ANNIKA Invitational Latin America All Set for Uruguay, November 7-10
Dr. Alister MacKenzie-Designed Uruguay Golf Club to Welcome Stellar Field Representing 17 Countries
(ORLANDO, Fla.) – The ANNIKA Foundation – golf Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam’s charitable organization – is bringing its ANNIKA Invitational Latin America to Uruguay for the first time.
This week, Uruguay Golf Club will host 50 of the best girl golfers representing 17 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. Notable competitors scheduled to play include defending champion Cristina Ochoa Hidalgo of Colombia, six-time ANNIKA Invitational participant Valentina Rossi of Argentina and three-time ANNIKA Invitational participant Vanessa Gilly of Venezuela.
“After a wonderful three-year run in Buenos Aires, we’re eager to bring the fourth edition of the ANNIKA Invitational Latin America to Uruguay,” says Annika, who’ll be onsite for the event. “It’s always been our plan to move the tournament to other countries in Latin America, so bringing it to a place with the pedigree of Uruguay Golf Club, with the help of our partners Rolex, Mastercard, AHEAD, Cutter & Buck and The R&A, is an exciting and logical next step.”
Located in the capital city of Montevideo, Uruguay Golf Club opened in 1934 and was designed by renowned golf course architect, Dr. Alister MacKenzie. Overlooking a beach with long views of the city skyline in the distance, it is one of only a handful of courses in the world to play to a par of 73 and feature just three par 3s. Some of MacKenzie’s most-famous design credits include Augusta National Golf Club, Cypress Point Golf Club and Australia’s Royal Melbourne Golf Club, host of next month’s Presidents Cup matches.
“We are delighted to welcome the region’s best golfers to a new country for the fourth-annual ANNIKA Invitational Latin America,” says Mark Lawrie, The R&A’s director of golf in Latin America. “The 17 countries represented in the field is testament to the growth of golf in this part of the world and our continued belief in the great promise it holds for the game.”
As with all of her Foundation events, Annika is intimately involved during 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.
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 and ANNIKA Cup (Sweden), ANNIKA Invitational Mission Hills (China), the ANNIKA Invitational Latin America and the ANNIKA Invitational Australasia (New Zealand). At the college level, it hosts the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M and annually bestows the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel to most outstanding female Division I golfer as voted on by peers, coaches and media.
Since the inaugural Foundation tournament – the 2009 ANNIKA Invitational USA – 45 ANNIKA event alumnae have earned LPGA cards. Twenty-eight alumnae competed in the 2019 ANA Inspiration.
For more information, please visit www.annikafoundation.org.
About the ANNIKA Foundation
Annika created the ANNIKA Foundation (www.annikafoundation.org) 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, and an endowment of the AJGA’s ACE Grant.
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; the ANNIKA Invitational Latin America and the ANNIKA Invitational Australasia in New Zealand. Moreover, with the support of 3M, the Haskins Commission and Golfweek, the Foundation created the ANNIKA Award presented by 3M, which is given annually to the best collegiate female golfer. Since 2014, the Foundation has also annually hosted the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M, a college tournament featuring 12 of the top Division I schools. Each year, the Foundation also conducts several “Share My Passion” grass roots clinics designed to introduce kids to the game.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Stephen Reynolds
Buffalo.Agency
703.344.6031
sreynolds@buffalo.agency
Buffalo.Agency
