ORLANDO, Fla. — Seventy-two-time LPGA Tour winner Annika Sorenstam will be looking to add another accolade to her already spectacular resume on Sunday at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. The 10-time major champion currently sits in a tie for second with World Series champion Derek Lowe in the celebrity division of the event, earning a total of 105 points over the last 54 holes in the modified Stableford format, and has a shot to win for the first time as a celebrity on day four in Orlando, Fla.
Sorenstam opened her week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club with a blemish-free, 4-under 68 on Thursday, a round that saw her earn a total of 40 points in the Stableford competition. Friday was a bit rockier for the Swede as she made six bogeys and five birdies to card a 1-over 73, but Sorenstam did manage to record 35 more Stableford points that ultimately gave her a share of the second-round lead.
Saturday saw Sorenstam struggle as the 2021 U.S. Senior Women’s Open champion made four bogeys, two double bogeys and two birdies en route to a 6-over 78, earning 30 points that raised her three-day total to 105, two points shy of 54-hole leader Jeremy Roenick at 107. While she is still more than capable of ultimately pulling out the victory in the final round, the always-competitive Sorenstam was disappointed with her finish, frustrated that she couldn’t make more of an impact on Moving Day.
“I started out really well, thought I had a good front nine. Hit some good shots and thought I putted well. Just had good momentum,” Sorenstam said. “Then on the back nine, just didn't really happen. Very disappointed with the back nine, especially because I like the back nine. I don't know why. Feels a little negative at the moment, but one day tomorrow to go. I got to go out with a low round tomorrow and just give it all and see what happens.”
Sorenstam will be teeing it up alongside Lowe and Ayaka Furue at 10:03 a.m. in the final round, the former of which she’s faced off against before at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, losing in a playoff to the former professional baseball player in 2022. Even though she doesn’t play or practice nearly as much as she used to when she was in her prime, Sorenstam is looking as competitive as ever this week at Lake Nona, and it’s obvious how hungry she is to win this event.
No matter what ultimately happens on Sunday at Lake Nona, you can best believe the storied champion will be fighting tooth and nail tomorrow to emerge victorious from the logjam at the top of the celebrity leaderboard and finally capture an elusive victory at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
“I think everybody has a different edge, right?” said Sorenstam. “Jeremy (Roenick) has the power. They go for par-5s in two with irons in, maybe even irons into 14. So that's their edge. My edge (is that) I've done this before. The course is a little longer, but I know what it's like to be in the hunt, and I know how to handle that. It's just different. I (have) got to focus on what I can do. Got to play my own game and see what happens.”
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