Sorenstam Still Aiming For Grand Slam

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Winning only one major this year may actually have prolonged Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam’s illustrious golf career.

Before this season, Sorenstam said her goal was to capture the Grand Slam -- winning all four majors in the same year.

That dream ended in March, when she wound up a disappointing 13th in the Nabisco Championship in California. Later, she won the LPGA Championship and finished second in the Women’s U.S. Open. Last week, she tied for 13th in the Women’s British Open.

‘Since I didn’t reach my goals this year, I’d like to do it next year,’ Sorenstam said on the eve of the HP Open Ladies European Tour event which starts Thursday. ‘And I’m still motivated to get better.’

A seven-time major winner, Sorenstam was in contention going into the final round of the British Open, but finished with a 71 while winner Karen Stupples shot an 8-under 64 after starting eagle-double eagle.

‘I was disappointed because I’ve played so well all year long,’ said Sorenstam, who has won five LPGA tournaments and finished second three times in 13 starts.

‘I’m more consistent, my short game is better, but competition is tougher. In the past, you won a major if you shot four rounds under par. In the British Open I played four rounds under par and finished 13th.’

Sorenstam reunited with her longtime coach, Henri Reis, before the HP Open to work on what she called ‘a little thing in my back swing.’

Last year, Sorenstam finished third in the HP Open behind Sophie Gustafson of Sweden, who beat Norway’s Suzann Pettersen for the title. Pettersen also plays on the LPGA Tour and was a member of last year’s European team that won the Solheim Cup over the United States in a playoff.

This year, organizers moved the tournament to the Ullna course north of Stockholm. One of Sweden’s best courses, it sits along Lake Ullna and hosted five men’s European Tour events in the 1980s. The world’s top women haven’t played there since 1982, when Nancy Lopez and Sally Little were on a United States mixed team that beat Sweden.

Sven Tumba, who tried out for the NHL Boston Bruins in the mid-1950s and later became a golf pioneer in Sweden, designed the course.

‘I played it when I was an amateur, must have been 15 years ago, and I know it’s a very nice course,’ Sorenstam said.

Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.