Sorenstam confirms retirement plans

Former world number one Annika Sorenstam announced in America this will be her last season of competitive golf and her final major will be the Ricoh Women's British Open at Sunningdale later this year.

The 37-year-old will aim to end on a high at Sunningdale (July 31st - August 3rd) in what will be her last chance to add to a major haul that currently stands at 10.

After an injury-hit 2007 Sorenstam has already won three times this year, taking her career total to 90. The latest of them came only on Sunday when she won by seven shots.

The Swede is to marry again early next year, has a string of business interests and said: "I have given it my all and it's been fun.

"I will be leaving the game on my own terms. That was always important to me. I have a lot of dreams, but this is a difficult decision to make because I love this game so much.

"It feels like the right one. I have a number of other priorities in my life, including starting a family, that I want to be as dedicated to as I have been to playing golf.

"I am very proud of what I have accomplished as a professional golfer and while I will no longer be playing competitively, I will continue to be very involved and engaged in the game of golf.

"I want to ensure that I am always giving back to the game that has given me so much and I feel like I can best do that by helping develop young golfers through the growth of my academy, my foundation, my continued promotional programmes with my corporate partners and by continuing to serve as an ambassador for women's golf.

"Whenever I considered timing for this decision in the past, it was always important to me that the game was strong and I know that women's golf has a very bright future ahead of it.

"It takes a lot of effort to be at the top and there is a part of me that doesn't have that desire any more.

"It is just the daily grind - I'm not a person who can be out here just to be
out here.

"There are a lot of things I can do with my knowledge and my excitement and energy. Golf in the Olympics (the IOC is considering its inclusion for 2016), who knows what I can do there?"

Alexandra Armas, executive director of the Ladies European Tour, said: "Annika has been a consummate professional in every respect.

"She has been an inspiration and a role model to generations of golfers including many of her fellow professionals, all of whom recognise the enormity of what she has achieved over her fabulous career.

"Annika's achievements have been nothing short of outstanding.

"We would like to thank Annika for everything that she has done for women's golf and for contributing to the growth of the LET. We wish her every success for the future."

Sorenstam is the only woman ever to shoot 59 in tournament play and still hopes to add to her 10 major titles, but for hitting the headlines nothing she does will ever match the 2003 Colonial tournament in Texas when she became the first female in 58 years to compete on the US Tour.

She missed the cut, but was far from outclassed and on her return to her own circuit remained the dominant figure until the emergence of Mexican Lorena Ochoa in the last two seasons.