BBC SPORT | Golf | Sorenstam the record-breaker

The records keep on tumbling for Annika Sorenstam.

The Swede fought off a cold and her opponents to take the Mizuno Classic on Sunday - her 10th win on the LPGA Tour in 2002.

Sorenstam wins in Japan

Not since 1968, when both Kathy Whitworth and Carol Mann achieved the feat, has anyone on the LPGA Tour managed 10 titles in one year.

Add to that wins in Australia and Sweden and the 32-year-old will head to the season-ending Tour Championship on 21 November with the chance to make it 13 wins for the year.

That would equal the feat of Mickey Wright back in 1963 in the early years of the LPGA Tour.

Sorenstam's 2002 wins

ANZ Australian Masters

LPGA Takefuji Classic

Kraft Nabisco Championship

Aerus Electrolux USA Championship

Kellogg Keebler Classic

Evian Masters

ShopRite LPGA Classic

Compaq Open

Williams Championship

Safeway Classic

Samsung Championship

Mizuno Classic

But creating history is nothing new to Sorenstam.

In 2001 she set or tied 30 LPGA records, including carding an unprecedented round of 59.

She became the first player in the tour's history to pass $2m in a year.

The win at the Mizuno Classic - her 12th title in 24 starts - took her past $2.5m for 2002.

Her nearest competitor Se Ri Pak is almost $1m behind, while Sorenstam has pocketed more than double the winnings of third-placed Juli Inkster.

But rather than sit back and enjoy her latest victory, the Swede has already set her sights on finishing the year on a winning note.

"It would be nice," she said. "I keep saying that I've won 12 because I have worldwide.

"I consider it to be 12 and the Tour Championship would give me 13. So, I have something more that I would like to achieve.

"After that I'm going to relax for a while, but I still want to improve my golf game."

If there is one area where there is room for improvement it is Sorenstam's major record.

Her dominance of the women's game often draws comparison with Tiger Woods.

Annika Sorenstam
Sorenstam has enjoyed two remarkable seasons

But while Woods has made life a major misery for the top male players, Sorenstam's record in the big events is relatively poor by her lofty standards.

After winning her second consecutive Kraft Nabisco Championship in March she talked openly about her chances of a grand slam of Major titles.

But for a second straight year she failed to win any of the final three majors.

Sorenstam had to settle for second in the Women's Open and third in the LPGA Championship.

And at the British Open in Turnberry she slumped to six over par and missed the cut for the third time in six years.

She was even overshadowed by her younger sister Charlotta.

"I've had a lot of great rounds this year and have hit some great shots, but there's still a few things that I can be better at," she added.

Which does not bode well for the rest of the Tour in 2003.


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