Sorenstam struggles in Florida
Toolbox
Staff and Wire Reports - Published: November 21, 2008
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Annika Sorenstam arrived at the first tee Thursday morning, shook a few hands and got a kiss on the cheek from Donald Trump.
Then she turned to the gallery and waved.
Today, unless she moves a bit up the leaderboard, she'll be waving goodbye.
Sorenstam shot a 2-over par 74 in Thursday's opening round of the ADT Championship, good for a tie for 23rd in the 32-woman event, her final tournament before "stepping away" from competitive golf. The field gets trimmed to 16 after Friday's play, meaning Sorenstam has some work remaining just to reach the weekend.
Otherwise, a Hall of Fame career will likely come to an unceremonious end.
"I was a little nervous. I feel like I'm playing good. I'm excited about the week," Sorenstam said. "But I'm telling you, nothing went my way today."
Indeed, it was not a dominant round for the woman who once controlled her sport. She went barefoot into the water on the par-3 seventh to salvage a bogey and was 4 over through 10 holes, putting her into what seemed like a precarious spot.
But as she's done so many times throughout her 72-win career, she rallied.
Sorenstam put together consecutive birdies on the par-4 14th and par-5 15th to stop the bogey bleeding and eventually finished six shots behind Katherine Hull (68).
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