Annika Sörenstam
Paving the way for female golfers everywhere
Annika Sörenstam is one of the greatest female golfers, known for her incredible skill, sustained dominance and overall contribution to the sport.
In 1994, I was Rolex Rookie of the Year on the LPGA Tour, and it feels so close, as if it happened yesterday. It was in that year that I realized that I made the right decision to turn professional.
Annika Sörenstam
Peerless achievement
Annika Sörenstam achieved remarkable success throughout a long and glorious professional career, winning 10 majors and 72 Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour titles.
The Swede consistently performed at the highest levels, setting numerous records and earning a place among the legends of the sport.
Golfing legend
Sörenstam’s golf journey began in her homeland of Sweden, where she quickly rose through the amateur ranks, turning professional in 1992.
Her breakthrough came in 1995 when she won the U.S. Women’s Open, the first of her 10 majors. Renowned for her precision and strategic play, Sörenstam dominated the sport in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She made history at the Standard Register PING tournament in 2001, becoming the first female professional golfer to shoot a round of 59, and the following year she won 11 events in a single season, the most in the LPGA in almost 40 years.
In 2003 she was inducted into both the LPGA Hall of Fame, through the points criteria, and the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Sörenstam played in eight editions of the Solheim Cup, the leading women’s team competition, helping Europe to victory in 2000 and 2003, then serving as a non-playing captain in 2017.
In 2014, the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award was created in her honour, the prize rewarding the golfer who, over the course of the LPGA Tour season, scores the most points across all five majors.
Her success and respectful demeanour have made her a role model for aspiring golfers worldwide. In 2007, she created the ANNIKA Foundation which aims to develop, empower and advance young women around the world through golf and in life. It provides opportunities at junior, collegiate and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of personal development, including a healthy and active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition.
Sörenstam became a Rolex Testimonee in 1994, when she was named Rolex Rookie of the Year on the LPGA Tour: “It wasn’t until 1995 that I really had my breakthrough year, winning tournaments and becoming Rolex Player of the Year… I was proud to put on my first Rolex ever as it planted a seed for the future.”
