Orlando, Fla. - Natalie Yen of West Linn, Oregon, wins the 16th Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex with a tournament total score of 13-under-par 206.
Yen started the final round one stroke back of fellow 2025 graduate Thanana Kotchasanmanee of (Thailand) Rome, Georgia. The two battled much of the day finding themselves tied at 11-under-par for more than half the round. Yen broke away as they made the turn stringing together birdies on Nos. 10 and 11. A bogey on 12 set her back one but she rebounded with a birdie on No. 16 to close out the win. Yen was met on 18 green by tournament Annika Sorenstam to cap off the win.
"It means a lot, Annika has been an inspiration to a lot of us and to be able to play at this event, let alone win it is such an honor and I look forward to coming back next year and having another round at the course."
The Texas A&M verbal commit is walking away this week with her first AJGA win and the opportunity to tee it up at the next level. With her win, Yen earned an exemption to the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions this weekend at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club. With her opening tee shot on Thursday she is making her second LPGA start. The 2025 graduate won the Kathy Whitworth Invitational in 2023 and earned a spot in The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America. Yen will also get the chance to play in a 2024 Epson Tour event later this spring.
The top-10 was rounded out by:
- T2, Thanana Kotchasanmanee (10-under-par 209)
- T2, Siuue Wu of (Hong Kong) Reunion, Florida (10-under-par 209)
- T4, Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (8-under-par 211)
- T4, Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto, Ontario, Canada (8-under-par 211)
- T6, Sofia Cherif Essakali of (Morocco) Orlando, Florida (7-under-par 212)
- T6, Scarlett Schremmer of Birmingham, Alabama (7-under-par 212)
- Solo Eighth, Eliana Saga of Stevenson Ranch, California (6-under-par 213)
- T9, Madison Messimer of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (5-under-par 214)
- T9, Yujie Liu of (China) Encinitas, California (5-under-par 214)
- T9, Anna Fang of San Diego, California (5-under-par 214)
- T9, Gio Raad of Midrand, South Africa (5-under-par 214)
- T9, Alice Ziyi Zhao of (China) Irvine, California (5-under-par 214)
- T9, Sophia Lin of Taipei, Taiwan (5-under-par 214)
- T9, Asterisk Talley of Chowchilla, California (5-under-par 214)
The Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex celebrated its 15th anniversary this weekend. The 54-hole stroke play event brought together the top-72 female junior golfers from around the world to compete at Eagle Creek Golf Club. The event hosted by the ANNIKA Foundation and AJGA included a clinic put on by Annika Sorenstam for the field as well as a Q&A session between 2015 champion Angel Yin and our host Annika.
For more information or photo requests, please contact AJGA Communications Manager - Emma Varela (evarela@ajga.org).