ORLANDO, Fla. – As of early June, Annika Sorenstam had accrued enough points to qualify for the Solheim Cup, the biennial event which takes place Aug. 21-23 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. But in the most recent European Solheim Points standings (through June 28), Sorenstam was sixth. Only the top five players on the points list qualify, which is perfectly fine with the retired – and pregnant – Hall of Famer, who is expecting a baby girl in early September with husband Mike McGee.
“I think if you’re going to play in the Solheim Cup you need to be ready,” Sorenstam said last week at the Annika Academy. “It would be unfair if I came out and decided to play. I got those points because I played well back then [in 2008], but I don’t play now.”
Sorenstam, who retired after 15 seasons with 72 LPGA tournament titles and 10 major championships, said she recently competed in a charity outing outside of Cleveland, and shot 1 over par – from the yellow tees. Or about 5,800 yards.
“I’m probably hitting my driver 215 yards,” said Sorenstam with a big chuckle. “It’s not going anywhere. I just can’t hit down on the ball. My core is gone. I don’t know where my core is.”
Several of her male playing companions reminded her, however.
“They’re like, ‘Well, she [the baby] was moving on your backswing,’ ” said Sorenstam. “I was like, ‘That’s right.’ I topped some shots. That got me angry. And they were like, ‘Chill out.’ I told them, ‘I’m not going to shoot 59, I can tell you that.’ ”
