Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam to Host Tampa Bay’s Signature LPGA Tour Event in new Multi-Year Partnership, Benefiting the ANNIKA Foundation
‘THE ANNIKA’ Becomes Sole Namesake Event on the LPGA Tour, Taking Place at Pelican Golf Club Nov. 6-12, 2023
BELLEAIR, Fla.–The Pelican Women’s Championship and the LPGA Tour announced today that starting in 2023, THE ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican will feature a tournament purse of $3.25 million – the largest on the LPGA Tour outside of the major championships and the CME Group Tour Championship – with proceeds benefiting the ANNIKA Foundation.
A new multi-year partnership with World Golf and LPGA Hall-of-Fame member Annika Sorenstam and LPGA Tour partners Gainbridge and Pelican Golf Club, THE ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican will take place Nov. 6-12, 2023. The championship will feature a 120-player field competing at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla., for a share of the elevated $3.25 million purse and continuing to serve as the penultimate event on the LPGA Tour schedule. As the sole namesake event on the LPGA Tour, Sorenstam will serve as tournament host, which will allow her to further integrate the ANNIKA Foundation’s initiatives and programs into Tampa Bay’s signature LPGA Tour event.
“I’m incredibly honored to host one of the premier events on the LPGA Tour schedule starting in 2023 and give back to the game I love while mentoring the next generation of players,” said Sorenstam. “I look forward to working alongside my friends at the LPGA Tour, Pelican Golf Club and Gainbridge in continuing to elevate this championship to one of the premier events on the LPGA Tour.”
“Today’s purse increase announcement at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican is a gigantic step forward for the LPGA and a fitting tribute to Annika’s enormous impact on women’s golf and on women’s sports more broadly. It is also a significant nod to the world-class talent of the current LPGA players,” said Mollie Marcoux Samaan, LPGA Commissioner. “We are grateful to Dan Towriss, Dan Doyle Jr., and our friends at Gainbridge and Pelican for honoring and supporting Annika, her foundation and all our amazing LPGA Tour athletes. We look forward to this unique championship continuing to elevate the LPGA and the women’s game for many years to come.”
“The opportunity for us to create ‘THE ANNIKA’ in partnership with Pelican Golf Club and increasing the tournament purse to $3.25 million allows Gainbridge to continue its longtime support of the LPGA Tour and its world-class athletes, while at the same celebrating the legacy of the greatest woman golfer in the modern era,” said Dan Towriss, CEO and President of Group 1001, the parent organization of Gainbridge. “By supporting THE ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, alongside our recent partnership with tennis legend Billie Jean King and the Billie Jean King Cup, Gainbridge will continue to showcase women’s sports and the contributions of these legendary athletes both in and outside of the competitive arena.”
“Having a global icon in Annika teaming up with Gainbridge and us at Pelican Golf Club to elevate the tournament purse to $3.25 million as we head into 2023 is an amazing start to our long-term partnership,” said Dan Doyle Jr., Pelican Golf Club. “You want to make this the best championship it can be? You bring in one of the biggest names in golf. We look forward to the continued teamwork and collaboration in celebrating these world-class players both on and off the golf course.”
During her 15-year Hall-of-Fame career, Annika rewrote the LPGA and Ladies European Tour record books, and amassed over 90 worldwide wins, including 72 on the LPGA Tour and 10 major championships. She won a record eight Rolex Player of the Year awards, was the first woman in 58 years to play on the PGA TOUR, the only LPGA player to shoot 59, and is still the LPGA’s all-time money leader with over $22 million in earnings. Following her Hall of Fame career, Sorenstam started the ANNIKA Foundation in 2007 with the goal of developing women’s golf around the world and encouraging children to lead healthy, active lifestyles. The ANNIKA Foundation hosts seven global events for girls, with more than 600 juniors from 60 countries competing annually. Nearly 90 ANNIKA Foundation alumni are competing on the LPGA Tour.
Pelican Golf Club has hosted The Pelican Women’s Championship since 2020, with Sei Young Kim capturing her 12th LPGA Tour victory at the inaugural championship. The 2021 Pelican Women’s Championship was contested last November with fans in attendance for the first time. Nelly Korda defeated Lexi Thompson, Lydia Ko and defending champion Kim on the first playoff hole to capture her fourth victory in 2021 and seventh overall.
The 2022 Pelican Women’s Championship, taking place Nov. 10-13, will feature a 120-player field competing for a share of a $2 million purse. The event will be the penultimate event on the 2022 LPGA Tour schedule and the final opportunity for players to qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship.
For the past three years, Gainbridge has served as title sponsor for LPGA Tour events contested at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton, Fla., in 2020 and 2022 as well as at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando in 2021. Gainbridge served as the sponsor for the LPGA Tour’s Indy Women in Tech Championship in Indianapolis from 2017-2019.
In September, Gainbridge and the International Tennis Federation announced a long-term partnership with global tennis icon Billie Jean King as title partner for the Billie Jean King Cup, the largest women’s team tennis competition worldwide. Through partnerships with two of women’s sports biggest icons, Group 1001 and its subsidiaries, including Gainbridge, are focused on service and community transformation with investments in key partnerships that help transform lives through sports and education.
For more information on the 2022 Pelican Women’s Championship, visit PelicanLPGA.com and on social media: @PelicanLPGA on Twitter, @PelicanLPGA on Instagram and Pelican Women’s Championship on Facebook.
About ANNIKA
In 2008, Annika stepped away from professional golf and created the ANNIKA Foundation, which currently hosts six global tournaments for junior girls with over 600 girls from 60 different countries competing annually. The Foundation also hosts a top women’s college tournament featuring 12 of the top Division I schools. The college player of the year wins the ANNIKA Award Presented by Stifel.
In 2014 the LPGA, in partnership with Rolex, the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award was established to recognize the player who, during a current LPGA Tour season, has the most outstanding record in all five major championships. In 2020, Annika was elected the President of the International Golf Federation which oversees golf in the Olympic Games. In 2021, Annika became the first female golfer to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In March of 2022, Annika launched Fizzy Beez, a line of full-flavor, vodka based, sparkling classic cocktails that are sweetened with organic honey. The name comes from Annika being a “busy bee.” The Cosmos, Margaritas, Moscow Mules and Mojitos are currently being sold in Ohio and Tennessee.
About the Pelican Women’s Championship
The Pelican Women’s Championship is the LPGA’s annual tournament in the Tampa Bay region and features the world’s best female golfers competing over four rounds for a share of the $2 million purse in 2022. The tournament is contested at Pelican Golf Club, a Donald Ross design that offers world-class amenities and an unmatched golf experience. The Pelican Women’s Championship is operated by Outlyr, a global sports, event management and lifestyle marketing agency. For more information on the Pelican Women’s Championship, visit www.PelicanLPGA.com.
About Gainbridge & Group 1001
Gainbridge Insurance Agency, LLC (“Gainbridge”), a Group 1001 company, is an insurtech which strives to offer products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Gainbridge’s digital-first distribution model underpins its mission to reach all communities, including those that have been historically underserved by the national financial system.
Group 1001 Insurance Holdings, LLC (“Group 1001”) is a technology-driven financial services company with a mission to empower customers, employees, and communities by making innovative products accessible to everyone. Group 1001 strives to demystify how insurance and annuity products are purchased today by leveraging technology to provide intuitive financial solutions for all Americans. As part of its mission, Group 1001 invests in strategic partnerships to connect with and transform communities through education and sports. As of June 30, 2022, Group 1001 had combined assets under management of $57.5 billion and comprises the following brands: Delaware Life, Gainbridge, Clear Spring Health, Clear Spring Insurance, and Clear Spring Life. Learn more at www.group1001.com.
About the LPGA
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women, with a goal to change the face of golf by making the sport more accessible and inclusive.
Created in 1950 by 13 Founders, the Association celebrates a diverse and storied history. The LPGA Tour competes across the globe, reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. The Epson Tour, the LPGA’s official qualifying tour, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. The LPGA also holds a joint-venture collaboration with the Ladies European Tour (LET), increasing playing opportunities for female golfers in Europe. Across the three Tours, the LPGA represents players in more than 60 countries.
Additionally, the LPGA Foundation has empowered and supported girls and women since 1991, most notably through LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the only national program of its kind, which annually engages with nearly 100,000 girls. The LPGA Amateur Golf Association and LPGA Women’s Network provide virtual and in-person connections to female golfers around the world, while LPGA Professionals are educators, business leaders and game-changers dedicated to growing the game of golf for everyone.
Follow the LPGA on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel, online at www.LPGA.com and on its mobile apps. Join the social conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Media Contact:
Jeremy Friedman
Pelican Women’s Championship
Outlyr
407-721-9752
jfriedman@outlyr.com
