One of the most legendary golfers in the history of the sport visited the Sammamish plateau for the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Golf Championship at Sahalee Country Club from June 6-12.

Annika Sorenstam, who retired from professional golf in 2008 after winning 10 major tournaments during her illustrious 15-year career, worked the tournament as an analyst on live TV, which aired on the Golf Channel and NBC. Sorenstam said the Pacific Northwest is a “beautiful area” for golf.

“It is terrific. They (players and fans) love their golf up here. The weather is toward the chillier side this time of year but the courses are in immaculate shape. It couldn’t be better. The players are bragging about it and they love it,” Sorenstam said of the course. “It is great to be here to see the support. Bringing a women’s major to this side of the country has made a big difference.”

Sorenstam said playing the game of golf is completely different from working as an analyst.

“When I played, I focused on my own game and what I had to do. When you’re an analyst, you get to know the other players, do some research and find out their strengths and weaknesses,” Sorenstam said. “It is more of just calling the game of golf rather than playing it. You have to kind of see things from a viewer’s perspective what is important. Also, I want to educate fans on how certain holes are being played, or on what players are thinking and sharing the experiences I have had through the years, especially playing in major championships.”

Sorenstam is proud of her “ANNIKA Foundation,” which was created in 2007 to help children across the world in a myriad of ways.

“We’ve promoted several different initiatives certainly with my foundation,” she said. “We have six junior golf tournaments around the world where I can mentor young girls as well.”

Sorenstam said its difficult to pick one signature moment of her golf career, but she did share some of her career highlights.

“Certainly shooting a 59 being the first woman to break 60 (in 2001) was a history making time for me,” Sorenstam said. “Another was playing at The Colonial with the men in 2003 (2003 Bank of America Men’s Colonial), winning 10 major championships and then the Hall of Fame were really important to me. I can’t pick one of them out but I feel lucky to have had so many wonderful memories.”