Notebook: Sorenstam Fades Away

Southern Pines, N.C. – Annika Sorenstam will have her fifth MRI on Monday at home in Melbourne, Fla., to make sure that her rehabilitation on her injured neck continues on schedule.

Next she wants to strengthen her once-mighty golf game.

Playing in just her third event after a lengthy layoff due to a bulging disc in her neck, the defending champion tried to take some positives out of her performance at the 62^nd U.S. Open staged at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club. Sorenstam closed with a 2-over-par 73 and ended up tied for 32^nd with an 8-over 292 aggregate total.

"I wish I could say I did (have a good week). I’m very disappointed," Sorenstam, 37, said after holing out for par on the ninth green, far off the leaderboard and away from the leaders, on the opposite side of the course. "I actually thought I scored quite well for the way I hit it. Overall, it has not been a good week. I gave it all and I tried all the way to the end, and I hit some beautiful shots here and there. (But) my game is not in the state I need it to be and I just have to work it out for the long term."

In-Bee Park had a solid week on the green, finishing first in putting with a 1.53 average. (John Mummert/USGA)

Sorenstam, winner of 69 titles, said earlier in the week that she did not have the same desire that she once had. But she is not willing to evacuate the top level of the sport just yet. There is still some determination in her, and she is willing to work on her game if she can achieve some progress.

"That’s what it’s going to take," she said. "I still love the competition. I know I won’t be able to grind as much. But that’s what it’s going to take to get back to the top. I used to grind with hitting thousands and thousands of balls. I haven’t been able to do that; the last 10 weeks there has been very little of that.

"If I think back to six weeks ago, I am stronger. I love seeing the steps. I love getting better. I was at the top, and now I’m at a different level and trying to get back to that."

The important thing, she said, is staying patient, which she did this week.

"I don’t want to analyze it too much. I’ve got to think long-term. I’m hard on myself, and it’s hard to compare my peak game to this. I try to tell myself to take it as it is. I have doctors telling me I need surgery, and I haven’t been back very long, but I’m hard on myself, I’m tough on myself and I expect a lot more. I have to be realistic too. I sort of have one half of my brain telling me one thing and the other half telling me another.

"Right now I just want to get my full strength back. I don’t know how long that could take; that could take probably two months. But then I would like to be able to compete at the top level again. If you think about it, all last year I was struggling to just get around. I really haven’t had a good, solid base, and now I’m sort of starting over again, and it’s going to take time."

Low Amateurs

Amateur Jennifer Song and Jennie Lee tied for low amateur honors. Both finished at 10 over par for the championship.

Song, 17, was playing in her first Women’s U.S. Open and recorded scores of 72-73-73-76. Lee, 20, playing in her second Women’s Open, went 71-74-75-74 to finish T39 with Song.

"I've really learned a lot about what I can improve in my game and just being able to play practice rounds with some of the professionals," said Lee of her experience. "And even today I played with Sherri Steinhauer and she told me she's been out here for 22 years.

"I really learned a lot from her today, just her being patient around the greens and just her composure all day long. I think just us being able to come here we really, really learned a lot from a lot of the professionals."

Amanda Blumenherst, 20, was co-low amateur in the 2006 U.S. Women’s Open at Newport Country Club with Jane Park but this year she shot 12 over par.

Mina Harigae, 17, from Monterey, Calif., appeared in her first Women’s Open victory via her victory at the Women’s Amateur Public Links championship last week in Kentucky. Harigae (21-over 305) finished tied for 67^th.

Park’s Week

Playing in her second Women’s Open and first as a professional, Korean In-Bee Park had her best finish as a professional with a closing 69. She tied with Se Ri Pak for fourth at 2-under 282.

Park, 18, last played in the Women’s Open in 2004, missing the cut. She eventually turned professional in 2006 but has had limited success since joining the LPGA Tour. Last year she played on the Futures Tour, where she earned her LPGA card in 2006.

In 13 events on the LPGA Tour in 2007, Park’s best finish had been a tie for 45th at the Corning LPGA Classic. She had missed six cuts. But this week at Pine Needles everything seemed to click for Park with two rounds in the 60s (first and fourth rounds). In 35 rounds this year Park had only one round in the 60s and 27 rounds over par.

"This is the best finish of my season," said the 2002 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion. "I think that this has to be a good start and I'll play good throughout the season hopefully."

Alex Miceli is a writer for the Golf Press Association. Dave Shedloski is a freelance writer whose work has appeared previously on www.uswomensopen.com.