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Shin shoots 66 to win Women’s British•
Photo slideshow: Round 4 at Sunningdale
SUNNINGDALE, England – She stayed classy until the end.
Annika Sorenstam had every right to beat a hasty retreat from Sunningdale after her last round in her last major championship, especially considering she finished well down the field.
She didn’t. She hung around and made sure everyone who wanted a memory got one.
The walk from the scorer’s hut to the clubhouse steps at Sunningdale is exactly 50 paces. It took the Swede nearly 45 minutes from the time she finished her round until she made it inside.
Sorenstam fulfilled every interview request before heading to the gallery behind the 18th green. She signed every hat, every program, every piece of paper, and every flag. Even when she reached the sanctuary of the steps outside the clubhouse, she stood and made sure everyone got an autograph.
Never before has there been a more professional exit from major championship golf. All that was missing was the Ricoh Women’s British Open trophy and the $320,000 first place check. That wasn’t going to happen after opening rounds of 72-72 that meant she only made the cut with a stroke to spare. She closed with a 4-under 68 and tied for 24th.
Sorenstam did give the fans gathered around the 18th green something to cheer about. The torrential rain that poured down just as she teed off on the last hole did not deter her from making birdie at the last. Her 6-iron approach finished 10 feet away and she coolly slotted home the birdie putt, reminiscent of Jack Nicklaus’ final birdie at St. Andrews in the 2005 Open Championship.
Sorenstam knows about the capricious nature of the royal & ancient game more than most. Even she had to acknowledge the way the golfing gods smiled on her in the final round of her final major.
“Today I played well,” she said. “I hit 18 greens, so what can I say? It’s an ironic game.”
The Ice Maiden tried her best to stay focused on the fairways, but it was never going to be easy, not even for the most single-minded player ever to tee it up in women’s golf.
Her composure took a bit of a knock when she looked at the large leaderboard beside the 18th fairway. It read: ‘Annika, you’ll be missed’ in huge white letters.
“I thought that was very special. I waved at the guys and they clapped and I came up 18 and everybody was cheering. It just makes you feel good when you get that type of applause.”
Not even the weather could dampen Annika’s walk up the last hole. “I really didn’t care about the rain. I just enjoyed the moment walking up 18. It didn’t really matter.”
Caddie Terry McNamara wiped tears from his eyes. Fiancé Mike McGee also dabbed at his eyes after giving his future wife a hug as she left the green. Seasoned hacks had tears in their eyes too. Sorenstam didn’t. A true competitor to the end, the only flicker of emotion she showed was a quick index finger wipe of her right eye as she prepared to enter the scorer’s hut.
“Once I’m inside the ropes I’m so focused,” she said. “You push a button and it’s work, focus. There were times when there was a little opening and feelings start to play. That’s what happened here on the last hole, and I’m glad. This game has meant so much to me and if I didn’t feel anything, it would be weird.”
Like all true champions, Sorenstam will miss the thrust of competitive golf. No woman golfer in recent years has poured so much heart and soul into the game.
“I love the competition, the cheering, being under the limelight, to hit the perfect 6-iron and make the putt and to win championships,” she said. “That’s why I spent all of the time on the putting green and the driving range.”
Sorenstam isn’t willing to commit to long hours on the range now. She’s ready to move on, explore other areas of interest.
“I have a lot of opportunities ahead of me. If this was the end and I had nothing to do that would be very sad, but I have new ones. I’m creating a new chapter in my life.”
You can bet she’ll approach those opportunities with the same class as she approached the tournament. Forget Sorenstam’s 85 victories worldwide, her 10 majors, if she can leave one lasting legacy to the game, it’s her complete professionalism with which she conducts herself.
If other players – men and women – can learn to compose themselves with even a fraction of her integrity, then the game will be in fine shape.
Posted: 8/3/2008
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