Will Annika retire on top?

Annika Sorenstam is playing with confidence, grace, and determination. She looks like the Annika we know and love from before her injuries. Her dominant win last week in Virginia keeps her solidly in second place to Lorena Ochoa and the momentum is on her side. More on that in my latest Golf For Women post on Swing Thoughts.

Now there is a rumor that Annika will retire at the end of this year, and she’s supposedly going to make a statement today. We all know she is marrying Mike McGee and wants to start a family. While most of the working world has to work more to support a family, she has the luxury and probably the necessity to do the opposite. She’ll still have her business to run but to make time for a family, something’s got to give. Since she has already accomplished so much in professional golf, it makes sense that playing regularly on tour would be the thing to drop. I mean, she’s not going to get rid of that cat. *Side note: Vito actually likes cats. I told you he had snags.*

Annika has a frequent Q&A session on her own blog, and the big question this week is whether the retirement rumor is true. Maybe she will answer it in her statement today or on her blog. Either way, inquiring minds want to know. Pop in and pose a question to Annika – she’d probably be grateful for something other than this topic. I happened to notice In her post about winning the Michelob Ultra, she mentioned that she was going to celebrate by actually drinking one. Now that sounds like dutiful sponsor representation rather than an actual plan, and maybe she even cracked one open and posed for a photo. Surely that wasn’t her real beverage of choice for celebration, and just as surely, that was my own burning question on her blog. Will she answer?

Of course the retirement issue is of greater importance. Whether she will or won’t, I’d love to see her back in the #1 position before she goes. This year would be just fine with me. The LPGA has a lot of great competition, with dominant Lorena Ochoa leading the pack, so Annika’s got her work cut out for her. I think we’re going to see a lot more stellar play out of Annika this year, and maybe with retirement beckoning at season’s end, her focus and determination will be that much stronger.

Update: It’s official. Annika made the announcement today, citing “following her dreams” of business and family as her reasons for stepping away from competitive golf. She said “I have given it all and it’s been fun.” You can watch the press conference at the link above. She also talks about the state of women’s golf and even gives a nod to Brett Favre for their similarities in reasons to retire (they love the competition, they’re just “tired of the daily grind”). It’s an interesting speech and she also discusses her plans to stay involved in the game of golf and inspire future golfers. As for the next seven months, her goal is to win many tournaments, including majors. That’s what I’m talking about. That’s what I want to see.

Thank you, Annika, for all the years you’ve given us and everything you have already done for golf.

Next post.