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She isn't just the queen of golf, she was the LPGA when golf hit its boom. Annika Sorenstam was the female equivalent of Tiger Woods when Tiger became the face of the sport and not surprising, the two became competitive friends.
Sorenstam, in news that has to make golf fans a little disappointed, is stepping down from the game this week in her final event at the Dubai Ladies Masters. Just 38, Sorenstam made the announcement in May to leave competitive golf because she, like so many other prominent females, has made the difficult decision to trade the birdies for babies.
Sorenstam 's legacy is undeniable. She burst on the scene in 1995 with a US Open victory that she successfully defended the following year. A product of the highly-successful University of Arizona women's golf department, Sorenstam took some years to find that major championship touch again, but find it she did.
From 2001 to 2006, Sorenstam won the same amount of majors as Tiger has in any six-year stretch of his career. She claimed eight out of the possible 24 majors, putting her career total at 10 and placing her fourth all-time in major victories on the LPGA Tour.
Besides that, Sorenstam locked up 72 LPGA titles, made more than $20 million in earnings on the LPGA Tour, and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2003. Because female sports still struggle to resonate with men, she will probably be best known for her attempt at the PGA Tour at the 2003 Colonial.
Playing as well as she had over her career, Sorenstam showed up at Fort Worth a question-mark and left a hero to her gender. Her near making the cut at one of the better regular-season tournaments on the tour made people understand just how great she really was.
It didn't hurt that Sorenstam nearly posted the best competitive round in the history of golf, male or female, with her near 58 (turned 59) in 2001, becoming the low mark in LPGA history. Her departure comes at a time when she isn't the top dog anymore. Lorena Ochoa has taken the reigns as female extraordinaire and has made people forget just how good Sorenstam was for so long.
For sure, Sorenstam will be back for some random tournaments here or there, and maybe she'll get bored changing nappies and return to the tour in a couple of years,
She tasted victory in her penultimate tournament as she captained the International team to victory over Asia in the Lexus Cup last week, but for now we are seeing a legend depart before our very eyes.
With five wins and seven further top 10 finishes, Gwladys Nocera from France has dominated the Ladies European Tour circuit in 2008 and could spoil Sorenstam 's party in Dubai.
The magnificent Majlis course at the Emirates Golf Club, however, provides the perfect venue for Annika's farewell as she defends the title she won so impressively 12 months ago.
Let's all remember to clap, ever so quietly, when Sorenstam finishes up this weekend. A win would taste just about right.
