BELLEAIR, Florida – Nelly Korda first met Annika Sorenstam on the LPGA legend’s namesake AJGA occasion. Like many on this week’s LPGA area, Korda’s first recollection of Sorenstam is her placing on a junior clinic. As we speak’s gamers can fairly actually play in occasions all over the world that bear Sorenstam’s identify. The faculty participant of the 12 months wins the Annika Award; the participant who fares one of the best on the LPGA majors annually wins the Rolex Annika Main Award.
It’s solely becoming then, that one of many premiere stops on the LPGA schedule now bears her identify, too. The Annika pushed by Gainbridge at Pelican, which began in 2020 however was rebranded this 12 months, boasts one of many greatest purses on the LPGA schedule exterior the majors at $3.25 million and a stacked area.
“I believe it’s vital to have historical past concerned within the present recreation,” stated former No. 1 Stacy Lewis. “I believe it’s vital for these ladies to know the gamers which have come earlier than them.”
Whereas different LPGA greats have had their names on occasions all through the historical past of the tour – the Betsy King Traditional, the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, the Babe Zaharias Open, to call a couple of – Sorenstam’s is the one present occasion that carries a participant’s identify.
“I like to see these younger ladies residing their dream,” stated Sorenstam. “I’ve seen some from 16 years again, whether or not it’s Nelly Korda, Alison Lee, Leona Maguire.”
Of the 120 gamers within the area this week, 57 have competed in Sorenstam’s occasions, together with the Volvo Automobile Scandinavian Combined, which Sorenstam co-hosts with fellow Swede Henrik Stenson. Eight of the highest 10 gamers on this planet are there this week, together with two-time defending champion Nelly Korda and the three gamers vying for Rolex Gamers of Yr: Celine Boutier, Lilia Vu and Ruoning Yin.
On the PGA Tour, occasions hosted by Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and the late Arnold Palmer are the gold customary within the males’s recreation.
So much on the road @theANNIKAlpga, so do not miss any of the motion‼️
Thursday, Nov. 9 & Friday, Nov. 10:
10-1 p.m. ET on @GolfChannel and @peacockSaturday, Nov. 11 & Sunday, Nov. 12:
1-2 p.m. ET on @peacock
2-4 p.m. ET on @GolfChannelHOW TO WATCH ⬇️ https://t.co/IjVAK9EFDh
— LPGA (@LPGA) November 8, 2023
Sorenstam needs the identical at Pelican, an unique Tampa-area membership whose membership consists of Augusta Nationwide chairman Fred Ridley. Sorenstam, after all, is Augusta National’s newest member.
“It begins in all places from, I imply, car parking zone, proper, to locker room, to follow space, to lunch, every little thing that they considerably contact,” stated Sorenstam. “Generally it’s actually small belongings you won’t take into consideration, such as you stated.
“So I prefer to hear and study from them. On the finish of the day, we wish the gamers to go house and say, I’m coming again and I’m bringing so and so with them.”
Annika Sorenstam strolls the vary at her new namesake occasion on the LPGA. (courtesy photograph)
South Carolina junior Louise Rydqvist gained the Annika Intercollegiate in Minnesota earlier this 12 months to earn a spot on this week’s area. Rydqvist has grown up enjoying in Sorenstam’s occasions, beginning with the Annika Cup in Sweden. Rydqvist went to highschool with Solheim Cup gamers Linn Grant and Maja Stark – and Ryder Cupper Ludvig Aberg – and has the identical swing coach as one other member of Suzann Pettersen’s crew, Madelene Sagstrom.
Rydqvist, who can be getting a complicated have a look at the place the SEC Championship shall be performed subsequent spring, discovered {that a} victory on the Annika Intercollegiate got here with an LPGA exemption when she examine it on the drive to the course earlier than the ultimate spherical.
Rydqvist’s prep work for this week’s occasion included a chat with the host herself on Sorenstam’s SiriusXM radio present, the place they talked about technique.
“I couldn’t be happier,” stated Rydqvist of the chance that’s earlier than her.
Sorenstam gained the inaugural Betsy King Traditional in 1996 and backed it up with a victory in 1997. She additionally gained the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship twice, which was hosted by Nancy Lopez.
This week, she hopes to have the same impression to what a number of the recreation’s biggest had on her.
“I believe the aim of this occasion is to encourage the following technology, whether or not it’s Linn Grant in there or whoever it is perhaps,” stated Sorenstam.
“You hope they’re going to see an occasion like this, or occasion like Nancy’s, that hopefully sooner or later they need to comply with in the identical footsteps, and pay ahead or convey the sport to the following stage and simply encourage some younger woman or boy down the street. I believe that’s actually what to me these sort of occasions imply. It’s elevating them to a stage we haven’t seen earlier than. Not simply the standard of the course, the meals, and the partnerships, however the reminiscences, the way it touches your coronary heart. Whenever you go away right here, what do you are feeling.”
