Francesca Fiorellini and Francesca Pompa defend the blue colors in the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational Presented by Rolex, the first of the nine Annika Foundation youth events promoted by Annika Sorenstam, the great Swedish champion who retired from the competitive scene in 2008 after being in the world leaders for over a decade and have won 72 races on the LPGA Tour (with ten majors), 14 on the LET, four on the Australian circuit, two on the Japanese circuit and three team events, including the World Cup (2006).
Annika Invitational, statements
The tournament will take place on the Eagle Creek Golf Club course in Orlando, Florida, from January 15 to 17 with the participation of 72 selected young people aged 12 to 19 from all over the world.
who will compete over the distance of 54 holes, without cutting. In the field five among the top ten of the Girls Aiga ranking: the Americans Gianna Clemente, number 1, Yana Wilson (n. 3), who defends the title, and Anna Davis (n.
6), the Filipina Rianne Malixi (n. 4 ) and Chinese Alice Ziyi Zhao (No. 10). The event, born in 2009 and now in its 15th edition, was won in 2020 by Benedetta Moresco, the only blue who managed to register her name on a roll of honor which includes some players who are now on the two circuits Americans including the French Céline Boutier, the Americans Angel Yin and Bethany Wu, the only one to score the double (2013 – 2014), and the Thai Jaravee Boonchant.
Francesca Fiorellini last year won the equivalent competition that takes place in Europe, the Annika Invitational Europe (the next from 12 to 15 June in Halmstad in Sweden). On this occasion she overtook the home player Nora Sundberg after four play-off holes, becoming the second Italian to climb the top step of the podium after Anna Zanusso in 2018.
The two Italians in the competition are accompanied by Stefano Sardi. Annika Charlotta Sörenstam (born 9 October 1970 in Stockholm) is a Swedish golfer. She started playing golf at the age of 12 after giving up tennis.
She studied at the University of Arizona, where in 1991 she won the title of best NCAA player. In 1992, she won the World Amateur Championships and made it to the finals of the US Amateur Championships, after being an All American in 1991 and 1992.
Also in 1992, she made her professional debut and has since won 59 tournaments on the LPGA Tour Women’s Tour.
