ORLANDO, Florida – Annika Sorenstam doesn’t remember golf being that difficult.
She still got a lot of smiles on Thursday, when the most dominant player of her era played her first LPGA Tour event in over 12 years. With a birdie and a bad hole, Sorenstam had a 3-over 75 at LPGA Gainbridge on his domestic course at Lake Nona.
“It seems a little more stressful, that kind of golf,” she said.
Sorenstam made 10 strokes behind another Lake Nona member, Lydia Ko, who opened with 7 under 65 for a 2-stroke lead.
But then, this week is not about Sorenstam adding 72 career wins or even starting a comeback at age 50. The LPGA Tour arrived at her home and she wanted to play.
With that curve and starting shots that most of the time found the fairway, it didn’t look like Sorenstam had been away from the LPGA Tour since November 23, 2008, when he retired after a three-win season to start a family.
It was the rest of the game that seemed so strange.
“I could have been more aggressive on the shots, I could have been more aggressive on the iron shots,” she said. “I’m at a point in my life that is not automatic. He’s not a pin hunter the way he was. Now he’s more of a green hunter. I did well. Golf is a little more stressful, but overall, it’s fun.”
Lake Nona members and some family guests were allowed, and Sorenstam found about 150 people gathered around the first tee. This constitutes a considerable crowd in the COVID-19 pandemic era.
“I was very nervous. I’ve been nervous for a few days,” said Sorenstam, adding that she practiced meditation that morning to help calm her down.
The highlight was a gap wedge about 95 meters in hole 14 that landed about 10 meters behind the hole and turned back a foot away for an incoming birdie.
Sorenstam said he could play well on 14 holes, but there were surprises in the other four. She only had a surprise on Thursday, but it was a big one.
After opening with four pars, she pulled her tee off the fifth hole so far to the left that she settled directly under the gate of a wrought iron fence. The rules officials determined that it was at stake “through a dimple.” Sorenstam asked if she could open the gate to play the shot, but that was not allowed.
And then she almost made another mistake. She was reminded that the fall was at the knee, not at the shoulder. The Rules of Golf have been updated three times since she last played, the major overhaul taking place two years ago.
“I haven’t studied the rules in 13 years. Rules are not part of my life now,” she said with a laugh.
After a penalty takedown, she hit the fairway about 70 yards, hit a common wedge and made three strokes of about 18 feet for a triple bogey.
“I can’t remember the last time I did the triple bogey,” she said.
Sorenstam also made three strokes at No. 10 and was unable to birdie in any of the par 5. Rust was evident.
In competition, with a scorecard in hand, Sorenstam was hesitant and rarely got along with the birdie. That was to be expected, and will have to improve if she wants to play over the weekend.
“I haven’t been on for that long,” she said, and this was evident from the few times that Madelene Sagstrom hit about 60 meters after she was off the tee. “I’ve always had another march. I don’t even know if I have one now.”
Sorenstam still understands that this week is more than making way for containment.
Before going to the first shirt, she posed for pictures with family and friends, including a selfie with a person. She stopped along fairway 15 – not far from her home – to hug her daughter (Ava) and son (Will) when they finished school and went out to watch.
She played with two other Swedes, Anna Nordqvist and Sagstrom, who she has known since they were juniors. After signing the cards, they wanted a photo with Sorenstam.
It had a ceremonial feel to it, which was good for Sorenstam.
“I am in a different position with my game,” she said. “When I talk to my friends, they say, ‘This is how golf is for all of us’. Well, it was never for me, “said Sorenstam.” It was a bit like a roller coaster. It makes you tiptoe a little bit longer than before. “