European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 28, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse June 2007 stars and stripes Page 55 Morenstam faces her stiffest Challenge yet in women open by Doug Ferguson the associated press Southern the gradual slide from the top of women Golf began in the major championship that brought Annika Morenstam so much Satis fac she salvaged her worst season of this decade last year in the women a week where everything went the thick fog that wiped out the first round at Newport country club gave her an extra Day to refine her her stamina carried her through 36 holes on and a four shot Victory in the 18hole that also was when she first Felt slight soreness in her which was nothing More than a nuisance at the it turned into much More than Only nine months later did Morenstam realize she had a bulging disk in her Back and a ruptured disk in her knocking her out of com petition for two its funny How things come to Gether one Way or so Ernstam said on what she craves now is for everything to fall Back into the women open is her third tournament Back after recovering from her and Al ready the world she once ruled has changed so Lorena Ochoa is the 1 player in women expanding her Lead in the ranking by winning last week in a Morgan Pressel became the youngest major Champion in Lyga his tory when the 18yearold Cap tured the Kraft Nabisco Champi the other major went to Suzann a dynamic norwegian and disciple of the vision 54 concept under which Soren Stam matured into a there Are two dozen teenagers at Pine and that Doest include 12yearold Alexis Thomp the youngest qualifier note eco to beat their service credit Union is proud to offer you the absolute Best Auto loan rate if we cant beat a competitor Well pay you Low rates and fast approvals mean hassle free shopping for people on the used refinances Are eligible no payments for 90 Days apply at a local Branch or by phone Best Auto loan rate 539 apr Nacua w to Low we to to chum apr reduction or ill tax direct Ottto an or current Sci or Fandt of or for the Challenge has rarely been this severe and just from the my challenges Are that i have not been 100 percent for a and its been Tough to get motivate she in looking Forward to getting my motivation in excited to be 100 percent so i can be up there and get Back to it just Hast been that Way the last few and maybe part of last she Doest look at still missing a major to validate her role As rather to there is a part of Morenstam that believes she decides who the and it starts with her getting it helped slightly that her last form of though Uno came 10 Days ago when she beat Ochoa on the fourth extra Hole to win a skins game exhibit but the women open is where history Means More than Morenstam has a Chance this week to join Mickey Wright and Betsy Rawls As the Only fou time winners of the most prestigious event in women and it helps being Back at Pine this is the course where Soren Stam won her second Wom ens open title in 1996 with a Dis play of precision that defines her she missed Only five fair ways Over four winning by five the course has been length ened since when Karrie Webb won by eight shots at the Peak of her rivalry with Soren it now measures Yards As a Par the longest championship course at sea Morenstam worked on her Chip Ping and putting on and her practice round on tuesday was interrupted by Thunder but the place brings Back Good Good i have Confidence just being in Side the she that where i like to that where i think i i have Confidence to go ahead and play just knowing that in and knowing that my game is coming its great to be the defending this tournament has always meant the most to this is the event that i always get geared up Morenstam said she has been without pain for the last several although she still struggles to Trust herself enough to attack every she has increased her practice now hitting As Many balls As she if i can hit it where my Caddie tells in not so she Morenstam has 10 still five from the record held by Patty she also is stuck on 69 tour and it looks unlikely she can reach the 88 won by Kathy with the Competition so Tough and me starting to think about other in not sure that will Morenstam right in just Happy to be Back in focusing on this week and Well see How it
