The inaugural SERI PAK & ANNIKA Invitational Asia at Serenity Golf & Resort in Cheongju-si, South Korea, will feature 78 junior girls from Asia.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Former women’s professional golf rivals will serve as tournament co-hosts when Annika Sörenstam and Seri Pak join forces at the inaugural SERI PAK & ANNIKA Invitational Asia Oct. 2-5 at Serenity Golf & Resort in Cheongju-si, South Korea.
Co-hosted by the ANNIKA Foundation and Seri Pak Hope Foundation, the 54-hole gross stroke play tournament will feature a 78-player field, including girls ages 13-18 from the Asia region.
The top three finishers will earn invitations to two American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) tournaments in the United States: the Seri Pak Desert Junior and the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex, one of the most prestigious junior events of the year. Both tournaments offer elite junior players opportunities to compete in the presence of NCAA Division I women’s golf coaches and scouts.
“Our vision for the SERI PAK & ANNIKA Invitational Asia is to serve as a premier showcase of blossoming talent in the region,” Pak said. “Many of the girls competing will become the professional stars of tomorrow. Annika and I look forward to being a part of their journey toward fulfilling their dreams in golf.”
The inaugural tournament will include junior girls from Korea, Thailand, China, Philippines and Singapore.
“Creating opportunities for girls around the world to compete with fellow elite players is an essential part of personal development and growth, as well as facilitating the spirit of the game,” Annika said. “Seri and I view this tournament as an important step toward bolstering the competitive landscape so that deserving top junior players can attract the attention they deserve at the next level.”
About the ANNIKA Foundation
Annika created the ANNIKA Foundation (www.annikafoundation.org) to develop and empower the next generation of women around the world through the game of golf. More specifically, it provides opportunities in women’s golf at the junior, collegiate and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of personal development, including 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 program.
The ANNIKA Foundation annually conducts several “Share My Passion” grassroots clinics designed to introduce kids to the game. It also conducts six major golf events for aspiring junior girls: the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex, in the U.S.; ANNIKA Invitational Asia; ANNIKA Invitational Europe and ANNIKA Cup in Sweden; the Women’s Amateur Latin America, with the R&A in Argentina; and the ANNIKA Invitational Australasia in New Zealand. Since 2014, the Foundation has annually hosted the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M, a women’s college tournament featuring 12 top Division I schools. Moreover, with the support of the Haskins Foundation, the Foundation created the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel, which is given annually to the best collegiate female golfer. In 2022, the ANNIKA Development Program was created to support recent college graduates pursue their dreams of playing professional golf. The Foundation also will be the main beneficiary of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, a new tournament tradition that will begin on the LPGA Tour November 6-12, 2023.
