NEW ROCHELLE, New York (Ticker) - Juli Inkster is one of the few LPGA players who has gotten the better of Annika Sorenstam. On Thursday, she will try to do it again.

Inkster and Sorenstam, who waged a memorable duel three weeks ago, headline the field for the $950,000 Sybase Big Apple Classic at the Wykagyl Country Club.

At the U.S. Women's Open earlier this month, Sorenstam took the lead into the final round and appeared on her way to her second major championship of the season. But Inkster ran down the tour's best player with a 66, the best round of the entire event.

"For me personally, this has been very satisfying," Inkster said. "Not only because I won the U.S. Amateur there, too, but just the fact that I did it. I just keep shaking my head."

After taking three weeks off, Inkster returns to find herself again facing the daunting task of overcoming Sorenstam, whose mere presence turns lesser players into putty.

"I don't think it's intimidation," Inkster said. "It's just like, `Oh, no, here she comes again.' I have caught myself doing that, too. You get to doing things you shouldn't be doing and just get out of playing your own game. I try to do it every week, play my own game and hit my own shots. At the Open, I was in the perfect situation, playing in front of her on Sunday. People just get out of playing their game. You start watching her game instead of doing what you need to do."

"The stats say if you go into the last day of a major leading, your chance of winning is 98 percent. So I was looking good," Sorenstam said. "And then Juli just catches on fire. That's something you just can't control."

There has been very little out of Sorenstam's control this year. The Swedish superstar leads the tour with six wins, more than $1.8 million in prize money and a 68.80 scoring average.

Inkster is second or tied for second in all three categories. She is the only other player to reach seven figures in winnings and her stunning win over Sorenstam gave her eight major titles, the most among active players.

"I just try to win the big ones when I can," she said. "I don't feel like I'm ever the best golfer out there."

Sorenstam wasn't a certainty to play here. She had not played since her loss to Inkster but wanted to keep her game sharp for the Women's British Open, the season's final major tournament, in two weeks.

"I don't usually commit to a tournament until I know that I really want to play, and I just wanted to see how I was feeling, if the Open would wear me out," she said. "This year, a lot has happened and I wanted to make sure I'm rested and ready to play."

However, both Sorenstam and Inkster have a strong desire to compete. Inkster would like to close the gap on Sorenstam in some of the statistical categories.

"It's very easy for me to say, `See ya, girls. See ya next year,'" Inkster said. "I don't need to play and have already won twice this year, but that's not my style. I'm out here to compete. I still have some wins in me for the end of the year."

"I enjoy the challenge, trying to see how good I can be, how low can I shoot?" Sorenstam said. "That's what motivates me."

Inkster won this event in 1992 and Sorenstam won in 1998 and 2000. However, the defending champion is Rosie Jones, who carded a 12-under-par 272 to hold off Laura Diaz by one stroke.

Diaz is entered, as are Rachel Teske and Karrie Webb of Australia and Janice Moodie. Diaz and Teske have won twice this year, Webb won the Rochester LPGA and Moodie claimed the Ryokuken International.

The par-71 Wykagyl Country Club is a 6,161-yard layout.

First prize is $142,500.