This fourth edition of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge in Pelican knocked all doubts out of the park. The roster was so glamorous that by the end of the tournament, everyone knew the event in Florida was going to be a memorable one. Lilia Vu took the trophy home with the season’s biggest individual prize money of $487,500, and almost all the top LPGA cover stars raked the Top 25 positions. 

Before the tourney wrapped up, the leading lady, Annika Sorenstam, doubling the intrigue, talked about her event and the future of the LPGA Tour. Here’s a quick snippet of what the golfing legend had to say. 

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Annika Sorenstam sat for a podcast talk with hosts Michael Barr, Scarlet Fu and Damian Sassower on their sports show ‘Bloomberg Business of Sports.’ The golfer was asked questions about what was unfolding in Florida and about the top players that graced the greens. Talking about the LPGA Tour first, Sorenstam mentioned how in the lit corridors of the LPGA, a saga of victory and commitment is unfolding. 

The Swedish golfer added that in the current ensemble of players, talent and diversity speak volumes. These golfers are playing for more prize money than they ever had, she said, and so…there’s something big to look forward to at the end. Talking about The ANNIKA tour, Sorenstam said, “And, you know, The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge…but we actually have the largest purse in 2023, outside of the major championship and the CME Group. So, it’s nice to see that it’s growing.”

The golfer also talked about the growing loyalty commitment from companies and the spectacle of the television ratings for The ANNIKA. She concluded by saying, “…seeing the women getting to play courses, you know, back of this course is like that is really, really important. So, no, I’m thrilled for the LPGA and what they’re doing.”

The tournament received the highest TV rating among all the LPGA Tour events of late. While Sorenstam’s name being the brand associated with the tourney was expected to bring in more viewers, the golfers and their competitive play is what made the game worth the watch. 

All that unfolded at The ANNIKA event in Florida

Lilia Vu’s win marked the player’s first LPGA Tour win and her fourth overall win this year. The greens in Florida saw the player cross Alison Lee and Azahara Munoz in a three-stroke win. Her overall play on the course this time around was 261, with 62 and 66 in the third and fourth rounds. With this win, Vu crossed the $4 million mark in her pro golfing career. 

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The final leaderboard for the tournament was star-studded, where Alison Lee and Azahara Munoz finished T2, followed by T3 Amy Yang, who made a purse of $170,594. The Top 25 spots on the charts only saw big LPGA names. Irrespective of the performance at the event, some players like Lexi Thompson (T5) could not make it to the CME Group Tour Championship.

With just one last event waiting at the year-end leg, what is your take on this year’s LPGA Tour season? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. 

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