Sorenstam to quit competition at end of the year

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sweden's Annika Sorenstam, who has dominated women's golf for a decade, said on Tuesday she would quit competition at the end of this year.

Sorenstam, who has 72 LPGA Tour victories and 10 major titles, made her announcement at a news conference before this week's Sybase Classic in Clifton, New Jersey.

"I am very proud of what I have accomplished as a professional golfer and while I will no longer be playing competitively, I will continue to be very involved and engaged in the game of golf," Sorenstam said.

The 37-year-old Swede earned a record eight Player of the Year awards on the LPGA Tour after starting on the circuit in 1994 and won six Vare trophies for lowest scoring average.

Sorenstam was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2003.

Her announcement comes after a seven-shot victory on Sunday in the Michelob Ultra Open in which she beat world number one Lorena Ochoa among other rivals to ease some of the frustration of a winless 2007 season marred by back and neck injuries.

"The reason for this decision is that I have other priorities in my life," she said. "I have a lot of dreams that I want to follow, I want to live and I'm getting married in January.

"(Fiance) Mike (McGee) and I want to start a family."  Continued...