Toro Named Official Partner of ANNIKA Foundation ‘Share My Passion’ Golf Clinic Series
The ANNIKA Foundation – golf Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam’s charitable organization – is proud to announce Toro will become an official partner of the “Share My Passion” Clinic series in 2019.
The ANNIKA Foundation’s “Share My Passion” Clinics introduce young girls ages 6-12 to the great game of golf while also giving them a behind the scenes tour of a professional event. These events include a healthy lunch, instructional stations by LPGA professionals, and a golf clinic taught by Annika.
“We are proud to partner with the ANNIKA Foundation to encourage and engage young girls in the game of golf,” says Judson McNeil, president of The Toro Foundation. “The impact of the “Share My Passion” Clinics on the participants is multi-faceted with healthy eating habits and exposure to how a professional tournament is managed from the turf to the pro shop.”
In partnership with Toro, girls who live in the state where the event is being held are invited to write an open letter to Annika telling her why they love golf, and why other girls should learn how to play. Annika and her team will invite authors of the 40 most-compelling notes to attend a clinic headlined by the 10-time major champion and winner of 72 LPGA events.
The official schedule for the 2019 “Share My Passion” Clinic series, to be released in February, will include stops at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., the U.S. Open in Pebble Beach, Calif., and the Insperity Invitational in The Woodlands, Texas.
“I am excited that we are able to add even more events to this year’s ‘Share My Passion’ series,” says Annika, who in 2001 became the only woman to date to break 60 in an LPGA tournament. “It is because of supporters like Toro that we are able to continue inspiring girls through golf at every age and skill level.”
Toro will join The DICKS Sporting Goods Foundation in supporting the series along with Fortune 500 companies such as Rolex, 3M, and Mastercard who support other ANNIKA Foundation initiatives.
Information about the “Share My Passion” Clinic Series can be found here: https://www.annikafoundation.org/share-my-passion-clinic.
The ANNIKA Foundation is devoted to growing the game of golf around the world. It annually hosts six girls-only invitational tournaments on five continents: the ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex, the ANNIKA Invitational Europe (Sweden), ANNIKA Invitational Mission Hills (China), the ANNIKA Invitational Latin America (Argentina) and the ANNIKA Invitational Australasia (New Zealand). The Foundation also runs the ANNIKA Cup, ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M and bestows the prestigious ANNIKA Award presented by 3M to NCAA Division I’s best female golfer.
Since the inaugural Foundation tournament – the 2009 ANNIKA Invitational USA – 45 ANNIKA event alumnae have earned LPGA cards. Twenty-four alumnae competed in the 2018 ANA Inspiration.
For more information, please visit www.annikafoundation.org.
About the ANNIKA Foundation
Annika created the ANNIKA 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 six major golf events for aspiring junior girls: the ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, 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 and ANNIKA Invitational Australasia. 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, and the “Share My Passion” Golf Clinics are other areas of emphasis.
