CARLSBAD, CA – Once glance at Annika Sorenstam’s schedule and it’s hard to believe she’s retired.
The last week has been busier than usual with the former world No. 1 competing in her first triathlon and serving as co-host of this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. Both were opportunities for the former world No. 1 to challenge herself in new ways.
“It’s obvious is that I’m a competitor, in case you didn’t know, I’m a very competitive person,” Sorenstam told LPGA.com. “I love sports. I’ve just been doing different types of workouts since I stopped golf, so I tried different things.”
Bored with hitting the gym and wanting a goal to work towards, Sorenstam and a friend began prepping for a triathlon. Since October she’s been search for an opportunity to compete and when a triathlon was scheduled just 10 minutes from her home in Orlando, she signed up.
Sorenstam completed the half-mile swim, 12 mile bike ride and three mile run in 1 hour, 29 minutes and 59 seconds. And yes, she is counting.
“I’m going to do it again, not nothing scheduled yet,” Sorenstam said. “I want to try the next level, the Olympic level which is double the distance, probably in the Fall or a year from now.”
Following the triathlon, Sorenstam took up co-hosting duties across town at Bay Hill, the site of the first playing of the Arnold Palmer Invitational since the King’s passing.
“It was weird, but you felt him there - on the driving range to have his golf bag and umbrella like he was about to hit balls and his golf cart out on the course,” Sorenstam said. “What I thought was really cool, some of the players they had the umbrella embroidered on their shoes and the hat. Everyone did it very respectfully.”
Sorenstam took part in the unveiling of a new Arnold Palmer statue on-site, as well as Arnie's March for children’s cancer and the drawing party. Her co-hosts were the PGA Tour’s Graeme McDowell, Peter Jacobsen, Curtis Strange and former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge.
The next stop on Sorenstam’s busy schedule? The ANA Inspiration where she’ll be hosting her second Share My Passion Girls Golf clinic.
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