Sawt Falasteen - Sorenstam enters first US Women's Open since 2008

The 51-year-old Swedish star has filed an exempt entry to play June 2-5 at Pine Needles in Souhern Pines, North Carolina, after qualifying for the event by winning last year's US Senior Women's Open.

Sorenstam, a 2003 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee, won 72 LPGA titles, eight LPGA Player of the Year awards and six Vare Trophy awards as a season-low scorer in a career that began in 1992 and ended when she retired in 2008.

Sorenstam has won three US Women's Opens in 15 starts, her most recent in 2008 at Interlachen. She won the 1995 US Women's Open at Broadmoor and a year later defended the title with a six-stroke victory at Pine Needles.

"I'm excited to have the opportunity to play in a US Women's Open again, especially with it being held at Pine Needles," Sorenstam said. "I really never thought I would play in another one, but everything just sort of fell into place."

Last August, Sorenstam won the US Senior Women's Open title at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, Connecticut, by eight strokes in wire-to-wire fashion.

Sorenstam's 10th major title came at the 2006 US Women's Open at Newport Country Club in an 18-hole Monday playoff over Pat Hurst.

B.AbuZeid--SF-PST