AS The golf course design. I've just signed
another deal in Turkey. I'm on my ninth
golf course and only two have finished. So
I haven't been affected there. I don't think
I would have 20 even if the economy was
good because there's only so much you can
do. But as far as The Annika Academy, I see
it turning around quite a bit. We've had to
adjust what we do but we're doing, I think,
very well compared to others because we're
an exclusive golf school. I wish the wine and
the fragrance (brands) would do a little better. Everybody who's had a sip of our wine
or smelled our perfume loves it. Then how
do you transfer that to buy it? People love it
when it's served at outings they go to, but
they're not paying for it.
GGP what are you doing for personal recreation
and when was the last round of golf you
played?
AS I played nine holes Saturday but it was the
first time in eight weeks. We were up in
Tahoe skiing. But as far as taking time for
myself, time for me I spend with Ava or Mike
or we have friends over. I would love to play
tennis, but if I have time, I will squeeze in a
workout. There's not a lot of time to sit there
and go, "What now?" It's boom, boom, boom,
boom, boom.
GGP How often do you get to work out?
AS About three times a week.
GGP do you still work with Kai (longtime soren-
stam trainer Kai Fusser)?
AS I still do his programs and I still call him on certain things. I wish there were 36 hours in the day.
GGP when you were playing and healthy, how
many days a week would you work out?
AS At home, five days a week. On the road, it
was three.
GGP when was the last time you played 18 holes
and actually kept score?
AS That was when I played in Dubai, a year and
two months ago. (Sorenstam shot 71 in the
final round of the 2008 Dubai Ladies Masters
to finish T7.)
GGP any withdrawal pains on the golf?
AS None at all. I probably played 10 times last
year. I went from all day long every week to
nothing. My game is not where it was but I
really don't care. I have so many other fun
things. I feel better about, hey, this is the
right thing and I don't regret it.
GGP were you able to enjoy the nine holes
saturday?
AS It was frustrating because I didn't hit it well.
So you can never win (laughter).
GGP On another front, what's your take on the
new commissioner, Michael whan, and have
you had a chance to speak to him?
AS I've spoken to him a few times by phone and
we've exchanged e-mails. My first impression
is I like the guy. He's smart, he listens. He
has some good ideas and he's not afraid to
voice his opinion. What I've heard from people
who have met him is they like him. They think
he's a breath of fresh air. So far, so good.
GGP what is the most important issue facing him?
AS He needs to gather the troops, get everybody
in the same room and say, 'This is our plan;
this is what we're about and this is the direction in which we are going,' just rally everybody. We're talking players, sponsors, media,
you name it. It's just so important because
there's been talk over here and talk over
there. There's just been no working together,
so that's the biggest thing. It's not so much
that we need to get more more tournaments,
because a lot of tournaments have signed on
again and I'm not so much worried about the
schedule, it's just as far as media exposure
and marketing and how can we get our brand
out and get people connected.
“i worked until there
was no more daylight,
so whoever beat me
would have to practice
in the dark.”
GGP there have probably been more commis-
sioners in the last 20 years in the Lpga
than the organization wanted. why has that
been?
AS Other commissioners came in and it all
sounded good but people have not agreed
or not understood. It's hard when you have
so many international players and domestic
players. There's just so many visions. And I
think that's where you get the friction a little
bit. Some commissioners have tried to adapt
to that but haven't gotten the approval from
other players.
GGP Has the industriousness of the Koreans
changed the work habits of the other players?
AS I think some of them have. There's no doubt
they work extremely hard. I do think that top
players drive the other players to work hard.
I think I had a good work ethic. Lorena Ochoa
works very hard. There are a lot of players at
the top who work hard. To be able to catch up
or stay at the top, you've got to work.
GGP Maybe this is hard for you to measure, but
do you feel like anybody outworked you
when you were in your prime and playing
your best golf?
AS I don't know if they were outworking me. Kar-rie (Webb) worked hard. Se Ri (Pak) worked
hard. I worked hard on a lot of aspects. The
fitness, I worked very hard. Overall, I would
say at my peak that's all I did. I worked until
there was no more daylight, so whoever beat
me would have to practice in the dark. So,
it's hard to tell. There are some very talented
players who don't have to practice as much.
But I lived for golf. That's all I did. Practice,
work out an hour-and-a-half in the morning,
home, quick shower, practice, have lunch,
and then play a few holes and practice. I got
home when it was dark. That was it.
GGP you were actively involved in the recent
push to get golf into the Olympics. How
important will golf in the Olympics be?
AS Number one is the awareness to the world,
which, I think, will lead to growing the game
because interest will be there. And giving the
opportunities for other countries to spend
monies on golf. There are a lot of federations
that will only spend money on golf if they're
in the Olympics, which means there will a
