''golf in DUBAI'' lauds the "greatest female golfer of all time"

DUBAI, May 14 - The Dubai Ladies Masters will have an emotional ring to it this year with defending champion Annika Sorenstam making her last competitive appearance in the season-ending Ladies European Tour event that gets under way at the Emirates Golf Club from December 8 to 13.

The greatest female golfer of all time, as Tiger Woods called her, Sorenstam took the golfing world by surprise on Wednesday when she announced her intention to "step away from competitive play” to concentrate on her other business interests

DUBAI, Dec 16 -- Annika Sorenstam held off a strong challenge from Iben Tinning to retain her Dubai Ladiers Masters -- her first title of the current season -- at the Emirates Golf Club on Sunday.The defending champion closed with a two-under-par 70 for a tournament total of 10-under-par to beat Denmark''s Tinning by two shots and claim the winner''s cheque for euro 75,000 from Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

DUBAI, Dec 15 -- Denmark’s Iben Tinning moved a step closer to claiming her first victory in more than two years when she took a one-shot lead after the third round of the Dubai Ladies Masters at Emirates Golf Club on Saturday.

The 32-year-old from Copenhagen shot a five-under-par 67 for a nine-under-par total of 207, one shot ahead of Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam, Italy’s Veronica Zorzi and England’s Laura Davies. The next best player was first round leader Louise Stahle from Sweden on five-under. Scot Catriona Matthew shares sixth place with South Korean teenager Amy Yang on four-under-par.

DUBAI, December 14 - England''s Lisa Hall took the halfway lead at the Dubai Ladies Masters with a one shot lead over compatriot Laura Davies.

Hall added a three-under-par 69 to her first round of 67 over the Emirate''s Majlis Course for an eight-under-par total. She carded six birdies and three birdies in hot conditions.

"The best part was that I hit a lot of shots close," said Hall, who finished by sinking a two-foot birdie putt at the ninth hole.

DUBAI, Dec 13 -- Sweden’s Louise Stahle lowered Annika Sorenstam’s course record by a stroke with an eight-under-par 64 in the first round of the Dubai Ladies Masters.

Stahle shot nine birdies and one bogey around the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club to lead by three strokes over England’s Laura Davies and Lisa Hall on 67.