Sorenstam to retire at season's end

by EVAN ROTHMAN, Golfweek.com

Updated: May 13, 2008, 8:21 PM EST 106 comments

Annika Sorenstam: Bio

Age: 37
Career LPGA events: 293
Major wins: 10
Career LPGA wins: 72
Career top 10s: 206
Career prize money: Over $22 million
AP Female Athlete of the Year: 2003-05
LPGA Tour Player of the Year: 1995, 1997-98, 2001-05
World Golf Hall of Fame: Elected 2003

Speaking in a cramped media center at the Sybase Classic, Sorenstam, winner of 72 LPGA titles, announced she would "step away from competitive golf" at season's end following a historic 15-year pro career. The 37-year-old LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame member kept her composure throughout the 25-minute press conference; it may have been more surprising had she not.

Sorenstam arrived at the dais wearing a black hat and black long-sleeved top, the funeral attire broken by khaki pants. She looked down at a lone, folded piece of paper she brought with her while patiently waiting for a few minutes for technical difficulties to be resolved, occasionally smiling at a familiar face.

"Hi, everybody — thank you for coming," Sorenstam began. "The last time I saw this many cameras was at Colonial."

In truth, a mere fraction showed up here compared to Colonial Country Club during Sorenstam's most daring professional moment, playing against the men in 2003. The press conference was only made public this morning, but the small assemblage — 26 seats filled, plus a few more journalists and photographers ringing the room — witnessed a vintage Sorenstam effort: focused, on-point, professional, winning. The notes proved unnecessary.

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After making the announcement that she would retire from competitive golf at the end of this season (her final event will be in Dubai, on the Ladies European Tour), Sorenstam rolled efficiently through her reasoning before offering her thanks.

"I'm leaving the game on my own terms," said Sorenstam. "I felt it was my responsibility to the LPGA and to the fans to let them know now. I want to be fair to everyone. I have other priorities. ... I'm happy, content and at peace."

Sorenstam noted that she had watched former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre's retirement press conference, and Favre's talk of the daily grind overwhelming his competitive desire resonated. The overall health of women's professional golf also helped make her decision, she said.

"It's the right time for the LPGA," Sorenstam said. "We have a commissioner (Carolyn Bivens) that really cares, and I'm proud of the state of women's golf."

The player expressed gratitude to her parents; her fiancé, Mike McGee (they are to be wed next year); her agent, Mark Steinberg; her sister, Charlotta; her coaches, instructor Henri Reis and fitness coach Kai Fusser; her caddie, Terry McNamara; and her sponsors and friends. She went on to acknowledge her appreciation to the media — "for writing nice things about me" — and, finally, the fans.

Doubters were left with a small window as to whether 2008 will truly mark the end of Sorenstam's playing career. The player cited her competitiveness several times in the course of her prepared remarks.

"I have seven months left," she said. "The goal is to win tournaments and win majors."

She later responded to a direct response about whether her decision was "forever."

"I don't know about forever," she said. "For now, definitely."

Pressed on the issue later, however, she said of her competitive drive, "It's either on or it's not."

Longtime Sorenstam watchers, meanwhile, would not have been surprised to hear her first response when asked what she believed was her greatest accomplishment.

"Consistency," she said, before citing more groundbreaking, bold-faced feats: Shooting the LPGA's first 59 at the Ping Standard Register in 2001, her proud effort at Colonial, her 10 major titles, including three U.S. Opens. She was also typically modest. Prompted by a reporter about her role in globalizing the LPGA Tour, she responded, "I'm just one small face of the LPGA."

Hardly.

Sorenstam's place in the game's lore is secure. Her career to date including 72 wins on the LPGA Tour, 10 major championships, eight Rolex Player of the Year awards, eight money titles, six Vare Trophies for lowest scoring average, eight Solheim Cup selections and more than $22 million in career earnings.

For all her accomplishments, Sorenstam's sense of perspective came through as well. "I've been lucky enough to have a hobby as my job," and thanking the game itself for the "great places it has taken me and great people I've met."

Her priorities, she noted, were soon starting a family and succeeding with her new job focus, namely, making a success of her various business ventures. Under the Annika brand, these include her golf academy, charitable foundation, course-design business, apparel collection and financial group.

"I was a little nervous coming here today — you could compare it to having two putts to win a tournament," she said. "But I have no second thoughts. I felt at peace winning on Sunday (at the Michelob Ultra Open by seven shots), knowing what I'd do today."

When the last question was asked, the assembled press corps broke into polite applause lasting only a few seconds. It was insufficient for the moment, yet somehow appropriate for the woman who always made a lot of noise in golf without saying too much.

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