Rarely has Sorenstam ever had to pay such attention to her emotions.
She was a teenager in Stockholm when Liselotte Neumann became the first Swede to win a U.S. Women's Open in 1988, and Sorenstam recalls finding inspiration from the stories she read in the newspaper the next morning. Even when she started playing golf, every putt on the practice green was for the Open.
``The Open has always meant a lot to me,'' she said.
Now, she has a chance to join Mickey Wright and Betsy Rawls as the only four-time winners of the U.S. Women's Open. And she could end her career the way it began, hoisting the most significant trophy in women's golf.
From her long hours on the range with Reis, to a putting lesson from two-time PGA champion Dave Stockton two week ago in Utah, Sorenstam has poured everything into peaking at just the right time.
``She's not too nostalgic,'' fiance Mike McGee said as he followed her around Interlachen in her final practice round. ``But this is the biggest major for her. This is what she wants to win.''
There was time for some nostalgia Wednesday.
Sorenstam dropped a few balls at her feet in front of the fifth green, then chipped to an imaginary hole as she does during a practice round for most majors. Reis suddenly turned and pulled a camera from his bag, crouching to take a few pictures.
Was he studying the position of her stance? Her grip? Her posture?
Sorenstam smiled when asked the purpose of the pictures.
``There for a collection,'' she said. ``He's just taking memories from here.''
There is time for such occasions, not but much of it. There is not much left in her tank, which is why she decided last month to walk away from a game she dominated like no other player in her generation.
Critical to Sorenstam is starting strong and keeping the tank full.
``You only have so much to give, and I'm coming to a point where it's hard to get geared up other than for big events,'' she said. ``I have a lot of patience coming into a tournament. If it goes well, it's easy to stay on top and keep going. But when things are not going so well, it's easy to lose it.''
That's one reason she decided this year will be her last. If she could win only more tournament, this would be it.
