Seventh-annual edition will feature nearly 100 competitors vying for
three exemptions into the 2018 Annika Invitational USA
(ORLANDO, Fla.) – The ANNIKA Foundation – golf Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam’s charitable organization – announces the seventh-annual ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills will return to China April 25-28.
Established in 2011, the tournament was the country’s first all-girls junior golf championship. Defending overall winner Ho Yu An of Taiwan is one of nearly 100 players ages nine to 17 scheduled to compete. The three lowest scorers from the 11-14 and 15-17 age divisions (combined) will receive exemptions to play in the 2018 ANNIKA Invitational USA, one of the AJGA’s top events.
“We’re very proud of our partnership with Mission Hills and our Foundation’s role in establishing China’s first all-girls tournament,” says Annika, the 2017 Solheim Cup captain for Team Europe. “The improvement in overall quality of play since the inaugural event is eye-opening and speaks to the great strides being made to grow the game in this part of the world.”
Players will do battle for 54 holes on the resort’s Annika Course, the tournament namesake’s first design credit. Opened in 2003, it showcases spectacular views of rolling terrain and mountains which rise more than 300 meters above the golf course. It also features a rather unique routing, incorporating six par 3s, six par 4s and six par 5s, including back-to-back par 3s on the front nine and successive par 5s on the back.
Annika will be onsite throughout tournament week. In addition to watching play each day, she will conduct a skills clinic, host a gala dinner and more.
Her ANNIKA Foundation hosts four junior tournaments in addition to the ANNIKA Invitational Mission Hills – the ANNIKA Invitational USA, ANNIKA Invitational Europe (Sweden), ANNIKA Cup (Sweden) and ANNIKA Invitational Latin America (Argentina).
They’re joined on the schedule by the ANNIKA Intercollegiate Presented by 3M, which moves to Minnesota for this year’s edition. Since its 2014 inception, the ANNIKA Intercollegiate has annually hosted the strongest field in women’s NCAA Division I golf. Each year the ANNIKA Foundation also presents the ANNIKA Award Presented by 3M to the most outstanding Division I golfer.
For more information: www.annikasorenstam.com/foundation.
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 USA in Orlando, Fla.; ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills in China; ANNIKA Invitational Europe and ANNIKA Cup in Sweden; and, 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 in Minnesota). 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
