Annika Sörenstam was born on October 9, 1970 in Bro near Stockholm, Sweden. She is the daughter of Gunilla, a bank worker, and Tom Sörenstam, a retired IBM executive. Sörenstam has one younger sister, Charlotta. Charlotta is also a professional golfer. Sörenstam was an outstanding athlete as a child. She excelled in several sports. When she was twelve she began primarily focusing on golf.
Sörenstam had a successful amateur career. Sörenstam became the World Amateur champion in 1992. When Sörenstam began her collegiate career a coach spotted her and she moved to the United States to play for and attend the University of Arizona. Sörenstam won seven collegiate titles and won the 1991 individual NCAA National Championship.
Sörenstam turned professional in 1992. She began her professional career on the Ladies European Tour. Sörenstam professional career was very successful. She won 90 international tournaments, making her the female golfer with the most wins to her name. Sörenstam won 72 official LPGA tournaments including ten majors and 18 other tournaments internationally, Sörenstam holds the record for the only female golfer to have shot a 59 in competition.
Sörenstam made history at the Bank of America Colonial tournament in 2003 as the first woman to play in a men’s PGA Tour event since 1945. Sörenstam retired from competitive golf at the end of the 2008 season. Currently Sörenstam’s interests are the ANNIKA golf academy, golf course design, ANNIKA-branded products, and a charitable foundation. Sörenstam is at the top of the LPGA’s earning’s list with earnings of over $22 million.
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