Can Sorenstam catch Ochoa in the Rolex Rankings? Well, the math is better for her than it is for Hillary Clinton, but still difficult. If Sorenstam could win a couple of majors and maybe the Evian Masters while Ochoa finishes out of the top 10 in at least two of those events, it could get very interesting.
But the point is that none of that is in Sorenstam's head, nor likely in Ochoa's either. All they are trying to do is beat each other this week. And, in taking a tip from the way Ochoa and Sorenstam attack a golf course, the fans need to learn it is misdirected emotion to lament the loss of a budding rivalry when really it is time to enjoy the clashes they will have over the next six months.
If in announcing her retirement well in advance of the end of the season Sorenstam is setting up a victory lap, then clearly the emphasis is on the word "victory." There is nothing ceremonial about Sorenstam's last swing through the LPGA. As always, she is here for one reason: To win.
But this is also clear: Ochoa is not willing to be a spectator to Annika's swan song. The golf course is not the place for sentiment. What we have right now are two great players, two proven champions, who are playing really, really well. Let's not focus on what we are losing through Sorenstam's retirement but rather on what we have gained: Probably about a dozen head-to-head battles between Ochoa and Sorenstam the rest of the year. Don't worry about next year, enjoy this one. That's the way Sorenstam is attacking, and that's the way Ochoa is responding.
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