ORLANDO, Fla. – Annika Sorenstam will make her first LPGA start in more than a dozen years when she tees it up in her backyard this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in the Gainbridge LPGA. For many players in this week’s field, it marks the first time they’ll be competing in the same field as the 72-time winner.
So who gets to spend the day watching Sorenstam up close?
Fellow Swedes Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom will tee off at 12:25 p.m. E.T. Nordqivst, 33, was a rookie on the LPGA the year after Sorenstam retired. The eight-time winner used to live in Lake Nona but has since moved to Arizona.
Sagstrom, 28, was a rookie on tour in 2017 won her first LPGA title at the 2020 Gainbridge LPGA. On Monday, the LPGA released a powerful Drive On video in which Sagstrom opened up about the sexual abuse she suffered as a young girl. It’s Sagstrom’s hope that her other victims of abuse will feel less alone after hearing her story.
Sagstrom lives in Orlando but was in the U.K. earlier this week working out a passport issue. She flew back to the U.S. on Tuesday and was expected to arrive in central Florida Tuesday evening.
“I feel like now I can be a little bit more relevant. Not just this is how I did it. Now it’s more like this is how I do it.” @ANNIKA59 spoke with @GolfweekNichols ahead of competing in the @GainbridgeLPGA. https://t.co/4j74ZkrKT9
— ANNIKA Foundation (@ANNIKA_Fdn) February 21, 2021
Other notable pairings include the 12:36 group of Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson. Yani Tseng, another former Nona resident, will make her first start in nearly two years at 12:03 p.m. alongside Mel Reid and Sung Hyun Park.
Gabi Ruffels, who is competing on a sponsor exemption, makes her professional debut this week. She’ll be off at 8:22 a.m. alongside Lindsey Weaver and Gerina Piller.
The star-studded grouping of Danielle Kang, Sophia Popov and Lexi Thompson tee off at 8 a.m; World No. 1 Jin Young Ko, Jessica Korda and Stacy Lewis are off at 8:11 a.m.
Golf Channel coverage will be tape-delayed but a live stream will be available from 2:30-5:30 p.m.
