SOUTHERN PINES, North Carolina: When Annika Sorenstam tees it up on the US Women’s Open in June there might be a document US$10 million purse on supply however the Swedish {golfing} nice mentioned she never thought of prize money after establishing herself early in her Hall of Fame profession.
Sorenstam tops the LPGA profession earnings listing with over US$22 million in winnings however admits she never went right into a event understanding what the prize money was.
“To me, it was just being a competitor,” the 10-times main champion instructed Reuters throughout a media occasion at Pine Needles the place the US Women’s Open might be held Jun 2-5.
“I wanted to play well, I wanted to win and I wanted to be the best, then of course there was prize money and a trophy and that was the side effect of that. But money was never a motivator to me.”
This yr’s US Women’s Open would be the fourth time the main is contested at Pine Needles, the place Sorenstam efficiently defended her 1995 title with a six-stroke victory in 1996.
The 51-year-old Sorenstam earned a spot within the subject at Pine Needles, the place the prize money is almost double the earlier greatest purse for a girls’s golf occasion, by profitable final yr’s US Senior Women’s Open by eight strokes.
Sorenstam mentioned the wealthy purse is solely an indication of the occasions.
“I remember when I made my first cheque I finished fourth in an LPGA event it was US$36,000 and that was my whole budget for the whole year and that was in March,” mentioned Sorenstam.
“And then after that I never thought about it again because I knew I could afford going to the next tournament, I knew I could pay my caddie.”
Sorenstam stepped away from aggressive golf in 2008 after dominating the ladies’s recreation for a decade however performed an LPGA occasion in February 2021 close to her Florida residence as a part of her preparations for the US Senior Women’s Open.
Sorenstam is among the most adorned golfers of all time – male or feminine – having gained 72 occasions on the LPGA Tour and whereas she just isn’t contemplating herself a ceremonial golfer for the US Women’s Open she has tempered her expectations.
“These young players they hit it a lot further, they do this for a living, they play every week and are a little hungrier than I am if you know what I mean,” mentioned Sorenstam.
“But it doesn’t imply I am going on the market and am not going to care. I’ve been making ready.
“So I am going to do what I can and play with what I have and then I’ll be happy with that and see where that takes me. Of course I would love to play all four days and I think if I play my game I can.”
Source : channelnewsasia.com
