texas.

That made her the first female to tee-up in a male PGA Tour event since Babe Zaharias qualified for the Los Angeles Open in 1945.

Sorenstam missed the cut - shooting five-over par to tie for 96th out of the 111 players who completed the first two rounds - but was more successful in later ventures against the men.

As O'Meara can testify!

He was one of the guys who went up against her and came off worst in the 2003 SkinsGame alongside Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples.

Sorenstam finished second with five skins worth £115,000, including a spectacular 39-yard bunker shot holed for eagle on the ninth.

It's a moment somemen with a more fragile pride than O'Meara would struggle to deal with - but the affable former Open and US Masters champion just smiles at the memory of losing to a girl.

He said: "She beat me but I don't mind losing to the No.1 woman golfer in the world.My ego's not that big!"

While Sorenstam's farewell is sure to dominate the headlines at Sunningdale it should not be overlooked that the event has assembled its strongest ever field.

Every player inside the world's top 30 will be battling it out and of the 144-strong line-up, including Scots Catriona Matthew and Mhairi McKay, which inlcudes 51 Major titles.

Heading the field is reigning world No.1 and defending champion Lorena Ochoa who looks set to grab a stranglehold of the women's game in the same manner as Sorenstam in her prime.

The Mexican has won six tournaments already this year, including a secondMajor at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in April, and admits confidence is high that she can add to her tally this week.

Ochoa said: "I am excited about playing at Sunningdale again. I finished fourth there in 2004 so I know the course suits my game and I have a great chance of success."

But, as is likely to be the case all week, the last word goes to Sorenstam.

The world No.2 said: "I'm sure it will be emotional knowing this will be my last Major - but I'm also really competitive and trying to finish this season on a high note.

"It will be a tough goodbye but I'm sticking to my decision and excited about the future."