Preparing to tee off in her 22nd US Women Open, Karrie Webb can see herself becoming a part-time tour player but she can't imagine retiring.
It's been 12 years since Webb entered the LPGA Hall of Fame and 11 years since she won the last of her seven major titles.
The 42-year-old is also in unfamiliar territory at a lowly 117th on the LPGA Tour season money list, having earned only $US39,715 from six made cuts in13 starts.
Webb admits she is weighing up interests outside the ropes.
But she says hunger to compete with the production line of young LPGA Tour stars still fuels her 23rd pro season going into this week's US Open at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
"I don't think I could ever fully retire from the game; it would just be a change of pace and not playing 23 events a year I play now," Webb told AAP.
"I don't see (retirement) as an official goodbye or farewell tour ... I'm not going to never play golf again.
"I don't see an actual date ... I've talked to a lot of my friends who have retired and they say you just know (the right time).
"I've given my life to playing golf but at some point it's going to slow down."
Webb, who won back-to-back US Women's Opens in 2000 and 2001 and has only missed the cut three times, faces a stern challenge this week.
South Korea's world No.1 So-yeon Ryu, who won the first women's major of 2017, and compatriot Inbee Park join American Lexi Thompson as favourites while former world No.1 Lydia Ko is chasing her third major crown.
But Webb believes she is still capable of fending off the 20-somethings to become the second-oldest US Women's Open winner behind Babe Zaharias - aged 43 during her 1954 victory.
"The challenge of the US Open has always brought out my best golf. My game is in good shape and I'm certainly not here to make up the numbers; I'm here to win," said Webb.
Should she lose her tour card this season, Webb, the winner of 41 LPGA titles, can still count on a career money list exemption to play fulltime next year, having amassed $US20,050,726 to be second only to former great rival Annika Sorenstam.
World No.17 Minjee Lee leads the Australian challenge this week, and the three-time LPGA Tour winner believes she can break through for a maiden major title.
The 21-year-old is coming off a tie for third and a 36th at the first two majors of 2017.
"I feel ready to have a great week and I really like the course layout," said Lee.
"The US Open has such a prestigious history and to win it as my first major would mean the world to me."
Queenslander Katherine Kirk bagged the last spot with her victory at last week's Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic - the 35-year-old's first LPGA win in seven years.
Su Oh, Sarah Jane Smith and amateur Robyn Choi round out the Australian contingent.
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