Atlanta _ A few days after LPGA superstar Annika Sorenstam announced her retirement at age 37, the very disappointed Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez dropped by Dunwoody Country Club.

Lopez, who lives in Albany, Ga., won 48 tournaments while raising three daughters. At 51, she still hopes to play this season, which Sorenstam says will be her last before starting a family.

AP (ENLARGE)

Golfing greats Nancy Lopez (left) and Annika Sorenstam as they appeared in photos taken at their career peaks in 1999 and 2001, respectively

Always promoting her sport, Lopez was here to present her self-titled award to the country's best female amateur player, Duke's Amanda Blumenherst. Lopez spoke about Sorenstam's decision and her own career choices, game and husband, baseball star Ray Knight.

Q. What was your reaction to Annika's announcement?

A. Shocked. She's just too young. She's added so much to our Tour. She's a little bit older than the current generation and she's the one that young girls are training to be. I hate it.

Q. What should she do?

A. I hope she can be married, have children and be on the Tour. If she was right next to me I would say, "What's wrong with you?" and I'd schlep her around with me for a while. I love the LPGA Tour, and the Tour needs her.

Q. Do you reflect back on your decision to start a family?

A. I think she's in the same shoes I was in at age 28. I decided to have a child. Then another when I was 31 and 36. I thought I could still do this (play golf) and Ray supported it. The competitive juices were still flowing, and I think Annika will realize that she misses it a lot.

Q. Does it have to be either golf or family?

A. So many women do both now. Smucker's sponsors day care for the LPGA and it's easier to have your child be with the same group of kids at each tournament. It's important for women to still have their careers and still have family and a husband and the travel. I just think Annika could afford to have a nanny travel with her while she's playing. She can still be a good mom, and let her children see her do that.

Q. What did you sacrifice along the way?

A. I neglected golf a little to be with my family, but that was a good choice for me.

Q. What do you think about Annika giving up all the money she could make?

Annika made plenty of money. I never played for money. I played to win. I never knew what the purses were. At the end of the year, you can count your money but while you're playing you don't think about it. All you think about is competing to win.

Q. Do you think your tournament in Stockbridge, Ga., which folded after Chick-fil-a pulled its sponsorship, will come back?

A. I'd like to see any LPGA tournament in Georgia, and it doesn't have to have my name on it. We have the best Tour everyone has ever seen and ... they are talking about bringing it back, but they need a title sponsor.

Q. Does Lorena Ochoa, the current No. 1 player and only 26, remind you of yourself?

A. Yes, her Mexican background, and where she's come from with her family. She really gives back, and players love her.

Q. How's Ray?

A. He had heart surgery last November. He had clogged arteries, and didn't have any damage to his heart, but he did have a triple bypass.

Q. How are your girls?

A. Ashley is 24, living in Florida and wants to get into sports marketing. She graduated from Auburn and so did Erinn, who has the height at 6 feet and is in apparel design in New York. Torri is 16 and she may be headed to Auburn, too.

Q. How is your health, and your game?

A. Unfortunately with Ray's heart surgery, I haven't been able to play much. I need to keep my feet active. I have hammer toe and my feet have gotten wider. I'm getting some shoes made, and I just got some orthotics made by Foot Solutions that have got me walking straighter.

I love competition and the Tour, and supporting the Tour. I'd like to also play the (over 50) Legends Tour; that would be fun. Full time would be six tournaments for me.

Michelle Hiskey writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. E-mail: mhiskey AT ajc.com.

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