
The ANNIKA Foundation Announces Launch of the ANNIKA Inspiration Award to Honor Outstanding Alumnae
Orlando, Fla. — The ANNIKA Foundation, founded by Annika in 2007 and renowned for its role in empowering female golfers worldwide, is proud to announce the creation of the ANNIKA Inspiration Award, a prestigious new annual honor that will recognize exceptional alumnae who have made a meaningful impact on the world beyond the golf course.
For 17 years, the ANNIKA Foundation has been a global leader in identifying and developing elite female golfers, many of whom have transitioned from youth programs like the “Share My Passion” clinics to prestigious amateur tournaments and professional tours. Yet as the Foundation evolves, so does its mission. The ANNIKA Inspiration Award marks the next step in expanding that mission to recognize and celebrate alumnae whose contributions transcend golf while utilizing life skills acquired through the game.
The ANNIKA Inspiration Award will recognize alumnae who are inspiring or have demonstrated extraordinary contributions to their communities, professions or the world at large. Whether through leadership in business, service to their country or life-changing achievements in fields such as medicine, education or nonprofits, honorees will exemplify the Foundation’s commitment to fostering excellence both on and off the course.
“We’ve always been focused on empowering young women to discover their passions and follow their dreams on and off the course, and I couldn’t be prouder of the work the foundation has done,” Annika said. “The ANNIKA Inspiration Award allows us to celebrate the incredible contributions our alumnae are making in all areas of life. It is proof that the values learned through golf—dedication, honesty, resilience and passion—can create lasting success in whatever path they choose.”
ANNIKA alumnae will be defined as former participants in an ANNIKA junior event, ANNIKA Cup event, Women’s Amateur Latin America, ANNIKA collegiate event, ANNIKA Development Program and/or the ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Tour, as well as former recipients of the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel.
While further details are to come, the first ANNIKA Inspiration Award winner is expected to be recognized in November 2025 during The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican LPGA Tour event, taking place at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla.
For more information about the ANNIKA Inspiration Award, please visit annikafoundation.org.
About the ANNIKA Foundation
Annika created the ANNIKA Foundation to develop, empower and advance young women around the world through golf and in life. More specifically, it provides opportunities in women’s golf at the junior, collegiate and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of personal development, including living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition. The Foundation has partnered with key organizations to promote healthy, active lifestyles for children, including SPARK, Florida Hospital for Children in support of its Healthy 100 Kids initiative and The First Tee in development of the Nine Healthy Habits curriculum for children, and an endowment of the AJGA’s ACE Grant program.
The ANNIKA Foundation annually conducts several “Share My Passion” grassroots clinics designed to introduce girls to the game. It also conducts seven major golf events around the world for aspiring junior girls. The Foundation annually hosts the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M, a women’s college tournament featuring 12 top Division I schools. It recently announced the new More Than Golf Invitational for top Mid-Major Conference women’s teams to be conducted at Old Barnwell, starting in 2025. With the support of the Haskins Foundation, the Foundation created the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel, which is given annually to the best collegiate female golfer. In 2022, the ANNIKA Development Program was created to support recent college graduates pursue their dreams of playing professional golf. In 2024, the Foundation partnered with the ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Tour to provide development and advancement opportunities for young professionals looking to one day play on the LPGA Tour. The Foundation also is the main beneficiary of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, a new tournament tradition that began on the LPGA Tour in November 2023.