Star-filled field at the Women's British Open

Besides Hawaii phenom Michelle Wie, there are four reigning major titlists at the Women's British, but the trend has been no-name winners

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England » Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb and Se Ri Pak are out of their so-called slumps and winning majors again. Michelle Wie feels she's on the brink of winning her first tournament as a pro.

The Women's British Open begins today at wind-swept Royal Lytham with a field featuring this season's three major winners -- the trio has won a combined 22 majors.

WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN When: Today-Sunday Where: Lytham St. Annes, England Course: Royal Lytham and St. Annes (6,308 yards, par 72) Purse: $1.8 million Winner's share: $270,000 Television: TNT, today, 7 a.m. (delayed) Defending champion: Jeong Jang On the net: http://www.lpga.com Source: Associated Press

Sorenstam is going for her 11th major. That would put her even with Tiger Woods, who won his 11th major at the British Open at Royal Liverpool two weeks ago. If Sorenstam wins Sunday, she'll reach for her cell phone and make sure Woods knows about it.

"It seems like I'm trailing him and it doesn't take long until I get another text (message) to remind me who is ahead," Sorenstam said. "That is another little fun game that we have and a little bit of a motivator."

The Swede, who has dominated women's golf for six years and won 10 tournaments last season, acknowledges she's been way below her standards. Yet, she has won two events this season, including the U.S. Open, and has twice been runner-up.

"It's a nice thing to have to cope with not winning for a few weeks," Sorenstam said. "I'm looking at my game rather than looking at the results all the time. I just felt inside it wasn't really there and I was just hoping it would turn around sooner rather than later.

"It's kind of funny when people think you're in a slump when you haven't won in two or three events. I think that's a compliment rather than taking it as a negative."

Webb's first of three victories this year came at the opening major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship at Rancho Mirage. She also won last week's Evian Masters in France and is chasing her fourth British Open and eighth major.

The Australian didn't win a tournament last year, however, and, before this season, had won only two since 2002.

"Obviously the ball is getting in the hole a little sooner," she said. "I've been working on a few things in my game and I think it boils down to just the mental side of my game, getting it to the level where I was trusting myself on the golf course and backing myself every time I stood on the first tee."

Like Sorenstam, Webb doesn't think she was in a slump, just not playing as well as in the past.

"I don't think it was as bad as some people think," Webb said. "But obviously I set standards pretty high."

Pak won the LPGA Championship at the Bulle Rock course at Havre de Grace, Md., for her first victory in 14 months. The South Korean, who won two majors in her rookie season in 1998 and has five in total, has been restricted by a combination of burnout and injuries to her neck, shoulder, lower back and finger.

Wie tied for second behind Webb at Evian. The 16-year-old star from Hawaii has four seconds and four third-place finishes in the past 18 months.

"I think a win is coming," she said. "It just depends how lucky you are that week and how good you're playing. I think I'm playing very solidly, but it's a little frustrating that I have not been able to go to the next step."

Despite the array of major winners, the last two British Opens have seen the title go to outsiders.

In 2004, Karen Stupples won the title for only her second tournament victory and, last year, Jeong Jang's triumph at Royal Birkdale was the South Korean's first in six years on the LPGA Tour.