Annika Sorenstam hopes LPGA event in Belleair will provide inspiration
BELLEAIR — Even before her professional golf career ended, Annika Sorenstam was thinking about her journey. The winningest player in LPGA history, Sorenstam considered how she got to the top of the game and where she and women’s golf would go next.
The next step brings the Hall of Famer back to Tampa Bay next month. Sorenstam will host The Annika on Nov. 6-12 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair. It is the first LPGA event to be named after a former player.
Formerly the Pelican Women’s Championship, the tournament has an elevated purse of $3.25 million and features eight of the top 10 players in the world rankings. They include No. 1 Lilia Vu; two-time defending tournament champion, major winner and Olympic gold medalist Nelly Korda; and majors winners Brooke Henderson, Lydia Ko, Danielle Kang and Lexi Thompson.
The tournament will benefit the Annika Foundation, which provides golf opportunities at the junior, collegiate and pro levels while teaching young people the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle.
Sorenstam, 53, unveiled plans for this year’s tournament Thursday at Pelican, joined by LPGA Tour member and Tampa resident Elizabeth Szokol, and Louise Rydqvist, a South Carolina junior and graduate of Sorenstam’s foundation’s programs who earned a sponsor’s exemption to The Annika.
Sorenstam — who lives in Lake Nona, near Orlando — took time to talk about her journey and the state of women’s golf:
Why is it important for an LPGA event to be named after a former player?
I hope it is the first of many more. I think history is important. I think preserving some of the culture is important. We have the Hall of Fame; we celebrate successes. A lot of these older, legendary players were inspirational to me.
That’s an inspiration to everybody, and I think that if you keep the history and you keep living it and reminding people where it comes from, but then we can also be thinking about how can we take that and move forward. I think the PGA Tour does a really good job in that. And hopefully, the LPGA can do that, too.
What is it like to see Louise Rydqvist, who will make her LPGA debut at your tournament, following your foundation’s path?
It warms your heart. We put a lot of effort in and a lot of resources and a lot of time into the foundation, hoping to inspire and help. When she said that she had played in our foundation tournament at 15, it just kind of gives me goose bumps thinking about it.
She is just kind of going through this path that we’ve somewhat created, and it’s so neat to see that it’s working now: to see the enjoyment that she’s having, the success that she’s having, and we hope to have many Louises. I think sports or golf is great for young women in a lot of ways, not only as a career but also for them personally; the confidence and the opportunity it gives them. It’s really nice.
Speaking of young women following in your path, 20 years ago you played against the men in the Colonial on the PGA Tour. This weekend, Lexi Thompson is playing in the PGA’s Shriners Children’s Open. What was that experience like for you?
That experience was so much more than the golf, so it’s hard to just say, you know, that there was a particular moment or incident that I remember the most. But I do think now as Lexi is playing there, certain things come back to my mind because we’re talking about it. When I look back at my career, I would say that that was one of my highlights, and it wasn’t necessarily my score.
I saw something on social media, and I guess I shot a 71 (and) 74 (she did, missing the cut by four strokes). I’ve forgotten about that because it wasn’t so much about the score. It was about the memory, the journey, the experiences and the people that I’ve met. It’s just being in that position, testing myself. … So I would say, to me, it was just the opportunity of getting a chance to test yourself against the very best, and it made me a better player.
Why start your tournament now, and why in Tampa Bay?I’ve been away long enough, but then not too long (she retired from competitive play after the 2008 season). I still had my foot in the game, and I am still active with LPGA, still active with the young players. With this tournament, Gainbridge (the financial-services company sponsoring it) has done so much for women’s sports … with their work with tennis and all that. So, I think we’re in line with creating opportunities for women. I think Pelican here is a fabulous place. They have a drive and a vision. That is the type of partner that you need.
Contact Kristie Ackert at kackert@tampabay.com.
