Duke freshman, world’s No. 1-ranked amateur won three times this year,
finished T-2 at NCAA Championships
(ORLANDO, Fla.) – The ANNIKA Foundation – golf Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam’s charitable organization – congratulates Leona Maguire on winning the second-annual ANNIKA Award Presented by 3M as the country’s most outstanding female golfer.
A freshman at Duke University and native of Cavan, Ireland, Maguire is the world’s No.1-ranked amateur. She finished outside the top seven in only one of 11 events this year, on her way to tallying three wins (ACC Championship, NCAA South Bend Regional and Darius Rucker Intercollegiate). She also finished runner-up at the just-completed NCAA Championships and last fall’s ANNIKA Intercollegiate Presented by 3M.
The recognition was based on a vote of Division I golfers, college coaches and members of the golf media. LSU senior Madelene Sagstrom and UNLV senior Dana Finkelstein were the other two finalists. UCLA’s Alison Lee won last year’s inaugural award.
“To win golf tournaments is one thing, but to win an award that’s voted on by your peers and the coaches and the media, that’s another level,” says Maguire. “When I saw Alison (Lee) being presented with the award back in September, I probably didn’t think that I was going to be sitting here.”
The award is an ANNIKA Foundation initiative managed with the help of Golfweek. Oversight is provided by the Fred Haskins Commission, a 501(c)(3) organization in Columbus, Ga., which for 45 years has given out the Haskins Award to the outstanding male collegiate golfer.
“We’re excited to salute Leona as the 2015 ANNIKA Award winner,” says Annika. “She is a great young player with a very bright future ahead of her. We look forward to honoring her at our Intercollegiate in September.”
Annika enjoyed an outstanding NCAA career at the University of Arizona. She won seven collegiate tournaments in 1991, including the NCAA Championship, and capped off an All-American season by being named the NCAA Co-Player of the Year. In 1992, she was Pac-10 champion and finished second in the NCAA Championship. She turned pro that same year.
Adds Maguire: It’s an incredible honor to have my name on a trophy that Annika put her name to. It’s a nice way to cap off a nice season.”
About the ANNIKA Foundation
Annika created the ANNIKA Foundation (www.annikafoundation.org) as a way to teach children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition, and offer aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams. 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.
The Foundation annually conducts four major golf events for aspiring junior girls: the AJGA ANNIKA Invitational at Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla.; ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills in China; ANNIKA Invitational Europe in Sweden; and ANNIKA Cup, a team event for Swedish juniors. In 2013, its reach extended to the collegiate ranks with the ANNIKA Award Presented by 3M (awarded to most outstanding female NCAA Division I golfer) and ANNIKA Intercollegiate Presented by 3M (12-team, 54-hole event at Reunion Resort). SPARK grants to schools, financial support of Healthy 100 Kids, endowment of an AJGA ACE Grant, ANNIKA Junior Day and scholarships for aspiring Swedish juniors are other key initiatives.
Contact:
Stephen Reynolds
Buffalo Brand Invigoration Group
703.891.3509
sreynolds@buffalobig.com
BuffaloBIG.com
