Sorenstam's last Open is slated for Interlachen

Annika Sorenstam was looking forward to next month's U.S. Women's Open at Edina's Interlachen Country Club long before Tuesday's announcement that she will step down from competitive golf at the end of this season.

"The U.S. Open is definitely the most important tournament we play every year, and Interlachen is a classic old course that I love to play," Sorenstam said in early April at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first women's major of the season.

"I think it's also a course that plays to my strengths. I can't wait to get there and see what happens."

Suddenly, it appears this could be the final U.S. Women's Open for Sorenstam, 37. A victory would give her a fourth U.S. Women's Open title, tying her with early LPGA legends Betsy Rawls and Mickey Wright.

"No. 1, I'm surprised by the news," said Jock Olson, Interlachen's master professional. "And No. 2, it's sad to see her leaving. But, on the other hand, it's also very exciting for people around here because we will get a chance to see her last U.S. Open at Interlachen."

Sorenstam's announcement, in which she said she wants to start raising a family and expand her ''Annika'' business brand, is the latest in a long line of events that has boosted interest in women's golf leading to next month's championship at Interlachen.

"You had the young Americans really start to take off last year, and that created a buzz," Olson said. "Morgan [Pressel] won her first major [the Kraft Nabisco when she was 18]. Then Paula Creamer came on and has won twice this year."

International interest in the LPGA Tour has soared much higher because of 45 Koreans and one wiry little Mexican named Lorena Ochoa. Ochoa passed Sorenstam as the world's No. 1-ranked women's golfer at the end of the 2006 season and started this season with Tiger-esque dominance.

Ochoa, who has five victories in eight tries this season, has won two consecutive majors going back to last season. If she wins the LPGA Championship in June, she will head to Interlachen with her legion of Mexican flag-waving supporters with a chance to complete the "Lorena Slam" -- an unprecedented fourth consecutive women's major title.

It also would set the stage for the possibility that Interlachen would play host for the third leg of a Grand Slam for the second time in 78 years. Bobby Jones won the U.S. Open at Interlachen for his third of four majors in 1930. His remains the only traditional Grand Slam in professional golf.

"What Lorena has done has been great for women's golf because you're starting to hear people talk about her," Olson said. "And to think of what she could be going for when she gets here also is exciting."

A neck injury prevented Sorenstam from winning in 2007, but the No. 2-ranked player is back in No. 1 form now. She has won three times this season, and 72 times in her career, including a seven-shot victory at last week's Michelob Ultra Open. She shot 19 under par, beating Ochoa by 12 strokes overall and eight when the two of them were paired together in the first three rounds.

"I've been using Annika's name for a while as someone who I think might win here," Olson said. "Now, with this being her last U.S. Open, you have to think that she's really going to be dialed in to try and win it."

Olson said 75,000 fans visited Interlachen during the 2002 Solheim Cup. He expects that number to be small by comparison to next month's championship. "We're expecting 150,000," Olson said. "Tell people to get their tickets soon. It could be quite a show."