By Phillip Howley

Edina, Minn. – Perhaps for the first time in her illustrious career, the intensely competitive Annika Sorenstam waved a white flag on Wednesday. Retiring at the end of the year, she is now conceding, as well.

"Unfortunately, I am not going to be able to catch him now," said Sorenstam with a smile. "He’s got 14 and I’ve only got (two) more majors, so I have to let that race go."

At one time, the race was something. At one time, it was hard to say who might be most qualified to wear a, "The One Who Dies With The Most Majors Wins" T-shirt.

But Woods recently won the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, his 14^th career major. A week earlier, Sorenstam tied for third at the McDonald’s LPGA Championship presented by Coca-Cola.

With 10 on her resume, with only weeks remaining in her storied career, Sorenstam has been mathematically eliminated from the friendly rivalry with Woods.

"The race" is just one of the things she will miss, one of the things that might cross her mind as she began her 15^th and final Women’s Open at Interlachen Country Club Thursday.

"It’s special," said Sorenstam, 37. "To be honest, I try not to think about it. The last few tournaments it’s been the same way. Last week was the last time in Rochester, and then it was the last time at McDonald’s.

"And I can be an emotional player, but I can also be a very cold player. I try to just stay cold about my emotions and just focus on what I have to do."

At this point, Sorenstam doesn’t have to do anything, other than show up for press conferences, play out the schedule and wave goodbye. But playing out the string isn’t in her makeup.

What Sorenstam would love to do is win this last Women’s Open, add it to her enormous collection of special moments, and tie the record of four U.S. Women’s Open Championship titles shared by Mickey Wright and Betsy Rawls.

What Sorenstam would like to do is reach deep into a tank that has nearly gone empty and reach that top speed one more time. At this point, as she winds down the final days of her farewell tour, Sorenstam admits she can’t be sure how much gas remains in the tank.

"You only have so much to give and I’m coming to a point where it’s hard to get geared up other than for the big events," Sorenstam said. "It’s tough to be out there every day grinding and working and improving.

"All the traveling and planning everything you do around golf … the schedule and the practice, you name it. I think that’s what I mean by ‘the tank.’ It’s just … you just don’t have the energy as much."

One thing is certain, whatever energy she has, Sorenstam will expend it for the two remaining majors – this week’s Women’s Open and the RICOH Women’s British Open on July 31-Aug. 3.

Her roots with USGA championships run deep. The 1995 U.S. Women’s Open was the first victory of Sorenstam’s career, a slate that has added 71 LPGA wins over 13 subsequent years.

Winding down or not, Sorenstam has embellished the profile with three of those "Ws" this season, and risen to the No. 2 ranking in the world of women’s golf. A title this week at Interlachen, a bookend to her breakthrough championship in ’95, would be magical.

But she well knows one doesn’t win on Sunday by projecting such thoughts on Wednesday.

"That’s looking too far ahead for me," said Sorenstam, whose game should fit comfortably at position-demanding Interlachen, where she starred at the 2002 Solheim Cup. "I have had a lot of victories that have been very special. But you never know … At this point, I just really want to focus on [Thursday], one shot at a time, and it’s a long ways to go.

"But as you all know, I care a lot about this championship and I’m going to do the best I can to be up there on Sunday."

If she is in the hunt, if she would happen to be walking down the 18^th fairway on Sunday with a chance to win, Sorenstam knows putting a cold wrap on all of those emotions will be difficult. She’s eager to try.

"I do know in the back of my mind that come Sunday, I won’t be playing here anymore and it’s … I will miss it," she said. "But on the other hand, this is my decision to step away and you can’t have it all.

"I’ve had a lot the last 15 years and I’ve enjoyed it. Now it’s time to move on and I think there’s going to be some other things to look forward to."

One race is over. The other "races" in Sorenstam’s life are just beginning.