EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — A cheeky text message from good friend Tiger Woods will help motivate women’s world number one Annika Sorenstam as she chases a third Evian Masters crown here today.
Sorenstam revealed that newly crowned British Open champion Woods had wasted no time in pointing out that he had now won one more major than his female counterpart, with 11 to Sorenstam’s 10.
“Yes he was in touch,” Sorenstam said on the eve of the $3 million LPGA tournament, the second richest tournament in women’s golf.
“It was a pretty smart comment, just letting me know, in case I hadn’t noticed, that he had won another major.”
Sorenstam will be looking for a morale-boosting victory at the Evian Masters as she prepares for her assault on the final major of the women’s season, the British Open at Royal Lytham next week. Sweden’s world number one headlines an elite 78-strong field chasing the Masters crown.
The list also includes two of the world’s best teenagers, 18-year-old defending champion Paula Creamer and 16-year-old Michelle Wie, who finished second last year, albeit eight shots behind Creamer. Sorenstam won in 2000 and 2002 and aims to surpass fellow-Swede Helen Alfredsson and England’s Laura Davies, the only other two-time winners.
Sorenstam endured a slow start to the season by her standards, with just a sole victory in Mexico coming before she burst back with a win at the US Women’s Open in Rhode Island earlier this month. “I am excited to be back here,” she continued. “This is one of the most wonderful places in the world and is definitely one of the highlights of our schedule. I am always glad to be back in Europe and it seems likes the weather is very, very beautiful.”
For Wie, it is a first appearance since she was forced to pull out of the second round of the John Deere Classic on the men’s PGA Tour in Illinois. She ended up in hospital suffering from heat exhaustion. “I’m fine now, but just have to be more careful and make sure I take plenty rest,” said the celebrated teenager, who is making her third Evian appearance, but the first time as a professional.
