Annika and R&A Launch Latin American Tournament

The ANNIKA Foundation, Annika Sorenstam’s charitable organization, has partnered with The R&A to establish the ANNIKA Invitational Latin America junior golf tournament.

Sixty of the world’s leading girls (ages 12 to 16) will compete October 19-22 at Hurlingham Club outside Buenos Aires, Argentina. The winner will receive an exemption into the 2017 South American Amateur Open in Lima, Peru, while the top-three finishers will receive invites to the 2017 ANNIKA Invitational USA in Orlando, Fla.

The ANNIKA Invitational Latin America joins the ANNIKA Invitational USA, ANNIKA Invitational Mission Hills (China) and ANNIKA Invitational Europe on the global roster of ANNIKA Foundation junior tournaments. The ANNIKA Invitational USA just held its eighth-annual edition, while the China and Europe tournaments are in their sixth and fifth years, respectively.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said,

“We are delighted to be working with Annika to establish the ANNIKA Invitational Latin America and this is another important development in our efforts to support the growth of golf in the region.

This new event will provide an outstanding showcase for girls to compete with their peers from different countries and potentially earn a place in the South American Amateur Championships. It is entirely fitting that the inaugural event should be played in Argentina, with its rich golfing heritage of producing great champions such as Roberto de Vicenzo, who won The Open in 1967, and Angel Cabrera. We can look forward to a tremendous championship.”

As with all of her business and charitable endeavors, Annika will be intimately involved and onsite at the Hurlingham Club for 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.

Annika partners supporting the event include Rolex, Callaway, Cutter & Buck and AHEAD.

Adds Annika: “With golf making its return to the Olympics at the Rio Games in 2016, the timing is right for us to establish the ANNIKA Invitational Latin America. The R&A is a great supporter of junior golf and, like us, feels strongly about the game’s benefits to young players both on and off the course.”

Since 2007 the ANNIKA Foundation has pursued two parallel missions: 1) offering aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams, and 2) teaching children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition.

In addition to the four ANNIKA Invitational tournaments, the Foundation annually hosts the ANNIKA Cup, a team event for Swedish juniors, and the ANNIKA Intercollegiate Presented by 3M, a college golf tournament co-founded with Golfweek. It also bestows the ANNIKA Award Presented by 3M to the nation's most outstanding Division I female golfer.

For more information: www.annikafoundation.org