Players from 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries to compete in Buenos Aires, Oct. 19-22
(ORLANDO, Fla.) – The ANNIKA Foundation – golf Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam’s charitable organization – announces the field is set for the inaugural ANNIKA Invitational Latin America.
Created in partnership with The R&A, and co-hosted by the Argentine Golf Association, the 2016 ANNIKA Invitational Latin America will take place Oct. 19-22 at Hurlingham Club outside Buenos Aires, Argentina. Sixty of the region’s leading players, representing 20 countries, will compete for World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2017 South American Amateur Championship in Lima, Peru. In addition, top-three finishers will earn an invitation to the 2017 ANNIKA Invitational USA in Orlando, Fla.
Headlining the field is Puerto Rico’s Valeria Pacheco, who was the low female (second overall) at The R&A’s Junior Open Championship this past July.
“I’m honored to partner with The R&A to bring a world-class junior golf event to Latin America,” says Annika, who began her ANNIKA Foundation upon stepping away from the LPGA in 2008. “With golf’s incredible showing at the Olympic Games earlier this year in Brazil, the time is right to bring an ANNIKA Invitational to this part of the world.”
The ANNIKA Invitational Latin America joins the ANNIKA Invitational USA, ANNIKA Invitational Mission Hills (China) and ANNIKA Invitational Europe on the global roster of ANNIKA Foundation junior tournaments. The ANNIKA Invitational USA will host its ninth-annual edition in February, while the China and Europe tournaments are entering their seventh and sixth years, respectively.
As with all of her business and charitable endeavors, Annika will be intimately involved and onsite for the championship. Some scheduled activities are a clinic for competitors during which she’ll share her “Winning Approach” philosophy, a gala dinner and an awards presentation.
In addition to the four ANNIKA Invitational tournaments, the Foundation annually hosts the ANNIKA Cup, a team event for Swedish juniors, and the ANNIKA Intercollegiate Presented by 3M, a college golf tournament co-founded with Golfweek. It also bestows the ANNIKA Award Presented by 3M to the nation’s most outstanding Division I female golfer.
For more information: www.annikasorenstam.com/foundation.
About The R&A
Based in St. Andrews, The R&A organizes The Open Championship, major amateur events and international matches. Together with the United States Golf Association, The R&A governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The R&A’s working jurisdiction is global, excluding the United States and Mexico.
The R&A is committed to working for golf and supports the growth of the game internationally and the development and management of sustainable golf facilities. The R&A operates with the consent of 149 organizations from the amateur and professional game and on behalf of over 30 million golfers in 135 countries.
For more information visit www.RandA.org.
About the ANNIKA Foundation
Annika created the ANNIKA Foundation (www.annikasorenstam.com/foundation) 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.
It annually conducts five major golf events for aspiring junior girls: the ANNIKA Invitational in Orlando, Fla.; ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills in China; ANNIKA Invitational Europe and ANNIKA Cup in Sweden; and, new for 2016 in association with The R&A, the ANNIKA Invitational Latin America in Argentina. In 2013, the Foundation’s 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, endowing an AJGA ACE Grant, ANNIKA Junior Day and the “Share My Passion” Clinic in partnership with LPGA*USGA Girls Golf are other initiatives.
Contact:
Stephen Reynolds
Buffalo.Agency
703.344.6031
sreynolds@buffalo.agency
Buffalo.Agency
