Charleston, S.C. – The National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) is pleased to announce Annika Sorenstam as the recipient of its 2022 Award of Merit, the organization’s most prestigious award, which recognizes long-term and significant contributions to the game of golf. Annika will accept the award, and then sit down with NGCOA CEO Jay Karen for a conversation and audience Q&A, on Wednesday, January 26 during NGCOA’s Golf Business Conference 2022 in Orlando, FL.
Annika started playing golf at the age of 12 and since then has amassed over 90 worldwide victories, including 72 on the LPGA and 11 Major Championships. Annika is often regarded as the greatest female golfer of all time. During her 15-year, Hall-of-Fame career, she rewrote the LPGA and Ladies European Tour record books, won countless awards, and changed the way women’s golf was played, viewed and covered.
Annika stepped away from professional golf after the 2008 season to focus on starting a family and the ANNIKA brand of businesses. In 2007, she started the ANNIKA Foundation, which provides golf opportunities at the junior, collegiate and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition. The foundation conducts seven global events where more than 600 girls from 60+ countries compete annually.
In 2020, Annika was elected the President of the International Golf Federation which oversees golf in the Olympic Games. In 2021, Annika became the first female golfer and only the third female in sport to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Read her full biography here.
“We are thrilled to present the 2022 Award of Merit to Annika Sorenstam,” said Jay Karen, NGCOA CEO. “Like so many champions before, Annika’s long-term success and contributions to the game have fueled an enormous interest and engagement in our game worldwide. The cascading effect of this has only served to benefit the golf course owners and operators around our industry. On behalf of the industry, we are simply delighted to recognize her.”
The NGCOA Award of Merit and other NGCOA annual awards will be presented throughout the Golf Business Conference in Orlando from January 24-26, 2022. Learn more at golfbusinessconference.com.
# # #
About the National Golf Course Owners Association
The NGCOA is the leading authority on the business of golf course ownership and management. The association represents and promotes the interests of golf courses as the principal businesses and economic assets of the game of golf. The not-for-profit organization is the only trade association dedicated exclusively to golf course owners and operators. Through advocacy, education and information resources, purchasing programs and networking opportunities, the NGCOA helps golf course owners and operators run more successful businesses. For more information or to join, visit ngcoa.org or call 800-933-4262.
Media Contact: Renée Flowers, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, NGCOA, rflowers@ngcoa.org
