Annika Sorenstam - RiverTowne Country Club - Mt. Pleasant, SC

There are those who refer to women's golf in terms of B.A. and A.A—before Annika and after Annika.

The LPGA has had its stars in the past, but few can argue that any has been as talented or as popular as Annika Sorenstam. Ranked number one in the world, the 36-year-old Swede seems almost unbeatable. Sportswriters and other players refer to the mechanics of her game as near perfect. Since 2000, she has racked up more tournament victories that any golfer—male or female.

Next spring, she'll add another honor to her impressive resume. Ginn Sports Entertainment has tapped her to host her own LPGA tournament. "The Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika Sorenstam" will be held May 31 through June 2, 2007, at the Arnold Palmer-designed course at RiverTowne Country Club in Mount Pleasant. With a purse of $2.6 million, it is one of the richest women's tournaments on record..

"To be able to come out with a purse of $2.6 million sends a big statement," says Sorenstam. "This is something that I think is a little bit of a dream come true—to be on tour for so long and to have an event with your name on it. This is going to be one of the premier events on our schedule, so I'm very thrilled to be associated with it."

Ginn Sports Entertainment is thrilled to be associated with her, as well. Bobby Ginn, the company's founder, is a Lowcountry native. Raised in the tiny town of Hampton, he was anxious to shine some light on his home state.

"There are only a few players you'd ever consider naming a tournament for," says Ginn Chief Operating Officer Kent Atherton. "Jack Nicklaus hosts in Ohio. There is the Arnold Palmer Invitational. I think Annika has established herself on the ladies' tour in the same vein as those men. She's the number one player in the world, maybe the best of all time. Aside from that, she's really a wonderful person."

Sorenstam admits that having her own tournament adds more work to her already busy schedule. It also means she will be spending time in a part of the United States that she has never before visited.

"To be honest with you, I'm not very familiar with that area at all," she admits. "I've heard from friends and family that it's a beautiful area. I'm looking forward to spending some time there and getting to know the golf course. It's going to be a beautiful fit in many ways. It's going to be great for the LPGA; we haven't been in that area for who knows how long."

In fact, the LPGA has never had a major tournament in the Charleston area. That fact, coupled with the size of the purse and Sorenstam's drawing power, is expected to make the Ginn Tribute one of the largest LPGA events ever. Even those who do not follow golf are fascinated by her abilities.

"You look at her like you would Tiger Woods," says Atherton, with amazement and respect. "America has a fascination with success. They worship champions. It's fascinating to watch players play at a consistency that is better than anyone else. And she does it with such grace. She's disciplined and focused. It's impressive to watch."

Sorenstam's self-discipline is legendary. She follows the same hourand- 15-minute warm-up before every tournament: practice green, chipping, driving range and back to the practice green. Her scientific approach to the course, her form and her technique are inherited from her father, Tom Sorenstam, who worked for IBM.

Growing up in Stockholm, she turned to golf as a teen-ager when she was unable to excel at the tennis game she loved. She had dreamed of being a professional tennis player and was even ranked 12th among her country's junior players. Frustrated because she couldn't perfect her backhand, she simply tossed her racquet into a closet one day and announced she was giving up on tennis.

Having discovered golf at the age of 12, she quickly shifted her focus, putting her energies into drills designed to perfect every aspect of her game. When she saw Sweden's Liselotte Neumann win the Women's U.S. Open in 1988, Annika decided that this was something she could achieve, as well. She accomplished that goal in 1995 and has won the event twice since.

Sorenstam came to the United States in 1990 to play on the University of Arizona golf team. As a freshman, she led the Wildcats to the NCAA championship. The following year, she earned seven collegiate titles and qualified for the U.S. Open for the first time, turning pro two years later. Her golf career has been a steady march through the record books since. Besides shooting an unheardof 59 at the par-72 Moon Valley Country Club in Phoenix, her accolades include being the LPGA's Player of the Year for the last five years and a six-time winner of the Vare Trophy, presented for the lowest average annual score. She also has won 10 major titles, two Espy Sports Woman of the Year Awards and set countless records.

Despite all of this, Sorenstam still considers herself a European player, as well as a member of the LPGA. "This is my way of trying to give back to the LPGA that's really helped me out and given me so many opportunities," she says. "These tournaments that we're putting together are helping grow women's golf and support the communities we live in."

The Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika Sorenstam, to be televised by NBC, will honor a different player each year. Sorenstam will play in her own tournament, which means, in theory, she could present a trophy to herself.

When questioned about this scenario, she can't help but laugh, "That wouldn't be so bad." After all, Annika Sorenstam has always been one to do things a bit differently.

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