Perfume, golf courses and charity work ahead

Dubai: Perfumes, a golf academy, a foundation and building golf courses are just some of the things Annika Sorenstam plans to focus her energies on when she is done with golf.

The Dubai Ladies Masters will also mark the end of Sorenstam's 15-year career during which she registered 90 professional wins, including 10 Majors.

Arguably one of the greatest women golfers of all time, Sorenstam is also bidding for a hat-trick of victories in the Ladies Masters, which will be her final tournament. Following her marriage to long-time fiancé Mike McGee early next year, Sorenstam will seek to advance her varied business interests.

The former World No1 and current No3 said: "Certain things will not change and that's being competitive.

"Just because I pin the issue here in Dubai doesn't mean I don't care about competing. My goal is to channel my energy and competitiveness into the business world.

"It's not going to be easy with the business and the academy.

"I have a foundation and am building golf courses as well, and being a female in this world and industry is not easy.

"The list goes on and on. I'm going to need to stay competitive, relevant and successful and I'm going to need all the experience I've got over the last 15 years for that."

Sorenstam feels she has come a long way since her debut in 1992 and hopes to inspire youngsters to believe in themselves.

"I don't know if I would even recognise myself. I think I've changed quite a bit, even matured quite a bit.

"I mean if somebody had told me what I was about to achieve, I would have said you're crazy.

"But then again, I'm very proud of the transformation; not just personally, but as a golfer as well.

"Golf has been incredible to me. I think I've learned a lot from a game that was just a hobby.

"Of all the places I've been, of all the people I've met, that it could have such an impact on me is simply amazing.

"I hope I can inspire kids to do the same things I've done because I know it is possible.

"I come from a little city in Sweden and here I am in Dubai. I've been travelling all around the world. I think it's quite the story and I would love to share that with other people and just tell them that anything is possible."