The American Ashleen Kaur won the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational Presented by Rolex with 204 strokes (69 66 69, -15) played on the Eagle Creek Golf Club course (par 73), in Orlando, Florida, where Francesca Fiorellini is ranked 19th with 215 (69 73 73, -4) and Francesca Pompa, 61st with 229 (74 78 77, +10).
Annika Invitational, results
Kaur one-shot her compatriot Katie Li and Chinese Alice Ziyi Zhao, second with 205 (-14), after a thrilling last hole. Katie Li was up by one stroke at the 17th, but she finished with par and was caught by Zhao with a birdie, while Kaur had the game won with an eagle.
The winner with 204 strokes equaled the tournament record set by Angel Yin in 2015. Immediately behind the three protagonists are two Canadians, Vanessa Borovilos, fourth with 208 (-11), and Lauren Kim, fifth with 209 (-10).
Francesca Fiorellini had started at a good pace, third after one round, but then lost ground with two rounds in the par 73, while Francesca Pompa always remained in the rear. The blues were accompanied by Stefano Sardi. The tournament, born in 2009, now in its 15th edition and won in 2020 by Benedetta Moresco, was the first of nine youth events organized by the Annika Foundation promoted by Annika Sorenstam, the great Swedish champion who retired from the competitive scene in 2008 after having been at the top of the world for over a decade and having 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).
The fifth scheduled competition, the Annika Invitational Europe, will take place from 12 to 15 June in Halmstad, Sweden. Last year it was the prerogative of Francesca Fiorellini, the second Italian to climb the top step of the podium after Anna Zanusso in 2018.
Annika Charlotta Sörenstam 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.
