Sorenstam Seeking Open Title

She’s the best female golfer since Patty Berg. Maybe the best ever.

But Annika Sorenstam hasn’t won a U.S. Women’s Open in 10 years.

“After winning in ‘96, the first few years after that, I put a lot of pressure on myself,” said Sorenstam, who begins play in the Open today at Newport Country Club. “I felt like I came out, won two in a row and thought, ‘Wow. I’ve got this. It’s a great championship.’

“I came out and expected the same thing, and it never happened. I felt like I beat up on myself. I’ve been close a few times, but you know, it’s tough. A lot of things have to go right to win this.”

Sorenstam has come close twice, finishing second to Juli Inkster in 2002 and to Meg Mallon two years later.

Sorenstam has nine major titles -- Berg has 15 and Mickey Wright 13 -- and had won the first two majors of last season before stumbling home 23rd at the Open at Cherry Hills.

Thoughts of a Grand Slam had danced in her head.

“It did for the first day,” said Sorenstam, who has 67 victories. “I was prepared going into the event, but I just didn’t play very well. It was a tough golf course. It was a course where I could not hit the driver, and I had been driving it really well.”

Unlike 18-year-old tour rookie Morgan Pressel, who played her seventh practice round Wednesday, or 16-year-old Michelle Wie, who has been in town since last Thursday, Sorenstam got her first look at the Open course Tuesday afternoon.

“I love the fact that the course is quite long,” she said. “I like the fact that we’re going to get some wind. It’s going to be a great course for this type of championship.”