NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
Golf legend Annika Sorenstam will be back in the field of the American Century Championship, and she does more than just trying to win the celebrity golf tournament.
Sorenstam, who won the 72 LPGA Tour tournaments, including 10 Majors, during his famous career, will raise awareness of the Annika Foundation while competing at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Club near Lake Tahoe next month.
CLICK HERE for more sports cover at Foxnews.com
Annika Sorenstam (Isaiah Vazquez/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images)
The fund aims to use golf to support young women across the globe.
“My foundation has been around for almost 20 years and it’s about providing gaming opportunities and strengthening and promoting young women through the sport,” Sorenstam told Pakinomist Digital in a recent conversation. “Various initiatives, tournament initiatives, resources, mentorship, scholarship, etc., so we have done some clinics in the area, invite young girls to participate, it has been great.
“We have about 1,000 girls every year and we have given almost $ 10 million back to Girls’ Golf. Wherever I go, I push the foundation and it’s been great to get young girls to pick up a club or keep playing.”
Sorenstam said she is looking forward to playing in the tournament every year.
She was runner-up with former NHL star Jeremy Roenick in 2014, when former NFL quarterback Mark Rypi won the tournament for the second time.
Condoleezza rice, left and Annika Sorenstam (Kyle Terada-Preferred Pictures)
The twin icon Joe Mauer ‘Excited’ for American Century, admits he needs more work with golf game
“Every year I’m excited. I try every year. These guys get harder and harder to beat, but it’s a highlight, no doubt. It’s a highlight in the summer,” Sorenstam said. “Tahoe that time of year, the tournament, the atmosphere and everything knows it, the players, it is such a cool event. So having family and friends there, so many reasons to like it.”
Mardy Fish, Stephen Curry, Tony Romo and Vinny Del Negro have been some of the latest winners of the tournament.
Sorenstam said “It’s amazing” how well some of the athletes who are not professional golfers are at the game.
“Well, you know many of them are half my age, twice my size. They are amazing athletes. What can I say now that I’ve gotten used to it,” she said. “But in the beginning I was like who, you know. But it’s amazing how good they are. They play a lot more than I do. They hit it so far, not always equal, but many of them do.
“In the end, it makes it very exciting, but to add some pressure, I always tell my husband, I say, ‘Mike, I don’t think you can throw myself on a football field or whatever basketball court and start shooting 3-Pointers.’ I just think they are amazing.
Annika Sorenstam (Tom R. Smedes / Special to RGJ / US Today Network)
The American century championship festivals take place July 9-13.
The tournament will also raise money for local and national charities. The event is a 54-hole stableford format, where golfers earn points for each hole based on the scoring for pairs. The golfer, who achieves the most points wins.
