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GOLF

Sorenstam misses cut as glorious career comes to a close

Swedish golf superstar Annika Sörenstam missed the cut in her final event in Florida on Friday, ending a 15-year glorious career on the American ladies golf tour.

Sorenstam misses cut as glorious career comes to a close

The ending for Sörenstam came a bit sooner than anticipated as she bowed out of the season-ending USLPGA ADT Championship after Friday’s second round.

A teary-eyed Sörenstam said she was able to pack more joy and memories into

her storied career that she ever imagined.

“It’s almost that a tear wants to come out, but it’s not really coming out,” said Sörenstam, who shot a three-over 75 on Friday to finish in a tie for 18th. “I think it’s because I’m very happy with what I’ve done. You know, I’m content. I’ve said it all along, I feel good.”

The field was cut to 16 players after the second round with Aussie Katherine Hull atop the leaderboard.

“I had really two good chances there (on holes 14 and 15), and when you don’t make those, you know it’s going to be very hard,” Sörenstam said.

While Friday’s round wraps up her American career, the 38-year-old Swede is scheduled to play her final tournament in Dubai next month.

The owner of 72 LPGA wins and 10 major championships, Sörenstam announced in May that she had decided to end her Hall of Fame career and pursue other interests.

“It’s been a wonderful career,” Sörenstam said. “I’ve enjoyed it immensely.”

“I don’t think just a few words would summarize how I feel or what I’ve achieved or what I’ve gone through in experiences.”

Sörenstam won three times on the LPGA Tour this season and has said she has no regrets about moving on.

She also stated that she wants to start a family and pursue other business interests, including her golf academy in Florida.

“I can’t imagine how she’s doing right now,” Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa said of Sörenstam.

“But I guess it will come for all of us at one point. So we can only say that we enjoyed having her, and thank you for everything.”

Sörenstam is leaving the LPGA just when the tour seems to need her most.

The global economic crisis has taken a big bite out of the budget as organizers announced this week they plan to slash prize money by over five million dollars in 2009.

With sponsorship money dwindling, officials also plan to cut the number of tournaments from 34 to 31 next season.

The players have also had to deal with a new steroid and performance-enhancing drug programme for the first time in 2008 and the implementation of a English language proficiency policy next year.

FOOTBALL

Tennis courts and golf courses to reopen in Denmark

Danes will be able to take up their tennis rackets and golf clubs again after the country's two biggest sports associations announced that outdoor sports with no physical contact can resume again.

Tennis courts and golf courses to reopen in Denmark
Tennis will be one of the first sports to restart. Photo: Søren Bidstrup/Ritzau Scanpix
The Sports Confederation of Denmark and the country's other sports association DGI announced that they had agreed new guidelines for restarting group sports with the Danish Health Authority, in a press release issued on Tuesday. 
 
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“This is the first sign of sport opening up, and we are really pleased that the health authorities have given us guidelines so that some activities can start up again,” Charlotte Bach Thomassen, chair of the Danish sports association DGI, said. 
 
“Of course, joining together in sports clubs must be safe from a  health point of view, so it is important to be aware that in many sports associations you will not be able to meet physically.” 
 
 
DIF chairman Niels Nygaard told Ritzau that the announcement did not mean any organisation would be required to restart activities they did not regard as safe. 
 
“These are voluntary associations where there are differences from association to association and sport to sport,” he said. “Our recommendations are not a requirement for associations to start activities. They can do it if it can be done under safe conditions, and if they have doubts about whether it can be done, then they shouldn't do it.”
 
According to the joint press release, group sports can now restart if: 
 
  • they take place outside 
  • participants can keep a distance of two meters from others
  • participants pay special attention to hand hygiene
  • rackets, clubs or other props are frequently cleaned
  • participants cough or sneeze into your elbow or a paper towel
  • participants stay home if they have a fever, cough or muscle soreness. 
  • shared facilities such as clubhouses and dressing and shower facilities are not used 
 
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