(ORLANDO, Fla.) – The ANNIKA Foundation – golf Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam’s charitable organization – will host the ANNIKA Invitational Europe, June 13-16, at Vasatorp Golf Club in Helsingborg, Sweden.
The tournament’s 10th edition will feature 78 girls, ranging in ages from 13 to 18, representing 20 different countries. All will compete in a 54-hole stroke play format for coveted World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, with the champion receiving an exemption into a to-be-announced Ladies European Tour (LET) event as well as a spot in the 2023 Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex.
Defending ANNIKA Invitational Europe champion Meja Ortengren of Sweden highlights a deep field. It includes 32 ANNIKA alumnae, led by four-time ANNIKA event competitor Nora Sundberg of Sweden, and 14 past ANNIKA Cup participants. First played in 2007, the ANNIKA Cup is a team competition featuring 12 of Sweden’s top girls ages 13-15.
The on-course competition will be complemented by a Share My Passion clinic on Tuesday, June 14. To participate, girls between the ages of six and 14 are invited to write an open letter to Annika telling her why they love golf, and why other girls should learn how to play. Annika and her team then invite authors of the most-compelling notes to attend a clinic where Annika meets with the girls to share physical, mental and nutritional tips to help them play their best golf.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back to Vasatorp Golf Club for this year’s ANNIKA Invitational Europe and ANNIKA Cup,” says Annika, who’ll be coming off two straight weeks of professional competition at the U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Promedica and Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed Hosted by Henrik and Annika. “Seeing so many of our ANNIKA alumnae living out their dreams and playing tournament golf on the world’s biggest stages was such a thrill for me and a powerful reminder of the impact we’re marking with our Foundation.”
The ANNIKA Foundation is devoted to growing the game of golf around the world. It hosts six girls-only invitational tournaments: the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex (United States), ANNIKA Invitational Europe and ANNIKA Cup (Sweden), ANNIKA Invitational Mission Hills (China), ANNIKA Invitational Australasia (New Zealand) and the Women’s Amateur Latin America Championship presented by The R&A and ANNIKA Foundation (Argentina). They are complemented by the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M, a 12-team college tournament, and the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel, which is annually bestowed to the most outstanding female NCAA Division I golfer.
Since the inaugural Foundation tournament – the 2009 ANNIKA Invitational USA – 87 ANNIKA event alumnae have earned LPGA cards. Three of the five 2021 major champions – Patty Tavatanakit, Yuka Saso and Nelly Korda – are ANNIKA alumnae.
For more information, please visit www.annikafoundation.org, @ANNIKA_Fdn & ANNIKA59 (Twitter), and @ANNIKA_Fdn & annikas59 (Instagram).
About the ANNIKA Foundation
Annika created the ANNIKA Foundation (www.annikafoundation.org) to provide opportunities in women’s golf at the junior, collegiate and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition. The Foundation has partnered with key organizations to promote healthy, active lifestyles for children, including SPARK, Florida Hospital for Children in support of its Healthy 100 Kids initiative and The First Tee in development of the Nine Healthy Habits curriculum for children, and an endowment of the AJGA’s ACE Grant.
It annually conducts six major golf events for aspiring junior girls: the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex; ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills in China; ANNIKA Invitational Europe and ANNIKA Cup in Sweden; the Women’s Amateur Latin America with The R&A in Argentina and the ANNIKA Invitational Australasia in New Zealand. Moreover, with the support of the Haskins Commission, the Foundation created the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel, which is given annually to the best collegiate female golfer. Since 2014, the Foundation has also annually hosted the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M, a college tournament featuring 12 top Division I schools. Each year, the Foundation also conducts several “Share My Passion” grass roots clinics designed to introduce kids to the game.
