Annika Sorenstam is arguably Europe’s greatest ever golfer, with ten major championships and 97 worldwide wins throughout her career.
Born near the Swedish capital city of Stockholm in October 1970, Sorenstam started out with the game from an early age alongside younger sister Charlotta. After two years at the University of Arizona, and winning several events on the Swedish Golf Tour as an amateur, Sorenstam turned professional in 1992, and went on to have an incredible career.
Within her first two full years, Sorenstam had been named Rookie of the Year on both the Ladies European Tour (1993) and the LPGA Tour (1994). She would go on to win the Order of Merit on both tours in 1995, becoming the first woman to ever achieve the feat. Sorenstam won ten major championships, which started with a pair of US Women’s Open victories in the mid-1990s. She has also won the Kraft Nabisco Championship (now Chevron Championship) and the McDonald’s LPGA Championship (now Women’s PGA Championship) on three occasions, along with a third US Women’s Open and the Women’s British Open in 2003.
In total, the Swede won 97 times throughout her career, including a senior major title which came at the US Senior Women’s Open in 2021. She won 72 times on the LPGA Tour – leaving her 3rd on the all-time list, along with 17 wins on the Ladies European Tour – leaving her 5th on the all-time list. Unsurprisingly, the Swede still holds a number of records, including the lowest scoring average in a season on the LPGA Tour. She also remains the only female player to ever record a 59 in competition play, doing so on her way to winning the Standard Register PING in 2001.
On the international stage, Sorenstam sits only behind Dame Laura Davies in terms of points scored at the Solheim Cup, having tallied a total of 24 points across her eight appearances. She was also the European captain in 2017.
Advertisement
Annika Sorenstam | Legends Profile
Personal Information
Name: Annika Charlotta Sorenstam
Born: October 9, 1970
Nationality: Sweden
Residence: Orlando, Florida, United States
Career
College: University of Arizona
Turned Pro: 1992
Professional Wins: 97
Highest World Ranking: 1 – February 21, 2006
Best Results In Majors
Best Finishes:
– Chevron Championship – WON (2001, 2002, 2005)
– Women’s PGA Championship – WON (2003, 2004, 2005)
– US Women’s Open – WON (1995, 1996, 2006)
– AIG Women’s Open – WON (2003)
– du Maurier Classic – 2nd (1998)
Professional Wins – 97
1990 (2) – Kanthal-Höganäs Open, Stora Lundby Ladies Open
1991 (1) – Ängsö Ladies Open
1993 (1) – Höganäs Ladies Open
1994 (1) – Holden Women’s Australian Open
1995 (6) – OVB Damen Open Austria, Hennessy Cup, US Women’s Open, GHP Heartland Classic, Samsung World Championship of Women’s Golf, Alpine Australian Ladies Masters
1996 (4) – US Women’s Open, Trygg Hansa Ladies’ Open, CoreStates Betsy King Classic, Samsung World Championship of Women’s Golf
1997 (9) – Chrysler-Plymouth Tournament of Champions, Cup Noodles Hawaiian Ladies Open, JCPenney/LPGA Skins Game, Longs Drugs Challenge, Michelob Light Classic, Compaq Open, CoreStates Betsy King Classic, Hisako Higuchi Kibun Classic, ITT LPGA Tour Championship
1998 (5) – Michelob Light Classic, ShopRite LPGA Classic, JAL Big Apple Classic, Compaq Open, Safeco Classic
1999 (2) – Michelob Light Classic, New Albany Golf Classic
2000 (5) – Welch’s/Circle K Championship, Firstar LPGA Classic, Evian Masters, Jamie Farr Kroger Classic, Japan Airlines Big Apple Classic
2001 (8) – Welch’s/Circle K Championship, Standard Register PING, Nabisco Championship, The Office Depot, Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, Bank of Montreal Canadian Women’s Open, Cisco World Ladies Match Play Championship, Mizuno Classic
2002 (13) – ANZ Ladies Masters, LPGA Takefuji Classic, Kraft Nabisco Championship, Aerus Electrolux USA Championship, Kellogg-Keebler Classic, Evian Masters, ShopRite LPGA Classic, Compaq Open, Williams Championship, Safeway Classic, Samsung World Championship, Mizuno Classic, ADT Championship
2003 (7) – The Office Depot Championship, Kellogg-Keebler Classic, Nichirei Cup World Ladies, McDonald’s LPGA Championship, Women’s British Open, Safeway Classic, Mizuno Classic
2004 (10) – ANZ Ladies Masters, Safeway International, Office Depot Championship, LPGA Corning Classic, McDonald’s LPGA Championship, HP Open, John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic, Samsung World Championship, Mizuno Classic, ADT Championship
2005 (11) – MasterCard Classic, Safeway International, Kraft Nabisco Championship, Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, ShopRite LPGA Classic, McDonald’s LPGA Championship, Scandinavian TPC hosted by Annika, John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic, Samsung World Championship, Mizuno Classic, ADT Championship
2006 (6) – Women’s World Cup of Golf, MasterCard Classic, US Women’s Open, Scandinavian TPC hosted by Annika, State Farm Classic, Dubai Ladies Masters
2007 (1) – Dubai Ladies Masters
2008 (4) – SBS Open at Turtle Bay, Stanford International Pro-Am, Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill, Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open
Advertisement
Legends Tour Victories
2021 (1) – US Senior Women’s Open
Achievements and Awards
LET Rookie of the Year – 1993
LPGA Rookie of the Year – 1994
LPGA Tour Player of the Year – 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
LPGA Tour Money Winner – 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
LPGA Vare Trophy – 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2005
LET Order of Merit – 1995
LET Players’ Player of the Year – 1995, 2002
GWAA Female Player of the Year – 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal – 1995
Swedish Golfer of the Year – 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
ESPY Awards Best Female Golfer – 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004
World Golf Hall of Fame – 2003
AP Female Athlete of the Year – 2003, 2004, 2005
Patty Berg Award – 2003
Laureus World Sports Awards Sportswoman of the Year – 2004
ESPY Awards Best Female Athlete – 2005, 2006
Francis Ouimet Award for Lifelong Contributions to Golf – 2010
Bob Jones Award – 2012
Old Tom Morris Award – 2014
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Annika Sorenstam
When and where was Annika Sorenstam born?
Annika Sorenstam was born in Bro, close to the Swedish capital city of Stockholm. She took up the game from a young age, alongside younger sister Charlotta.
When did Annika Sorenstam turn professional?
Annika Sorenstam turned professional in 1992, and almost immediately became a star, going on to be named Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour in consecutive years.
How many major titles has Annika Sorenstam won?
Throughout her career, Sorenstam won ten women’s majors. She was victorious at each of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, US Women’s Open and the McDonald’s LPGA Championship on three occasions, along with winning the Women’s British Open in 2003. In her senior career, Sorenstam also won the US Senior Women’s Open.
Advertisement
Who is Annika Sorenstam dating/married to?
Annika Sorenstam is married to Mike McGee. They have two children – Ava and William – with William having played alongside his mum in the annual PNC Championship.
Did you Know?
Double-Digit Majors
Sorenstam is one of just five players in the women’s game to have won ten or more majors, alongside Patty Berg, Mickey Wright, Louise Suggs and Babe Zaharias. She is the only non-American to have reached the mark, and the leading non-American when it comes to major championships across both the men’s and women’s games.
Leading Both Major Tours
The 1995 season saw Sorenstam finish as the Order of Merit leader on the Ladies European Tour, along with being the Money Winner on the LPGA Tour. In doing so, she became the first person to top the standings on both of the major women’s tours.
The Only 59
The Swede is the only female to ever shoot a 59 in a competition. Sorenstam did so at the Standard Register PING in 2001, and unsurprisingly, she went on to win the tournament.
First World No.1
When the Women’s World Golf Rankings were founded in 2006, Sorenstam became the sport’s first female World No.1. She held the position for over a year, totalling 60 weeks at the summit of the rankings.
First Sisters to $1 Million
Annika’s sister Charlotta also played on the LPGA Tour as a professional golfer, with the pair becoming the first sisters to both earn more than a million dollars through tournament earnings.
Other Annika Sorenstam Articles
Tiger Woods gives us all the feels in this Annika Sorenstam clip
Just how good was Annika Sorenstam? Is she in the conversation for best European golfer of all time? Let us know your thoughts on X, formerly Twitter!
Advertisement