Draft:ANNIKA Foundation

ANNIKA Foundation was established in 2007 by Hall of Fame golfer Annika Sörenstam to “give back” to the game of golf, especially by supporting women in their journey to collegiate golf, professional golf, and beyond. The Foundation began with a simple junior girls tournament, which continued to grow exponentially in the Foundation’s 18 years, now impacting 8,000+ female golfers across sixty countries, and investing more than $10 million into girls’ golf initiatives.^{[1] [2]}

At the root of the Foundation, “Share My Passion” clinics welcome young girls to the game by teaching them fundamentals of golf whilst developing new friendships. Girls are asked to submit either letters or videos to the Foundation explaining why they love golf. From these entries, forty girls are selected to participate in a four-hour clinic, where they learn golf fundamentals, make new friendships, and experience the joys of the game firsthand. The day concludes with an interactive clinic led by Annika, where she highlights the importance of not only fundamentals, but also the importance of having fun in the game.^[3]

At the junior level, the Foundation provides world-class opportunities for competitive juniors searching to showcase their talents. Seven premier events are held annually across the world, from Asia, Europe, Latin America, to the final crown jewel event – the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational – held in Florida, USA, these events create stepping-stones for future collegiate and professional opportunities. At the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational, a win means earning an exemption into an LPGA event.^[4] This opportunity has been earned by multiple current LPGA professionals like Celine Boutier, Alison Lee, Angela Yin, as well as top-ranked junior golfer, 16 year-old Asterisk Talley. ^{[5] [6]}

In 2025, the Foundation added a new ANNIKA Invitational Asia event in Thailand, drawing an ever-growing competitive field across Asia and Australasia. ^[7] In Europe, ANNIKA Foundation hosted the ANNIKA Cup and ANNIKA Invitational Europe in Sweden, featuring players from 21 countries. The winners from these events will be invited to the ANNIKA Invitational USA, which will be held in Atlanta, Georgia in 2026.

For female collegiate athletes, two initiatives offered by the Foundation are the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M for top NCAA Division I teams, and the More Than Golf Invitational presented by Bank of America for Mid-Major Conference Champions.^{[8] [9]} At the end of the season, ANNIKA Foundation partners with the Haskins Foundation to present the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel to the best female college golfer. ^[10]

With a goal to support golfers who are pursuing their professional dreams, the ANNIKA Development Program was created to provide select college graduates with access to Old Barnwell, housing, financial support, mentorship sessions with Annika, and access to Old Barnwell members. ^[11] In addition, the ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Tour was created to provide a pathway for emerging talent to reach the Epson Tour and LPGA Tour. ^[12]

Beyond the game of golf, the Foundation champions the “More Than Golf” philosophy. Through virtual and in-person events, girls gain knowledge on personal growth opportunities past the scope of the classroom; mental wellness, physical fitness, financial literacy, public speaking and career development are just a few of the opportunities offered.^[13] Recently, the ANNIKA Inspiration Award presented by Cleveland Brothers has been developed to recognize ANNIKA alumnae who are actively giving back to their communities and making an impact off the course after golf. ^[14]

ANNIKA Alumnae have not only gone on to excel at the amateur, collegiate and professional level but many have also strived to make an impact beyond the course.^{[15] [16]}

ANNIKA alumnae include: Céline Boutier, Emma Carpenter, Allisen Corpuz, Anna Davis, Eila Galitsky, Linn Grant, Esther Henseleit, Rachel Heck, Danielle Kang, Megan Khang, Grace Kim, Cheyenne Knight, Jasmine Koo, Nelly Korda, Alison Lee, Andrea Lee, Lucy Li, Ingrid Lindblad, Gabriela Lopez, Leona Maguire, Rianne Malixi, Maria Jose Marin, Emilia Migliaccio, Farah O’Keefe, Alexa Pano, Catherine Park, Kiara Romero, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Gabriela Ruffels, Yuka Saso, Madelene Sagström, Maja Stark, Asterisk Talley, Patty Tavatanakit, Lilia Vu, Lottie Woad, Ruoning Yin, Angel Yin and Rose Zhang.