Seeing Sorenstam

Nick Faldo once remarked that the greatest accolade he could think of was that people would want to see him play.

It was a notion that struck a chord with me for I remember how thrilled I was when I was able to see Bobby Locke play.

During the late 70s, while working on the Rand Daily Mail, I spotted a note in the club golf scores that Locke would be playing a round at one of his favourite clubs, Parkview.

So I went down to the club and it was a special thrill to see the great man, whose eccentric habits were the stuff of legend, actually play. He was no longer in his prime and in poor health but still managed to card a 72.

I introduced myself, in his characteristic way he addressed me as “Master”, and afterwards I was able to say: “I saw Bobby Locke play.”

And that is why I am so excited about covering the Women’s World Cup of Golf because it is going to afford me the chance to see Annika Sorenstam play.

Sorenstam is arguably the best woman golfer yet and in recent years has compiled the best record (men and women) of any golfer in the world. I would have made a special effort to see her play anyway but now the privilege will be doubled in that I’ll be reporting on a tournament she is competing in – something I cannot say about Locke.

I have long been an admirer of the sweet-swinging Swede but even I was surprised when looking up her list of achievements.

Consider this and maybe you too will be enthused to try to see Annika play – but be warned accommodation is at such a premium for the Women’s World Cup that the frazzled lady in charge of bookings was moved to remark: “If I had another hotel available I would be able to fill it.”

In 2005 Sorenstam entered 21 tournaments and won 11; including two majors.

Sorenstam collected her eighth Rolex Player of the Year Award, more than any player in LPGA Tour history.

She claimed her sixth career Vare Trophy for having the lowest stroke average on the LPGA tour - second most in LPGA history behind Kathy Whitworth's seven—after rounds of 69-70-74-69 at the ADT Championship to finish with a 69.33 average, 1.5267 shots better than Cristie Kerr.

Her victory at the Mizuno Classic made her the first professional golfer, on the LPGA or PGA Tour, to win the same tournament five straight years.

Sorenstam's $150,000 first-place check at the Mizuno Classic propelled her over the $18 million mark in career earnings. Sorenstam has now earned $18,117,718 in career earnings. No other player in LPGA history has earned more than $11 million.

Sorenstam knows how to protect a final-round lead. She has had a final-round lead 64 times in her career and has walked away with the trophy 44 times (68.75 percent conversion rate).

She is the all-time leading points earner in the Solheim Cup, thanks to a 4-1-0 record at this year's match. Sorenstam's career record is now 20-9-3 and her 21½ points earned are the most in the history of the event. Before this year's matches, Sorenstam was tied with fellow European Team member Laura Davies with 17½ but Davies, who will be representing England at Sun City, went 3-2-0 this year and has a career record of 19-15-3 for 20½ points, just one point behind Sorenstam.

She earned earned female athlete of the year honours at the 13th annual ESPY Awards. Sorenstam's victory gave her seven career ESPYs, breaking a tie with baseball’s Barry Bonds for second on the all-time list. She beat out former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova, Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin and LSU basketball star Seimone Augustus.

She became the first player in LPGA history to win the same major three consecutive years when she won the McDonald's LPGA Championship by three shots over 15-year-old amateur Michelle Wie.

Her awards stack up as follows:

ROLEX PLAYER OF THE YEAR: 8 (2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 1998, 1997, 1995).

VARE TROPHY: 6 (2005, 2002, 2001, 1998, 1996, 1995).

SOLHEIM CUP: 7 (2005, 2003, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1994).

MONEY LIST LEADER: 8 (2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 1998, 1997, 1995).

There’s more, but I think the point has been made. You simply have to be able to say you saw Annika Sorenstam play!