Annika Sorenstam poses together with her father, Tom, her son, Will, and her husband, Mike, on the 2023 PNC Championship.
Getty Photographs
Comfortable Mom’s Day! This week, we’re highlighting the experiences of a number of the most high-profile ladies within the sport, every of whom share a significant title: Mother. Subsequent up: LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam.
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WHEN ANNIKA SORENSTAM stepped away from aggressive golf practically 16 years in the past, she was nonetheless on the top of her powers. In actual fact, her announcement that the 2008 season can be her final was made simply days after she posted a dominant seven-stroke victory on the Michelob Extremely Open — her third victory of that 12 months.
Then 38 years previous, Sorenstam had notched a complete of 72 LPGA wins, together with 10 majors. She’d spent 61 weeks because the top-ranked ladies’s participant on the planet. However she had different life objectives: particularly, elevating a household. Simply weeks after the tip of the 2008 season, Sorenstam married her husband, Mike McGee, and the couple welcomed their first youngster, Ava, in September 2009, adopted by their son, Will, in 2011.
Then, after greater than a decade away from the aggressive sport, Sorenstam made a grand return, successful the inaugural U.S. Senior Girls’s Open in 2021. And for the final two years, Sorenstam has been a spotlight on the annual PNC Championship, enjoying alongside Will.
In a current interview with GOLF, Sorenstam revisited her resolution to step away from the sport, the challenges of balancing motherhood and profession, and what it’s like to assist her youngsters foster a love for the sport that has meant a lot to her.
GOLF: Let’s return to 2008. You had been 38 years previous, making a momentous change and transition in your life. On the time, did you’re feeling such as you had to retire from professional golf with the intention to create the household life that you just wished?
Annika Sorenstam: No. I didn’t really feel like I wanted to. I believe my modifications in life simply made me notice there are different issues to do, and it was simply flowing collectively. I spotted that there’s actually nothing extra I wished to attain in my enterprise life. And searching ahead to this new chapter, getting married and beginning a household and a enterprise enterprise, I used to be enthusiastic about that. That made me notice that, “Hey, that is far more than simply competing.”
In these early days, was laborious to place the golf equipment away?
No. I believe as a result of I gave it my all each single day that I simply got here to a degree the place you get drained. And the motivation wasn’t there. And it was simply not thrilling and I wasn’t hungry. I used to be simply extra enthusiastic about different issues. In order that’s the place I put all my power. Did it really feel bizarre? Yeah. It did, as a result of I’ve been doing this for therefore lengthy. However I used to be busy with different issues, so it took its place. I wasn’t sitting at residence questioning what to do or being bored.
Had you all the time dreamed of and envisioned your self as a mom?
I didn’t have each chapter of my life scripted since I used to be slightly woman. I believe lots of it simply advanced. I believe in my case, I used to be so targeted on my profession that point simply glided by so shortly. It’s like unexpectedly, I bear in mind — you recognize, you go to the physician and so they stored saying, “Are you desirous about a household?” And I used to be like, “Nicely, you recognize what I’m desirous about? Successful a significant.” It’s not on my thoughts. And you then begin realizing, “Nicely, good day. Am I getting previous for different issues?” It wasn’t till I met Mike that I began to see a future with him and household with him. And so then it was like, “Nicely, possibly now could be the time.” I imply, I had hoped to have a household. However you must have the best staff and the best timing. The best place. And I felt that when Mike and I had been getting severe that this was shaping as much as be what I hoped for.
Lydia Ko has been clear from the start that golf isn’t the end-all, be-all for her. Lorena Ochoa retired at age 30, shortly after you, with plans to start out a household. Do you’re feeling such as you set a precedent for many who got here after you, that it’s necessary to pursue different issues?
There have been trailblazers on the LPGA for fairly a while and all of us do issues in a different way. I by no means noticed myself as a mom on tour. However that was simply me, as a result of I understand how targeted I’m after I get to tournaments. I understand how I’ve my apply routine and I’ve my routines. And I simply couldn’t see how I may marry that with having a household on tour. However I’ve seen another LPGA gamers which were very profitable there. When it comes only for me stepping away, it was simply due to that cause: Now I need to be a mother. And as you recognize, a mother is a full-time job. And I didn’t need to miss out on that. There’s solely a lot time you may put in your profession. All of us get drained. The physique says no. And so for me, it was like a pure transition.
It’s totally different form of resolution for girls, isn’t it? There are many males with households on the PGA Tour. Scottie Scheffler, for instance, is about to have his first youngster. And he probably gained’t miss a beat. However ladies have a window of time to contemplate.
To have youngsters, you want a partner or anyone to journey with you or be residence. However then you must assist them. And with the lads’s purses, it’s loads simpler. They make much more cash, and lots of the ladies, they put their careers on maintain or they need to be a mother, to take that function. It’s slightly totally different on the LGPA. You’re going to have a associate that dedicated that may both journey, and that prices cash, or they keep at residence after which you must assist them. And likewise, being a mom, it takes a 12 months or two possibly to get better or additionally this entire course of. And you’ll miss a beat. Scottie may miss every week or two, however lots of occasions are in a position to bounce again and have the assistance that they want. So it’s totally different, and I believe that’s why you see ladies, simply usually and never simply in golf, they’re moms later in life as a result of they need to have a profession. And so they need to have the ability to assist themselves, figuring out that they’ve both slightly nest egg or one thing, after which to have the ability to focus full time. However, in fact, there are others which are married to anyone, the place that partner is tremendous supportive and the lady continued to work. But it surely’s not as widespread.
Instagram: @annikas59
Your son Will was born 13 weeks untimely, and spent practically two months within the NICU. You’ve been very open about how troublesome that was. How did that have form your perspective as a mom?
Being a mother for the primary time is a giant change. And we lastly bought the dangle of it, after which I used to be pregnant with Will after which now we have this troublesome start and simply placing it in a distinct spin. And so yeah, there was slightly more durable time for everyone. However we simply caught collectively and had good assist, assist at residence. However you notice that one plus one is just not essentially two in the case of youngsters. One plus one unexpectedly is like, three. Proper? Particularly once they’re so shut, as a result of one is beginning to stroll. It was lots of work. After which on the time, we’re making an attempt to nonetheless do some work. I nonetheless have my sponsors. I nonetheless have stuff. So it was attention-grabbing. However lots of moms undergo it. I’m not the one one and gained’t be the final. But it surely’s that juggle, have the ability to have a associate which you could depend on and take turns, as a result of I believe on the finish of the day, you dedicate your self to be a mother. However I believe you even have pursuits or possibly jobs and you continue to should have your individual persona. It’s very straightforward to only lose your self when you may have youngsters. You’ve got wants, too. So it’s necessary to have a associate say, “Exit and do your factor for some time. I’ve bought it.” And vice versa. So I believe that’s been very useful on our finish right here.
You returned to aggressive golf in 2021, successful the inaugural U.S. Senior Girls’s Open. What made you resolve to return again?
I did use the phrase “step away,” and I didn’t have any intention of coming again, as a result of at the moment, there was no U.S. Senior Girls’s Open and there actually wasn’t anything. And I used to be carried out. I had achieved all the things I wished to attain. It was simply not on my agenda. However I might say the most important factor was Covid got here. And golf was one of many few issues that we may do as a household, being exterior. After which Will actually has a fantastic curiosity within the sport and Ava slightly bit, too. So we performed as a household. After which I spotted that possibly I must apply slightly bit. My sport was slightly rusty. After which I turned 50 and I believed, “You recognize what? I must assist the USGA.” The USGA has been so nice to me all through the years. And if they begin this event, then I ought to actually assist it. So I might say that these three issues simply led to, “Nicely, let’s give this a shot.”
What was it like to start out that grind once more, at 50?
It’s actually been tougher. To not say that I didn’t assume it might be laborious, however sure belongings you’re like, “Nicely, I’ve carried out this,” proper? It simply tells you it’s laborious to be a mother and to attempt to play and to do all of the totally different enterprise collectively. I don’t have as a lot time as I must to apply. So, subsequently, you see it in my efficiency and my sport. And it makes it troublesome. You simply should set the bar in a different way, set the objectives in a different way and settle for the place I’m. And I actually play golf for a distinct cause now than I did then. Now it’s extra about household. We do that collectively. The children adore it. And I’m training with Will. So the aim may be very totally different. And it’s positive. That is this chapter, and I’m cool about it. I’m positive as a result of I’ve had my profession when it was Annika 100% each single day. But it surely’s not about Annika and her golf 100%. It’s extra about serving to him, and household.
Watching you and Will, 13, has been a giant spotlight on the PNC Championship. In December, you gave a touching interview collectively, the place he stated that enjoying with you is the perfect week of his 12 months. How gratifying is it to play alongside him on such a grand stage, and to assist him develop his sport?
As a dad or mum, you’re pleased with your youngsters more often than not. And it’s simply enjoyable to see them develop up as their very own people with their very own ideas and wishes and wishes and behaviors and attitudes and personalities. All of these issues. It’s enjoyable to see with all of the hours that we put in to kind them. We attempt to train them manners, et cetera. So for us to only see, initially, Will to have discovered a ardour. It warms my coronary heart. He beams on daily basis going to golf. He simply can’t wait. And the opposite day, he says, “I used to be born for golf, Mommy.” Not essentially simply to be knowledgeable, however simply he loves the sport a lot. He simply loves it. And to see your child be enthusiastic about one thing is so necessary. After which to have the ability to do it collectively. This has been a ardour of mine for a few years. After which to do it collectively and we’re each very aggressive and it simply warms my coronary heart. And it’s simply enjoyable and we cherish the moments collectively.
I seen that in your private Instagram description, you wrote “Comfortable spouse and mom.” No point out of your Corridor-of-Fame profession. Is there something in your golf profession that may evaluate to the satisfaction that you just obtain from your loved ones life?
I’m tremendous pleased with my profession. I’m very fortunate and lucky that I bought a lot out of my profession. And there are such a lot of moments which were superior. All of the years of journey and accolades and buddies and reminiscences. So lots of them. However that was then. It’s nearly like there’s two folks. As a result of I didn’t know what it was wish to have a household like I do at this time and share it. However now I do. So it’s totally different. After I performed within the U.S. Girls’s Senior simply after Covid when it began in 2021, for me to stroll that fairway with Mike carrying my bag and the youngsters, now we have no ropes there. So the stroll on the green, to stroll with me, if I might evaluate that, that’s successful my first U.S. Open. It is perhaps straightforward for me to say as a result of I’ve achieved the opposite half, however I wouldn’t commerce the issues I do at this time after we hang around with the youngsters for taking part in on LGPA. It was then and that is now.
You’ve stated that the choice to start out enjoying competitively once more was made as a household.
I requested them, “How would you’re feeling if Mommy performed within the Senior Open?” They had been like, “Sure, cool!” “However this must be a household effort.” And so they’re like, “What do you imply?” I stated, “Nicely, sacrifices, as a result of I’ve to go apply. I’ve to play in another tournaments to be prepared.” And I stated, “So I want your persistence and I want your participation. You need to include me. And I’m not going go on the market touring alone, as a result of I’ve already carried out that. It’s not what that is about.” I had all people’s thumbs up, like, we’re doing this. In order that win was for all of us, if that is smart, as a result of they noticed the trouble that was put in. And it’s so cool as a result of Will had stated earlier than, “Mommy, I’ve solely seen you play on YouTube.” That put issues in perspective.
Is there any piece of recommendation which you could provide to others in the case of reaching the non-public {and professional} success that you just’ve had?
There are many methods to pores and skin a cat. You need to discover your individual manner. However the optimistic a part of that’s, it may be carried out alternative ways. And lots of people assume it must be carried out just one manner and anyone else’s manner. I believe we’re all people and you’ll find your manner. In case your will is robust sufficient, you may get issues carried out. However I believe objectives, usually, have to return out of your coronary heart. They should have a which means. I believe lots of people simply throw issues out and it’s like, nicely, does it imply something? And if it doesn’t, then it’s laborious to place the trouble into it. However I might encourage folks to set objectives, as a result of it’s a fantastic roadmap. It helps. And I all the time discuss this to our children. Brief-term objectives and long-term objectives. Lots of people simply begin with the long-terms, which is okay, after which they depart it at that. And it simply appears so far-fetched to get to. Lots of people simply lose power or they don’t have the religion that they will get there. So add some short-term objectives, so it’s such as you take a step at a time and ultimately get to the highest of the ladder. And it really works rather well. Not simply in golf, however in life.
