Annika Sponsors ILGU Junior Medal

Annika Sorenstam, the greatest female golfer of all time and Golf Digest Ireland, the country's biggest selling golf magazine, have announced a joint sponsorship of the ILGU's Junior Medal.

Annika is one of the most successful professional golfers of all time. Born in Sweden in 1970, she won a total of 89 tournaments worldwide - more than any other player in the sport. On the LPGA, she won 72 times, including an incredible 10 majors. The LPGA's Rookie of the Year in 1994, Annika went on to become the tour's Player of the Year eight times in the following 10 years, and was elected into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2003. She is also the record points scorer at the Solheim Cup history. 

Annika stepped away from professional golf after the 2008 season to focus on her family and the ANNIKA brand of businesses, which include the ANNIKA Academy, ANNIKA Foundation, ANNIKA Financial Group, ANNIKA Course Design, the ANNIKA Collection of apparel with Cutter & Buck, signature high-end wines with Wente Vineyards, and an online retail shop, shopannika.com. The ANNIKA brand is becoming one of the most recognised brands in world golf. 

As one of the two vice-Captains to Alison Nicholas for the upcoming Solheim Cup - to be held for the first time ever in Ireland this September in Killeen Castle, Co. Meath - Annika is a committed ambassador for the game around the world and is a dedicated supporter of getting girls into golf at a young age. As the most successful female golfer ever, there is no one better placed to inspire the next generation of Irish golfers. 

"I am happy to be able to share my passion for growing the game of golf globally, specifically for junior girls," said Annika. "I couldn't have achieved what I did without support from an early age, and I love being able to give back in some way now". 

"I'm excited to be working with the ILGU," continued Annika. "It's the oldest ladies golf union in the world and its record for promoting and supporting the game is incredible. Together, I believe we can have a positive effect on girls golf in Ireland and hopefully inspire the juniors to follow their dreams and reach their potential in golf." 

The "ILGU Junior Medal sponsored by ANNIKA in association with Golf Digest Ireland" is the latest in a number of steps taken in this country in recent years to grow the female game and one of many spear-headed by the ILGU. 

Sinead Herarty, the Chief Executive of the ILGU said, "The development and growth of Girls golf is a key priority for the ILGU. To have a player of the reputation and stature of Annika encouraging more girls to participate in the game is a wonderful opportunity for us in the ILGU and we look forward to the momentum her endorsement will bring to this competition. I know all the girls will compete to the best of their abilities and the opportunity to meet Annika at the Solheim Cup will be a great incentive." 

The aim of the Junior Medal is to encourage girls of all standards to participate in golf competitions. Open to all female juniors (under 18 years of age on 01/01 of each year) who are members of an ILGU affiliated club, the qualifying period for the ILGU Junior Medal Final will begin is May and continue to July. Then, the 60 girls with the lowest aggregate of three nett score differentials (relative to CSS), one in each month, will qualify for the Final, which will be played at Seapoint Golf Club, Co. Louth on 23 August 2011.

Although traditionally a Medal competition is played under the strokes format of golf, the Junior Medal Final will be played under the stableford format - with a shot-gun start in operation. It is hoped that this will enhance the experience by creating an encouraging, social and competitive environment.

The gold ILGU Junior Medal will be awarded to the overall winner at the Final, with the silver medal awarded to player with playing handicaps up to 20 and bronze medal awarded to player with playing handicaps of 21-36 inclusive. 

As part of the commitment, on Sunday 18 September, just days before the Solheim Cup, Annika and Golf Digest Ireland will be hosting a special Q&A forum for the ILGU and 200 of their girls at the Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa. The three victorious players, plus the gross winner, will be invited to have lunch with Annika and will receive their medals at the special and very unique ILGU event afterwards. 

Where are they Now - A Sörenstam

Golfing great Annika Sörenstam has agreed to join Golf Channel’s new morning show, Morning Drive, as a weekly contributor. Sorenstam – the LPGA Tour’s career money leader with more than $22 million in earnings and winner of 72 official LPGA Tour events, including 10 major championships – will make her first appearance today with co-hosts Erik Kuselias and Gary Williams. She will appear each Thursday, either in-studio or via telephone.

“I look forward to being a weekly guest with Erik and Gary on Morning Drive,” said Sorenstam. “I have always been interested in doing television work and I am thankful for the opportunity.”

Early Career

Annika was born October 9th 1970 Bro, near Stockholm, Sweden and was a talented all-rounder and a nationally ranked junior tennis player, played football (soccer) in her hometown team Bro IK. Sörenstam was such a good skier that the coach of the national ski team suggested the family move to Northern Sweden to improve her skiing year round.

At the age of 12, she switched to golf, sharing her first set of golf clubs with her sister - Charlotta the even - earning her first handicap of 54. As a Junior  she was so shy she used to deliberately three putt at the end of a tournament to avoid giving the victory speech which the coaches noticed. At the next tournament both the winner and the runner-up had to give a speech and Sörenstam decided that if she were going to have to face the crowd anyway she might as well win.

Her successful amateur career included a win in the St. Rule Trophy played at St. Andrews and a runner-up finish in the Swedish national mother/daughter golf tournament. As a member of the Swedish National Team from 1987 to 1992, she played in the 1990 and 1992 Espirito Santo Trophy World Amateur Golf Team Championships, becoming World Amateur champion in 1992. When she was waiting to start college in Sweden, Annika worked as a personal assistant at the Swedish PGA and played on the Swedish Ladies Telia Tour, winning three tournaments during 1990/1991.

After a coach spotted Sörenstam playing in a collegiate event in Tokyo, she moved to the United States to attend college at the University of Arizona. winning seven collegiate titles and in 1991, became the first non-American and first freshman to win the individual NCAA National Championship.  The same year she was 1991 NCAA Co-Player of the Year with Kelly Robbins, runner-up in the 1992 NCAA National Championship, 1992 Pac-10 champion and a 1991-92 NCAA All-American. 

At the 1992 United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship, she was the runner-up to Vicki Goetze and thus received an invitation to play in the 1992 U.S. Women's Open, where she finished tied for 63rd- turning professional the same year. 

She missed her LPGA Tour card at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament by one shot and began her professional career on the Ladies European Tour or LET, formerly known as the WPGET.

Professional Career Record

8 Rolex Player of the Year Awards: 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005

Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2003

6 Vare Trophy wins, for LPGA player with year’s lowest scoring avg: 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2005

1993 WPGET Rookie of the Year

1994 Rolex Rookie of the Year

2003 Patty Berg Award, for contributions to women’s golf

8 Golf Writers Association of America Female Player of the Year awards: 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005

2 European Player of the Year awards: 2004 and 2005

3 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year awards: 2003, 2004 and 2005

8 ESPY awards, including Best Female Athlete and Best Female Golfer

Lowest score by any female in a single round: 59 (Achieved in the 2nd round of the 2001 Standard Register PING tournament)

Lowest scoring average for one season: 68.69 (2004)

LPGA Major Victories

McDonald’s LPGA Championship: 2003, 2004, 2005

U.S. Women Open: 1995, 1996, 2006

Weetabix Women’s British Open: 2003

Kraft Nabisco Championship: 2001, 2002, 2005