When the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship kicks off on June 11, players will be gunning for even more than a major title.
After all, one of the perks of winning the LPGA’s five majors is a heap of crucial points in the race for the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, one of the Tour’s most coveted prizes. Now in its second year, the award is given to the player who performs best in the season’s major championships and therefore emulates the excellence that was commonly displayed by the Hall of Famer for which the honor is named.
Sorenstam won 10 of her 72 career LPGA titles at major championships, putting her in a tie for fourth place all time with Babe Zaharias, and she had another 21 top-10 finishes in majors. Only Hall of Famers Patty Berg (15), Mickey Wright (13) and Louise Suggs (11) won more majors during their career than Sorenstam.
Michelle Wie, who won the U.S. Women’s Open, won the inaugural award last year, and Brittany Lincicome is the current points leader after claiming the ANA Inspiration in a sudden-death playoff over Stacy Lewis. To take home the award, a player must win one of the season’s five majors, so the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is their next chance to qualify.
The $3.5 million event, which will be held at Westchester Country Club, begins a stretch of 10 LPGA events that includes four major championships. The U.S. Women’s Open follows July 9-12 in Lancaster, Pa., the RICOH Women’s British Open is next July 30-Aug. 2 in Turnberry, Scotland, and The Evian Championship concludes the Tour’s major season Sept. 10-13.
The award will be presented during The Evian Championship’s trophy presentation on Sept. 13 with Sorenstam in attendance before the game’s top European and U.S. players head to Germany for the Solheim Cup the following week.
There are plenty of points up for grabs this summer, with major champions earning 60 for each victory and 24 points going to the second-place finisher. Only players finishing among the top 10 and ties earn Rolex ANNIKA Major Award points.
The LPGA’s five major championships are notorious for their wickedly tough course setups, immense pressure and nip-and-tuck battles. The player who weathers the storm and calms her nerves the best during that five-event gauntlet will earn one of the game’s top honors, as well as the satisfaction of knowing they rose to the top in the most challenging of circumstances.
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