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Smile!

The field of 60 girls enjoyed dinner with Annika Sorenstam Friday night. After a practice round and Junior-Am, players and their families were treated to a few words from Annika after dinner, then stuck around long afterward for individual photos with Annika. Saturday will feature a post-round clinic with Annika, while Sunday's activity will provide media training, with a humorous video looking back at Annika's media interviews from early in her career.

Ready, Set.....Wait

Frost has caused a 90-minute delay in tee times for the first round of the ANNIKA Invitational. The first tee times will begin at 9:30 a.m.

Looking For a Strong Start...

A girls-only affair at Ginn Reunion Resort is on the horizon, as the world’s top girl junior golfers prepare to compete in the inaugural ANNIKA Invitational.

Hosted by the ANNIKA Foundation, this prestigious event will not only feature tough competition, but also included for the girls are opportunities to meet and interact with Annika, receive media, health and fitness training, and play a fine venue at Ginn Reunion Resort.

Kristina Wong heads to the ANNIKA Invitational seeking her first Invitational victory

Leading the field is 2008 Rolex Girls Player of the Year Victoria Tanco of Bradenton, Fla. Tanco had a breakout year in 2008 by capturing victories at the Rolex Girls Junior Championship and the season-ending PING Invitational.

Tanco also took home the trophy at the Scott Robertson Memorial, ending the season ranked No. 1 in the Polo Golf Rankings.

Joining Tanco and looking to claim her second AJGA Invitational victory will be Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla. Korda, ranked No. 6 in the Polo Golf Rankings, had her first win at the McDonald’s Betsy Rawls Girls Championship at White Manor Country Club in July. Korda had four more top-10 finishes in 2008.

Also looking for a win will be Kristina Wong of Bradenton, Fla. Wong, ranked No. 8 in the Polo Golf Rankings, is a three-time Rolex Junior All-American and had nine top-10 finishes in 2008, including a victory at the SAP Junior Open.

Erynne Lee of Silverdale, Wash., had an impressive 2008 season. Lee, ranked No. 10 in the Polo Golf Rankings, had nine top-10 finishes including victories at the Kathy Whitworth Invitational and the AJGA Junior at Wenatchee.

Karen Chung of Livingston, N.J., will be looking for her second AJGA victory. Chung, ranked No. 11 in the Polo Golf Rankings, has seven top-10 finishes in national junior golf competition, including a second-place finish at the 2008 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship. Stephanie Kim of Orlando, Fla., is ranked No. 12 in the Polo Golf Rankings, and will look to repeat her dominant play at Ginn Reunion Resort, as she finished third at the 2008 Polo Golf Junior Classic held over Thanksgiving. Kim had two other top-five finishes in 2008 including a tie for fifth at the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

Doris Chen of Bradenton, Fla., has two AJGA victories under her belt and will be looking to add to her resume. Chen, ranked No. 28 in the Polo Golf Rankings, had four top-10 finishes in 2008 including a tie for second at the Rolex Tournament of Champions.

The stakes will be high when these 60 girls make their way to the tee at Ginn Reunion Resort. The title is anyone’s for the taking, and with the deep field in place, it certainly will be exciting to watch.

International Spotlight

Adding to the uniqueness of the inaugural ANNIKA Invitational will be a field boasting players from 14 countries (Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden and the United States).

Daisey Nielson of Strandby, Denmark, will look to capture a title on foreign soil. Nielson was a member of the 2008 European Junior Ryder Cup Team and had second-place finishes at both the European Girls Team Championship and the Evian Masters Junior Cup. This will be Nielson’s first trip to the United States as she attempts to hold off the competition for the ultimate prize. Bertine Strauss of Paarl, South Africa, will also be looking to take home the top honor. Strauss was the 2008 South African Girls Champion. She was also victorious at the South African Junior Order of Merit tournament. This will also be Strauss’ first trip to the United States.

The competition will be fierce but with the most talented players from around the world in attendance, the outcome will be nothing short of spectacular.