In the Swing of Things

When Annika Sörenstam retired from competitive golf in 2008, she didn’t plan on ever returning to the sport. Sörenstam, one of the most decorated golfers of all time—she won 72 times on the Ladies PGA Tour and is a three-time U.S. Women’s Open champion—had other things to focus on. Primarily, she wanted to be a hands-on mom to her daughter, Ava, and son, Will, and spend more time with her husband, Mike McGee.

PHOTO BY: DAN CUTRONA
Arguably the greatest professional female golfer of all time, Swedish native Annika Sörenstam has dual passions: inspiring young women to play golf and spending quality time with her husband and two children.

Yet, golf would remain a part of her life in meaningful ways. “I am very thankful for where golf has taken me,” says Sörenstam, who lives in Orlando with her family. “Before I retired, I started to think about what I could do to give back to the game and inspire other young girls around the world to play.” In 2006, she launched the ANNIKA Foundation to help girls excel at the sport and connect with opportunities to further their progress.

Through the ANNIKA Foundation, the first ANNIKA Invitational was held in 2007. It was a triumph, by all accounts. “We had more than 70 girls representing 20 countries play in the Invitational,” recalls Sörenstam. Since that successful launch, she has hosted annual three-day tournaments in the United States and her native Sweden for players ages 12 to 16. College coaches attend the tournaments to scout for players, and many girls get discovered there and are provided a chance to play at the college level.

Sörenstam’s commitment to developing women’s golf worldwide and encouraging children to lead healthy, active lifestyles also led the ANNIKA Foundation to create Share My Passion. This inspirational program invites girls ages 6 to 12 living in the U.S. to write a letter or submit a video telling other girls their age why they love the game of golf. From the hundreds of entries submitted, the 40 finalists with the most compelling pieces are chosen by Sörenstam and her committee to attend a day clinic led by Sörenstam at no cost. “Most of the girls who come to clinics have played some golf before,” she says. “The clinic’s purpose is to have the girls meet other girls who share their interest in golf.”

Developing women’s and girls’ interest in her life-long passion is a big part of why she is back on the links. “When I started doing this 14 years ago, only 17 percent of the junior golf players in the country were female, and now that number is up to 35 percent. I feel really good about that,” says Sörenstam, pointing out that her goal isn’t to help create the next female golf superstars but rather to educate young women and give them access to the sport, which could help them succeed in the future. “Golf is a game for life. In business, many deals are made on the golf course,” she adds. “Ninety percent of women in C-Suite professions have a sports background.”

When she isn’t working on her foundation, Sörenstam enjoys bringing her kids to school and to their various activities. She also finds time to prepare the family’s evening meal in her spacious, contemporary kitchen. She loves to cook and has long made it a part of her life.

PHOTO BY: DAN CUTRONA
Sörenstam, seen here in the kitchen of her Orlando, Florida home, enjoys cooking for her family of four.

“Growing up in Sweden, we never went out. My mom, who learned to cook from her grandmother, made everything from scratch. I enjoyed being in the kitchen with her,” says Sörenstam. “Years ago, when I would go on tour, I’d stay with families and cook with them as a way of connecting.” When she’d return home from touring, the last thing she wanted to do was go out. “I’d cook when I got back; it was a way to relax, therapy almost. I’d read recipes and watch the Food Network,” she recalls.

When the Hall of Famer and McGee began dating, she cooked for him; the first meal she prepared for her future husband was a Bolognese, which has become a family favorite. “Now, with the kids, we eat at home most of the time. We invite other families over for dinner often,” says Sörenstam. “I also love to make breakfast—pancakes, smoothies—meals are our time to be together as a family.”

During Covid, when Sörenstam’s son started playing golf more seriously, she found herself out on the course with him quite a bit. She discovered that she really enjoyed being back on the links and went on to play in a few local tournaments over the next year. “I realized I was a little rusty, so I started playing even more,” she says. In 2021, Sörenstam won the U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, Connecticut, which qualified her to play in the U.S. Women’s Open this past summer. Her involvement deepened, and now she will be the tournament host of an annual LPGA event. Taking place at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, the tournament will be called The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican. She says she is excited to kick off a great new partnership and elevate the tournament to new heights on the LPGA Tour.

“I didn’t plan to get back into golf. It just happened, and it’s been a lot of fun,” says Sörenstam, noting that the game, while still an essential aspect of everything she does, is not quite the priority it once was. “My family comes first, and then we have the ANNIKA Foundation.” There’s also her role as president of the International Golf Federation to keep her occupied, and she has designed a series of polarized unisex golf sunglasses for Revo. She also recently launched Fizzy Bee, a line of ready-to-drink cocktails, with business partner Dr. Kathy Johanson. The company name reflects both the organic honey used to sweeten the classic concoctions and the new venture’s commitment to supporting bee preservation. It also harkens back to Sörenstam’s famous industrious nature. “I always have a lot going on,” says Sörenstam, with a laugh. “I do like to be busy.”