WISCONSIN GOLFER l SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011
www.wsga.org 5
The end of an era
CAREER EARNINGS
$6,042,869
__________________________
LPGA VICTORIES
1992 du Maurier Classic
1994 Sprint Championship
1998 Weetabix Women's
British Open
Sherri Steinhauer walked over to her ball on the 18th green
at the Canadian Open, knowing the end was near. Although
she has tossed around the idea of calling it a career more than
once this season, she officially announced her retirement just
prior to the start of the Canadian Open – at the age of 48 and
after 26 years on the Tour. “I wanted that (tournament) to be
my last one,” she said. “It has a special place – with winning
it, and it also would’ve been my parents’ 60th wedding anniversary.” Steinhauer lost her mother, Nancie, in December.
“My brothers and dad all flew up. It was very special to have
them all there.”
1999 Japan Airlines Big
Apple Classic, Weetabix Women's British
Open
Many of Steinhauer’s friends from the LPGA who preceded
her in retirement repeated the same assurance: “You’ll know
when it’s time.” At the time, she didn’t know what that meant.
“But I do now,” she said. “I know exactly what they meant.
The desire isn’t there, and I don’t get nervous anymore. I knew
the day the butterflies went away was the day that I needed to
stop playing.”
2004
2006
Sybase Classic
Weetabix Women's
British Open
2007 LPGA State Farm
Classic
__________________________
So, as Steinhauer stood over her 5-foot putt on that Friday
of the Canadian Open, her immediate thought was, “I really
wanted to make it,” she said. But when it fell in the hole, it
was a feeling of, “Ah, it’s over. That’s it. That’s the end of my
career. It was a good feeling.”
LEGENDS TOUR VICTORY
2009 Legends Tour Open
Championship
For a more in-depth article
on the physical and mental
struggles Steinhauer has faced
the last few years, click here to
read “The Road to Recovery”
in the July-August issue of
Wisconsin Golfer.
While still very new, the transition into retirement has been
made a little easier due to her involvement as assistant captain for the U.S. Solheim Cup team. But after that? “I plan on
playing in some Legends events. I’ve got the Tour Championship at the end of the year. You know, it’s going to be different because I won’t have to practice as much, but it will still
be fun,” she said. “It’s just totally different. Then I just want to
take some time and really do nothing and see what happens.”
Fair enough. She’s more than earned it.
She leaves the LPGA having earned the respect of her
peers, fans and up-and-comers. With so many young stars on
the horizon, will they have the staying power of a 26-year
career? “It’s going to be interesting,” she said. “We’ll just
have to wait and see.”
