Golf-Ochoa and Sorenstam set to resume rivalry

LOS ANGELES, May 25 (Reuters) Annika Sorenstam's return from injury at next week's Ginn Tribute in Charleston, South Carolina will reignite one of the most compelling duels in the women's game.

The Swede, sidelined for almost two months with a ruptured disc in her back, has been supplanted as world number one by Mexico's Lorena Ochoa and their rivalry is likely to dominate the rest of the year.

''I think it's going to be fun to see what happens in the next few months,'' Ochoa, 25, said yesterday during a conference call previewing next week's LPGA Tour event at RiverTowne Country Club.

''We know Annika is coming. She's always strong and ready to win, so the competition is going to be tough.

''I do want to compete head-to-head. I'm training hard and I'm ready to play.'' Ochoa, who won her 11th LPGA title by three strokes at last week's Sybase Classic, has long been an admirer of Sorenstam, a 10-times major champion.

''I respect her so much,'' the Guadalajara native said. ''She is really the one who changed the game and, because of her, we make sure we work harder.

''She's the one who really motivated me. My dream was to follow her and be at the top, be number one.'' Ochoa, who triumphed six times as the dominant figure on the 2006 LPGA Tour, finally replaced Sorenstam as the game's leading player a month ago.

It was the first time the Swede had been dethroned since the official rankings were introduced early last year.

''So far I'm really enjoying my time at number one,'' said Ochoa, who leads this season's LPGA money list with 965,714 dollar.

''It's something that I've been working for many, many years. I'm prepared to be in that position because I've been working hard.

Sorenstam, a winner of 69 LPGA titles, has not played competitively since the Kraft Nabisco Championship ended on April 1.

REUTERS SZ PM6000