SIMPLY THE BEST

Annika Sorenstam tells us how a burning desire to improve helped her dominate the women’s game for more than a decade

- Michael Weston

It’s hard to believe, but Annika Sorenstam once feared to win. For a ten-year period starting from the mid-90s, she was the dominant force in women’s golf, the face of the game. The fiercest of competitors, she amassed 72 LPGA Tour titles, including ten Major Championships. There was a time, however, when she would intentionally finish second. “Painfully shy” is how she describes her old self during her years playing junior events, which is why she’d do anything to avoid giving an acceptance speech.

In the end, her desire to be the best proved too powerful. Coming second wasn’t going to work. How many speeches she’s now given is anyone’s guess – a great many, let’s say. Victory ones, award ones, captain’s ones – they come with the territory when you’re a global icon and one of the game’s greats.

It’s been 12 years since Sorenstam left the competitive arena. These days, there may be fewer victory speeches, but she’s never been busier. Family life, corporate responsibilities, her foundation, course design, clothing design... there aren’t many spare hours in the day. This is how she likes it, and she’s just as driven as she was on the golf course. When Sorenstam, now 49, stepped away from tournament golf, she was 38 years old and still number two in the world, but she holds no regrets whatsoever.

“I’m lucky. I have a lot of different things that I do,” says Sorenstam, whose biggest golfing thrill now comes from playing with her husband and two children. “The variety keeps me engaged, it keeps me excited. I’m involved in the game on different levels and I enjoy that.

“I wanted to push as hard as I could until I couldn’t get any better. That’s what motivated me”