Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

"Two years ago I was washing my car in the driveway on Christmas Eve," the Florida based Swede revealed in a recent interview. "I saw Michelle Wie driving past in a cart with her golf clubs. I remember thinking I didn't know what was stranger; that she was practicing on Christmas Eve or that I was washing my car.

"When that voice inside you starts to question your life, listen to it, have a conversation with it," she told .

To have been as successful as Sorenstam was, the focus had to be without compromise.

She undoubtedly made the most of her talents through relentless practice and with to match the impact of Tiger Woods in men's golf.

In a 15-year career, Sorenstam has won 89 tournaments worldwide including ten majors and 72 victories on the LPGA Tour. These statistics barely scratch the surface of her achievements in a game she took up in preference to tennis, skiing and football when she was twelve.

Painfully shy as a junior, she would deliberately three putt final greens to throw away wins to avoid making victory speeches. she became a serial winner, amassing prize money in excess of $22 million.

At the Moon Valley Country Club in Pheonix she opened her second round at the tournament with eight consecutive birdies. From then on the challenge was to keep emotions in tact and by the final green she two putted for par to become .

The round contained 13 birdies; the longest par putt she faced was no more than 3 and a half feet from the hole. Sorenstam branded herself Ms 59 and relentlessly marched on winning eleven times the next year with a record low scoring average of 68.69.

In 2003 her domination was so great it became a legitimate sporting question to ask . The Colonial Tournament was hand picked because the course wasn't the longest and the sponsors wanted to cash in.

Sorenstam was in the spotlight like never before. The girl who hated public speaking had become the woman who at that time was the hottest interview in the game - not that she has ever been the most forthcoming in front of microphones.

Even so she acquitted herself well in the press room and despite not making the cut she performed with credit on the course. Those two rounds and the publicity they generated were the bedrock of the brand "Annika" that she is now seeking to develop without the crutch of competition.

She won the to complete her set of the biggest titles in the women's game and in 2006 won her final major .

she won 22 of 35 matches, but never managed to be on the winning side when Europe played away in the US.

It's perhaps the one thing missing from her CV but she can cope with that. Sorenstam said: "I wouldn't say that put a dampener on my career at all. I guess there is always something but I have been part of many Solheim Cup teams and we had the win in Sweden which was huge.

"I want to be remembered for my golf, sportsmanship and as somebody who enjoyed the challenge and wasn't afraid to push and get better," Sorenstam added.

Rest assured she will be remembered for all those qualities and many more.

Understandable as it is, Sorenstam's departure is a big blow to a women's game that, despite , is struggling to capture the imagination of the sporting public. The fact that is welcome news but hardly compensates for the loss of a true great.

For one more week we can enjoy Sorenstam's presence on Tour. It must be correct to assume that for this final appearance her desire for victory will be as strong as it was at the height of her powers.

If she does win this career closing event, the Dubai Ladies Masters, she will have successfully defended that title for the second year running. Only the very brave would bet against it happening.