Annika Sorenstam, fresh off a runner-up finish in the celebrity division at the LPGA’s season-opening event, will next play in another celeb outing in Tucson in February.
But at some point soon, she’s going to have to make a decision about whether she will play in the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open.
Sorenstam, 51, who stepped away from competition in 2008, will be in Tucson on Feb. 26 for the Cologuard Classic Celebrity Challenge. That event runs concurrent with the second round of the PGA Tour Champions Cologuard Classic at Omni Tucson National. On Wednesday, she joined a Zoom call to talk golf with reporters.
“I would say just, first of all, I received an invite for winning the U.S. Women’s senior so I feel very privileged and honored to get an invite,” she said then added other reasons why she may be leaning towards playing. “It’s at Pine Needles. That’s where I won my second U.S. Open in 1996 and I got to know Peggy Kirk Bell quite well. As an amateur I stayed with her when I was playing my last amateur year and she kind of took me under her wing and provided me a place to practice during the summer. So I’m very thankful for that. I think Pine Needles has a great history of women’s golf because they went back there for another U.S. Open later.”
But wait. That’s not all.
“My kids want me to play, and my husband. They’re all for me being out there. You know, it’s most likely we’ll be going there, but I still have some time. We’ll see,” Sorenstam said. “It’s competitive and, as you know, the top players on the LPGA, they’re amazing. I played with them this weekend and I have a lot of respect for them. It has nothing really to do with that other than I just want to respect the game, respect Peggy Kirk Bell, Pine Needles and the USGA and be thankful for the invite.”
Sorenstam also talked about returning to Tucson where she starred in college. In 1991, as a freshman, she won the NCAA title. She was runner-up as a sophomore. Along the way, she won seven college events and led the Wildcats to their first conference title in 1992. She turned pro soon after.
“I really look forward to coming back to Tucson,” she said. “Tucson has a big place in my heart. I remember a lot of things. It’s been a while, not to give away my age by any means, but you can imagine the day that I flew from Stockholm, Sweden, and landed in Tucson, it was in the end of August. You know, it’s like a Swedish sauna. So I remember getting caught off guard with how hot and there was no humidity. But I have great memories from U of A.”
