Golf Alarab · Player profile
Annika Sörenstam
The Swede who set a new standard for sustained excellence in women’s golf.
Annika Sörenstam’s 72 LPGA Tour victories and 10 major championships place her among the defining figures in the sport. Her dominance across multiple seasons, historic scoring and commitment to developing future generations gave her career an influence beyond the trophy record.
A champion shaped by Sweden and the American college game
From a national-team amateur to the most dominant player of her era.
Born in Stockholm on 9 October 1970, Sörenstam developed as a multi-sport athlete before committing to golf. She represented Sweden internationally as an amateur and won the individual title at the 1992 World Amateur Team Championship, following several seasons on the Swedish national team.
She moved to the United States to play collegiate golf at the University of Arizona. In 1991, as a freshman, she won the NCAA Division I individual championship and collected seven collegiate tournament victories. She turned professional in 1992, began her career on the Ladies European Tour and earned its Rookie of the Year honour in 1993.
Sörenstam joined the LPGA Tour in 1994 and was named Rookie of the Year despite not winning in her debut season. Her first tour victory arrived at the 1995 U.S. Women’s Open, beginning a run that eventually reached 72 LPGA wins, including 10 majors. She retired from full-time LPGA competition after the 2008 season, ending her tour-winning career with the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill.
The achievement that defines the record
Ten majors and the Career Grand Slam
Sörenstam’s 10 major championships included three U.S. Women’s Open titles (1995, 1996 and 2006), two LPGA Championships, three Nabisco/Chevron-era titles and the 2003 Women’s British Open. That 2003 victory completed the Career Grand Slam and made her the first European to achieve it.
Career timeline
The seasons and milestones that defined a record-setting career.
Swedish national-team years
Built her international amateur experience and represented Sweden at the Espirito Santo Trophy, winning the individual competition in 1992.
NCAA individual champion
Won the NCAA Division I individual title for the University of Arizona and emerged as one of the leading amateur players in the United States.
Turns professional
Turned professional in 1992, started on the Ladies European Tour and won its Rookie of the Year award in 1993.
LPGA Tour rookie
Joined the LPGA Tour and earned Rookie of the Year honours in her first season as a member.
First two U.S. Women’s Opens
Won the U.S. Women’s Open in consecutive years, in 1995 and 1996, and established herself as a major-championship force.
The historic 59
Shot 59 at the Standard Register PING, becoming the first woman to record a sub-60 round in official LPGA Tour competition.
Career Grand Slam
Won the Women’s British Open and completed the Career Grand Slam, adding to her major titles and Hall of Fame reputation.
A run of dominance
Won 11 LPGA events in 2002 and 10 in 2005; she is the only LPGA player to win the money title, Player of the Year and Vare Trophy in five different seasons.
Final LPGA victory
Won the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill, her 72nd LPGA Tour title, before stepping away from full-time tour competition.
Signature achievements
The records and honours that distinguish Sörenstam’s career.
Major record
10 major championships
Won majors across three decades, including three U.S. Women’s Open titles and the 2003 Women’s British Open.
LPGA wins
72 victories
Ranks among the leading players in LPGA Tour history by official wins.
Historic scoring
59 at the 2001 Standard Register PING
The first sub-60 round by a woman in official LPGA Tour competition.
Seasonal dominance
Eight Player of the Year awards
Won the Rolex Player of the Year award eight times and the Vare Trophy five times.
Career Grand Slam
Completed in 2003
Won the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham to complete the set of major titles recognized in her era.
Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2003
Entered both the LPGA Hall of Fame and the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2003.
Playing style and legacy
Precision, longevity and a legacy that continues after competition.
Sörenstam’s peak was exceptional for both its quality and its length. Her ball-striking and control allowed her to separate from fields, while her scoring consistency kept her near the top of leaderboards year after year. In 2001 she made a rare appearance on the PGA TOUR at the Bank of America Colonial, becoming the first woman in 58 years to compete in a regular PGA TOUR event.
After retiring from full-time competition, she expanded her work through the ANNIKA Foundation, which supports girls’ golf and athlete development. She has remained involved in tournament hosting, course design and initiatives to grow access to the game. Her legacy therefore combines an extraordinary playing record with sustained work to widen the sport’s future.
