Annika Retiring To Spend Less Time Playing Mediocre Courses

Doug Ferguson reports. Thanks to reader Greg for the link.

Update on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 03:53 PM by Geoff

Here's Annika's press conference.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I wanted to let you all know that. I feel like I have a responsibility to the LPGA, to my fans, and I wanted to announce it as early as I could.

The reason for this decision is that I have other priorities in my life. I have a lot of dreams that I want to follow, I want to live, and I'm getting married in January. Mike and I want to start a family. I want to continue to build the ANNIKA brand of businesses, and this includes my academy, my foundation, my golf course design projects, all my corporate relationships, hosting golf tournaments, clothing lines, etc.

I am very, very proud of what I've achieved. Golf has been great to me. I think I've achieved more than I ever thought I could. I have given it all and it's been fun.
I have come back from an injury, and I feel strong, I feel healthy, and the season has started really well, and I'm leaving the game on my terms.

Comments

[thusgone]

i wondered how she would respond to drug testing . . .

[Pete the Luddite]

WOW...smell the bitter scent of cynicism. oof...

OK, I'll play that conspiracy theory game...Where's Tiger now? Really knee surgery or time off to detox for his next test? Could it be that Finchem told him to "have surgery" the way that folks believe that Stern told MJ to take time off from the NBA for gambling? (Mind you, I don't believe a word of this.)

Sheesh, I can't believe that's the first thought that someone felt was what should be said about Annia's retirement.

[VTlinkster]

thusgone: pathetic comments - be gone and be quiet.

Annika will be remembered as a true champion who continually challenged herself to play at the highest possible level.

[Martin Del Vecchio]

I'm sure thusgone's comment is a joke.

And I hope that Pete the Luddite's are a joke as well, but it's less clear to me. I don't see how anybody can really believe that Tiger is using steroids (or other banned substances).

The bottom line: it's a bummer for golf if Annika retires and stays retired.

[thusgone]

it was meant as a joke, and it was not a very good one. my apologies to anyone i have offended.

i am disappointed to hear it b/c the prospect of a healthy annika battling a dominant lorena is one that i would love to see over several seasons. here's to hoping that they both do well and stay healthy in the time left . . .

[JohnV]

Does anyone think this will be a full retirement or just a large cutback in playing? If she wins the US Women's Open or the British Women's do you think she really won't come back and play in them next year (assuming she isn't well down the road to motherhood)?

And if she continues hosting tournaments won't she continue to play in those events?

Byron Nelson retired in 1946 but he continued to play a very limited schedule after that. I think that Annika will also probably do that also.

[CBell]

I like her, admire her, and predict she'll win 3 more times this year, including a major. I also predict she'll be a great mom - and finish her career with at least 89 wins.

[Eric Stratton]

personally I doubt she'll stick to this.

I don't believe a person with her competitive instincts is going to be able to just turn it off like that...

ES

[Pete the Luddite]

Martin-

Sorry. I thought that folks knew me enough by now to know that I was kidding. My goal was to have that post dripping with sarcasm. I was trying to play Capt. Conspiracy Theory Man, and didn't go far enough overboard.

thusgone-

glad to hear that your comments were in jest.

[Mr Monty Carlo]

I would love to have her consistent swing.