Exit Strategies

By Ron Sirak
Photos By Darren Carroll May 23, 2008

To those who wonder why Annika Sorenstam is walking away from competitive golf while still at the top of her game, these words need to be said: There is more to life than winning LPGA tournaments. And to those who see Lorena Ochoa as a star who may shine even brighter than the legend she replaces, there is this cautionary advice: Savor every second for she, too, will step from the spotlight sooner than expected. That these two careers crossed paths last week at the Sybase Classic was not just an appropriately symbolic passing of the torch, but also a compelling reminder of the complexity of two competitors who strive for victory off the course as well as on it. At each challenge, both are winners.

Tuesday at Upper Montclair CC in Clifton, N.J., when Sorenstam announced her retirement from competitive golf, effective at the end of the season, she said: "I have other priorities in my life. I have a lot of dreams I want to follow." Those dreams include starting a family, building a business and becoming an activist for the growth of golf. A day later, Ochoa said, "Just being a part of the Annika era, to me, was an honor." Then Ochoa outlined an exit strategy of her own.

"We all have a plan in our life," said Ochoa, who is 11 years younger than the 37-year-old Sorenstam. "I don't want to be here forever. I want to play maybe 10, 12 years. I do want to go back home and raise a family. I would love to just finish here and be happy with my career and then just go back to Mexico and do things that I love to do, that I miss, and life is too short not to do them."

Perhaps it is because both are so grounded as people that they have been so successful as players. Ochoa, pushed on the back nine at the Sybase for the first time in any of her six victories this year, turned back half-a-dozen challengers and closed with a 71 to finished the rain-shortened 54-hole event at 10-under-par 206, one stroke better than Morgan Pressel, Catriona Matthew, Brittany Lang, Na Yeon Choi and Sophie Gustafson.

Gustafson, in the final threesome with Ochoa and Teresa Lu, had a chance to force a playoff but missed a birdie try from 12 feet on the final hole. "I just didn't hit it," Gustafson said.

Among the points Sorenstam made when she announced her departure from competition was that she felt she was leaving the LPGA in good hands. She meant generally, in terms of the depth of talent, and specifically in terms of Ochoa as a worthy No. 1. She appears to be right on both counts.

The victory at Sybase was Ochoa's 23rd LPGA win, 20 of them coming since April 15, 2006. Ochoa turns 27 in November and already has nearly double Sorenstam's total at a comparable age. "She's why I'm here," Ochoa said about Sorenstam. "Annika has been my motivation. Annika is the best player."

That's certainly how Sorenstam started at Sybase, which turned out impressive crowds despite the weather and has emerged in just two years as one of the top-tier stops on tour. Sorenstam posted an effortless 67 that tied for the first-round lead. But Friday's rainstorms seemed to disrupt her momentum. When the second round was finally played Saturday, Sorenstam shot 73. She eventually finished T-11 at 211, five strokes behind Ochoa.

Sorenstam simply ran out of gas. After her announcement Tuesday, she tossed out the first pitch at the New York Mets game that night, delivered the Top 10 list on David Letterman's show the next night and met with several of her business partners to plan the future. She was so busy she turned down an offer by New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter of his box seats for the Sunday night game against the Mets.

"I am happy to have my announcement behind me," said Sorenstam, "and look forward to playing some good golf in the big tournaments ahead." She will play about a dozen more LPGA events -- next at the Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika near Charleston, S.C. -- before ending the year at the Ladies European Tour event in Dubai in December.

The second-round washout left many players shaking their heads. Half the field was on the course Friday when it was decided to cancel the round and reduce the event to 54 holes. They began the round playing the ball down, despite a dicey forecast, and so much rain fell there was no way to resume Saturday without playing lift, clean and place -- at least not without an outcry from the players.