Third-Annual ANNIKA Invitational Latin America Returns to Argentina
Fifty-Four of Region’s Best Girls Set to Compete at New Venue, Tortugas Country Club
The ANNIKA Foundation – golf Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam’s charitable organization – is set to welcome 54 of Latin America’s best junior girls to Buenos Aires for the third-annual ANNIKA Invitational Latin America.
Competitors ages 13-18 hailing from 19 different countries in South America, Central America and the Caribbean are scheduled to compete, Nov. 1-4. At stake are World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2019 South American Amateur Championship, to be held in Santiago, Chile. The top-three finishers will also receive exemptions into the 2019 ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla.
The field is headlined by several elite players. They include Argentina’s 18-year-old Ela Anacona, the second-place finisher in 2016 and 2017 and recent winner of a bronze medal in the Youth Olympics Team Competition in Buenos Aires. She will be joined by 17-year-old countrywoman Valentina Rossi, who finished third in last year’s event, and Mexico’s Cory Lopez, a 16-year-old who finished fifth last year and has verbally committed to play golf for the University of Arkansas.
All will be challenged by a new venue for the 2018 edition, Tortugas Country Club. Founded in 1930, it is one of the country’s oldest clubs and is well-known for both its great golf course and polo-oriented sports center.
“Argentina enjoys a rich golf history and we’re very excited to return for the third ANNIKA Invitational Latin America,” says Annika, who will be in attendance. “In recent years, we’ve seen more and more accomplished players emerging from Latin America and we’re honored to give the region’s best girls a platform to showcase their considerable skills.”
Annika’s schedule for the week includes 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 (Sweden), ANNIKA Invitational Mission Hills (China), the ANNIKA Invitational Latin America (Argentina) and, new for 2018, 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 – 32 ANNIKA event alumnae have earned LPGA cards. Twenty-four alumnae competed in the 2018 ANA Inspiration.
The ANNIKA Invitational Latin America was established in 2016 in partnership with the R&A. It is co-hosted by the Argentina Golf Association.
For more information, please visit www.annikafoundation.org
About the R&A
Based in St. Andrews, the R&A organizes The Open Championship, major amateur events and international matches. Together with the United States Golf Association, the R&A governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The R&A’s working jurisdiction is global, excluding the United States and Mexico.
The R&A is committed to working for golf and supports the growth of the game internationally and the development and management of sustainable golf facilities. The R&A operates with the consent of 149 organizations from the amateur and professional game and on behalf of over 30 million golfers in 135 countries.
For more information visit www.RandA.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 in Argentina 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
