Tag: 2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate

‘Fun to be a part of it’: Why Annika Sorenstam makes a point to attend ANNIKA Intercollegiate in Minnesota

“This is one of our bigger events.”

LAKE ELMO, Minn. – Annika Sorenstam took a back seat to the action happening in front of her.

Sorenstam and her husband, Mike McGee, were perched on a hill looking over the 18th green and down the fairway at Royal Golf Club outside of Minneapolis. Occasionally, spectators would notice Sorenstam was sitting there and ask for a picture or say hello, but when she wasn’t entertaining her fans, she was intently watching the golf in front of her.

Sorenstam was in town for the annual ANNIKA Intercollegiate, a college tournament her foundation started in 2014 that features some of the top women’s college golf teams across the country. Wake Forest captured the team title on a windy Wednesday afternoon while Virginia sophomore Amanda Sambach won the individual crown. Yet for the tournament’s namesake, it’s yet another event where she gives back to the golfing community.

“This tournament has grown very consistently and been really solid every team,” Sorenstam said. “Just look at the teams. the reception is so good. The coaches are so thankful, and I get to know the players more and more every year.

“This is one of our bigger events.”

ANNIKA Intercollegiate: Scores

That’s why it’s important for Sorenstam to come to Minnesota every year in one of the premier women’s golf tournaments on the schedule. It also happens at Royal Golf Club, which is a course she and the late Arnold Palmer co-designed. It’s Palmer’s last design before his death and Sorenstam’s first in the United States.

Players and coaches alike recognize the significance of Sorenstam being present, too.

“Annika is literally the greatest of all time, so it’s really awesome just to be at a site where I know she’ll be,” Sambach said. “She’s such an inspiration.”

Soremstam arrived in Minnesota on Tuesday, and she threw out the first pitch at the Minnesota Twins’ game that night. Then she spent all of the final round Wednesday at Royal Golf Club, interacting with players, coaches and spectators.

The ANNIKA Intercollegiate is just one of the numerous events hosts not only in Minnesota but also across the country. She hosts the ANNIKA Invitational early in the year, which is recognized as one of the top junior events in the country. She’s also active with numerous clinics, including her “Share my Passion” series that she does at stops on the PGA and LPGA tours.

On Tuesday, Sorenstam also announced plans for a future LPGA event in Tampa Bay.

2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate

She makes an effort to attend most of her events and clinics, and Sorenstam is always making time to interact with the attendees and competitors. Yet the ANNIKA Intercollegiate is really special because of its location and it’s an opportunity to watch players she has seen grow up playing her events.

“We see them make the transition and in every phase of their golf life,” Sorenstam said. “Just to follow women’s golf and you look at them, it’s really cool to be associated. These are role models and ambassadors. They represent the game very well. It’s fun to be a part of it.”

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Wake Forest captures 2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate with late birdie barrage; Virginia’s Amanda Sambach wins individual title

It’s Wake Forest’s second win at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. – There was a constant theme at Royal Golf Club outside of Minneapolis all week during the 2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate.

Survive the front nine, attack the back nine. And that’s what the Wake Forest women’s golf team did.

The No. 3 Demon Deacons trailed by six shots entering the final round, but they dominated both sides of the golf course and finished strong with a late birdie barrage to capture the ANNIKA Intercollegiate on a windy afternoon outside Minneapolis. Wake Forest had contributions from every member of its lineup, finishing at 6-under 858 for the week, but Wednesday’s 3-under 285 was enough to propel the Demon Deacons to their second ANNIKA Intercollegiate title, the first coming in 2019.

“You’re always comfortable when you have a lead, but we’ve got a bunch of really good teams here, so we just had to stick to the game plan,” Wake Forest coach Kim Lewellen said. “We’ve got a lot of veterans, and they’re used to being in this position.”

ANNIKA Intercollegiate: Scores

Rachel Kuehn helped cap the victory for Wake Forest. She birdied her final three holes, finishing at 1 under for the day and even-par 216 for the tournament, which was a tie for 10th. Lauren Walsh also birdied the closing par-5, and she finished in a tie for second at 7-under 209.

Emilia Migliaccio shot a 2-over 74 on Wednesday but finished in a tie for 10th, as well. Carolina Lopez-Chacarra was 4 under on the front nine and finished at 2 under and tied for 19th in the tournament.

The group effort culminated in Wake Forest’s first win of the season

“Now we will continue to learn and continue to get better,” Lewellen said. “It’s a cliche and you hear it a lot but these players are good and but they’re always striving to be better. So I think if we just stick with trying to get better each day, enjoy this victory, but get back to work tomorrow.

For a short while, Texas tied Wake Forest for the team lead at 2 under, when Bohyun Park got up and down from a greenside bunker for birdie on 18. Park finished tied with Walsh for second, and Texas ended in second as a team at 2-under 862.

Virginia, which led after the first two rounds, shot 8 over during the final round and finished in third, one shot behind the Longhorns. South Carolina and Duke finished in a tie for fourth at 1-over 855.

The Cavaliers aren’t going home empty handed, though. Sophomore Amanda Sambach went wire-to-wire and won her first collegiate tournament, finishing at 9-under 207. She was overcome with emotion when walking off the 18th green and into the trophy presentation, but the win was a culmination of perseverance and self-belief.

“It means everything,” Sambach said. “My game has come so far. I hadn’t seen much improvement over the past couple tournaments or years, and now I see all of my work finally pay off.”

Sambach shot 2 over in the final round, one she admitted was a grind. She had a one-shot lead when standing on the final tee box, but she chipped within two feet of the hole on the par-5 and had an easy birdie putt, her 15th of the week, tied with Walsh for the most among all players.

2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Virginia’s Amanda Sambach with Annika Sorenstam after winning the 2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate at the Royal Golf Club in Elmo, Minnesota. (Photo: Taylor Britton/ANNIKA Foundation)

Duke’s Phoebe Brinker had five birdies in the final round and shot 3-under 69, which tied for low round of the day. Brinker finished solo fourth and 6 under for the tournament. Florida’s Annabell Fuller also shot 3 under in the final round and tied for fifth with South Carolina’s Mathilde Claisse and Hannah Darling, who each shot 2-over 74 on Wednesday.

When Sambach drained the final putt, her teammates rushed the green and soaked her with water. Then, Annika Sorenstam, the tournament’s namesake, was there to congratulate her.

“It’s insane. First of all, just to win with a tournament that has her name on it, but to have her here in person is unbelievable,” Samback said. “She’s literally the GOAT.”

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Wake Forest, South Carolina make a move, but Virginia remains out front after second round of ANNIKA Intercollegiate

Virginia is looking to clinch the victory come Wednesday.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. – Lauren Walsh stepped to the tee knowing she had a special round going.

The senior for Wake Forest knew the closing stretch at Royal Golf Club outside of Minneapolis provided multiple birdie opportunities. A short par 4. Two par 5s. After birdieing five of her past six holes, Walsh had an opportunity to go even lower.

“I made bogey on 15, which was plenty frustrating,” Walsh said while cracking a smile, “and then I missed a short birdie putt on 16. so I was determined to birdie one of the last two.”

And she did just that, bringing a loud cheer from her three teammates sitting greenside.

Walsh fired a 6-under 66, tied for low round of the day, to help propel herself and Wake Forest up the leaderboard during Tuesday’s second round of the ANNIKA Intercollegiate. The Demon Deacons, third in Golfweek‘s preseason women’s college team rankings, moved up four spots to second on the team leaderboard after a 9-under performance but still trail Virginia heading to Wednesday’s final round. Walsh sits tied for second place at 5 under for the tournament, and Emilia Migliaccio shot 4 under on the day and moved up to 2 under overall.

ANNIKA Intercollegiate: Score

“Today gives us a lot of confidence moving forward,” Walsh said “We’ve all worked hard on our games over the summer at home. To come back together and see some good scores is always good.”

2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
The 2022-23 Wake Forest women’s golf team at the 2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate. (Photo: Taylor Britton, ANNIKA Foundation)

Wake Forest at one point was in a three-way tie for first with Virginia and South Carolina, which won last season’s tournament. But the Demon Deacons teed off before the Cavaliers and Gamecocks, and there was plenty of leaderboard shuffling before the conclusion of the second round.

Royal Golf Club played almost two strokes easier during the second round Tuesday compared to the first round. The five most difficult holes come on the front nine through two rounds, according to Golfstat. Meanwhile, of the six holes playing under par, four come on the back nine, with three of the four being Nos. 15, 17 and 18.

Virginia finished strong, as it leads following the second straight round at 9 under, six strokes ahead of Wake Forest. Sophomore Amanda Sambach, who shot 7-under 65 in the first round, is at 11 under for the tournament after a second-round 4-under 68 that included birdies on three of her final four holes. She leads by six strokes in the individual competition.

“The team stayed really patient on the front,” Virginia coach Ria Scott said. “There’s a stretch of really challenging holes. They did a great job of sticking to what they were doing and waiting for the opportunities on the back.”

South Carolina fell back after holding the lead alone about halfway through the second round. Mathilde Claisse and Hannah Darling both moved into the top five on the leaderboard, as the duo are tied for second with Walsh. Claisse was 5 under on the day, and Darling tied Walsh for low round of the day at 6-under 66. The Gamecocks are at 2 under, one behind Wake Forest and seven behind Virginia.

Duke had a strong back nine and sits at even par, tied with Michigan for fourth. Phoebe Brinker had four birdies, including three straight, on the back nine and she’s tied for seventh on the leaderboard at 3 under. Freshman Andie Smith birdied six holes on her back nine and shot 3 under for the day.

Florida’s Maisie Filler also finished strong, making birdie on her final three holes to finish 5 under in the second round. Filler is at 3 under for the tournament, in a tie for seventh. Michigan’s Monet Chun and Texas’ Bohyun Park are tied for fifth at 4 under. Auburn’s Megan Schofill is tied for ninth with Migliaccio at 2 under, rounding out the top 10.

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‘I feel more like a kid again’: Wake Forest’s Emilia Migliaccio enjoying last go-around at ANNIKA Intercollegiate

Emilia Migliaccio is back for her fifth year at Wake Forest.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. – Emilia Migliaccio didn’t go far when her round ended.

Her eyes peered behind her at the green and down the fairway, closely watching her teammates Carolina Lopez-Chacarra and Rachel Kuehn. Migliaccio was the first person to greet both as they walked off the par-5 18th green after wrapping up their first round at the 2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate at Royal Golf Club outside of Minneapolis.

Last year at this time, Migliaccio wasn’t playing competitive golf. In the four years prior, she became a standout for the Wake Forest women’s golf team, claiming five individual titles and looking as if she was bound for a wonderful professional career. But last year, she stepped away from the game. She was in grad school at Wake Forest. But Migliaccio quickly realized she missed competitive golf.

So, using her fifth year because of COVID, she’s back with the Demon Deacons, and Monday was her first round back in team competition, firing a 2-over 74 that included a birdie on her final hole but also plenty of missed putts, leading her to the practice green near the clubhouse for a while as the sun set.

ANNIKA Intercollegiate: Scores

“I’ve been telling people going from the professional side, where you’re working, to going to be the athlete again where you can hang around and focus on golf and be all over the place, I feel more like a kid again,” Migliaccio said. “It’s kind of fun to feel that.

“Now, I just have to make some putts tomorrow.”

Migliaccio didn’t have first-tee jitters, saying it hasn’t felt like she took a year off. And she has played competitive golf in recent months, playing in the Curtis Cup in June and winning the North & South Women’s Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 in July.

Yet the college team aspect is something she missed, and that’s why she wanted to be a part of the action well after her final putt dropped Monday.

“During the practice round, we felt like she hadn’t missed a beat,” Wake Forest coach Kim Lewellen said. “We didn’t even remember that she wasn’t involved last year. The maturity that she has and the maturity that she has gained being a year older and with her commentating, writing and all of that, she has even learned more about the game.

“Everything that she has experienced is like having a third coach. It’s something that you can’t replace.”

Migliaccio’s return comes at a good time for the Demon Deacons, who are one of the preseason favorites to win the NCAA title. They check in at No. 3 on the Golfweek preseason women’s golf rankings. Along with Migliaccio, who is on the ANNIKA Award preseason watch list for women’s college golf Player of the Year, teammates Kuehn and Lopez-Chacarra also share that honor. The trio are also preseason All-Americans. Lauren Walsh is also expected to make a big impact.

Wake Forest sits tied for sixth after the opening round, but there’s no worry from Migliaccio or her teammates. She knows the season is a long process, but she’s looking forward to everything that’s to come.

“It’s playing for something more than yourself,” Migliaccio said. “It’s not just about myself and my shot. If I’m sacrificing a shot, I’m sacrificing one for the whole team. I’m playing smarter because I’m thinking about my coaches and other players. I don’t feel like a coach or anything. Obviously, I want to win and I want our team to win, but it’s all about how can we keep getting better so when postseason comes, we’re at the peak of our game.”

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Virginia’s Amanda Sambach leads the ANNIKA Intercollegiate. A recent putter change is a big reason why

Amanda Sambach changed her putter three weeks ago.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. – Amanda Sambach was frustrated.

The sophomore on Virginia’s golf team was coming off an excellent summer where she advanced to the semifinals of the North & South Women’s Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 and played in the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay. Yet she wasn’t getting the results she wanted because of one club.

Her putter.

So, before the start of her sophomore season, Sambach went and got a couple putting lessons. She switched from a mallet-style flat stick to a blade. And the change was incredible during her first round with the new putter Monday at Royal Golf Club in the first round of the ANNIKA Intercollegiate.

“It has completely changed everything,” Sambach said. “I have never putted this well. It has been a huge change, but it has been good so far.”

ANNIKA Intercollegiate: Scores

Sambach dominated the field Monday, recording seven birdies and no bogeys, shooting a 7-under 65 to open the tournament. She opened with birdies on two of her first three holes and closed with one on her 18th hole, the par-5 ninth. The 7-under performance tied Virginia’s single-round scoring record.

The ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M is a college golf tournament founded by the ANNIKA Foundation in 2014. The 54-hole stroke play event is held annually at the Royal Golf Club outside of Minneapolis and features 12 of the top Division I women’s programs in the country. This event allows Sorenstam to stay connected with the players through the entirety of their careers, bridging the gap from junior to professional golf. In addition, a gala reception takes place before the event during which Annika presents the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel to the nation’s best female player in college golf.

“She has really recommitted herself to becoming a great putter,” Virginia coach Ria Scott said. “That has been the difference maker here in the first few weeks we’ve been back. Her ball striking has always been exceptional, but she got the putts to fall today.”

Sambach leads by four strokes heading to the second round over Texas sophomore Bohyun Park, who sits at 3 under. Florida’s Annabell Fuller and Michigan’s Mikaela Schulz are tied for third at 2 under, and a trio of golfers at 1 under make up the only seven women who broke par.

Sambach is one of 25 players on the preseason ANNIKA Award watch list, given to the top college golfer in the country each year. That’s why Monday’s performance meant even more.

“Annika is literally the greatest of all time, so it’s really awesome to be at a site where I know she’ll be,” Sambach said. “She’s such an inspiration, and this tournament is one of the bigger ones, so it is a bit more nerve-wracking, but I’m just excited to be here.”

Virginia also holds the team lead at 4 under and was the only team to finish under par during the first round. Michigan and Texas are tied at even par with Duke and Oregon tied for fourth at 4 over. Jennifer Cleary shot 1 under for the Cavaliers, Megan Propeck was at 1 over and Celeste Valinho tallied a 3 over round as the four counting scores.

Although there’s plenty of golf to be played, Scott couldn’t have asked for a better start from her team.

“This is a really strong field, one of the best in the country,” Scott said. “When you come up and play at the ANNIKA (Intercollegiate), it kind of takes guts to tee it up against such a strong field in the start of the season. We don’t have some of these warm-up weeks like some other sports do. But that’s what we pride ourselves in, is giving these girls a great schedule and great chances to test themselves throughout the year.”

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