LAKE ELMO, Minn. — It may be a season-opening event for most teams, but the ANNIKA Intercollegiate is a premier women’s college golf tournament.
Every year, the tournament kicks off the season in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, at Royal Golf Club, a course that was co-designed by Annika Sorenstam, who crafted the front nine, and Arnold Palmer, who designed the back. Plenty of the nation’s top teams make an appearance, and the list of individual champions is filled with stellar names.
Maria Fassi (twice), Rachel Kuehn, Lottie Woad, Patty Tavatanakit and others have conquered the tournament in past years, often predicting future success not only the remainder of the season but also for years to come.
In a fun twist to this year’s tournament, Annika Sorenstam, who makes an appearance each year, hosted a Q&A with players, coaches and select members Monday afternoon following the first round. Then, the tournament held a small party near the clubhouse, featuring games, food trucks and plenty of fun.
Even Sorenstam was out there playing football with players from numerous schools. The Hall of Famer isn’t just good at one sport, as you can see below.
This year, the ANNIKA Intercollegiate also hired physical therapists to assist players with pre-round stretching and post-round recovery, a rarity at college events.
To no surprise, the ANNIKA Foundation continues to find ways to make its collegiate event one of the best in the country.
Here’s a look at some of the best photos from the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, from the Q&A to action on the course.
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam and Marney Gellner participate in a “Fireside Chat” with the competitors in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Members of the Oregon State golf team wait for their teammates to finish their round at…
Members of the Oregon State golf team wait for their teammates to finish their round at the eighteenth green during the first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Oregon’s Karen Tsuru blasts out of the bunker on the eighteenth hole during the first round…
Oregon’s Karen Tsuru blasts out of the bunker on the eighteenth hole during the first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Wake Forest golfer Macy Pate chips on the seventeenth green during the first round of the…
Wake Forest golfer Macy Pate chips on the seventeenth green during the first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
South Carolina golfer Maylis Lamoure lines up her shot on the second hole during the first…
South Carolina golfer Maylis Lamoure lines up her shot on the second hole during the first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
South Carolina golfer Mia Sandtorv Lussand walks to the tee on the second hole during the…
South Carolina golfer Mia Sandtorv Lussand walks to the tee on the second hole during the first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
The first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on…
The first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Duke University golfer Katie Li tees off on the second hole during the first round of…
Duke University golfer Katie Li tees off on the second hole during the first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Foundation co-creator and Annika Sorenstam’s husband Mike McGee addresses participants in the College-Am prior to…
Annika Foundation co-creator and Annika Sorenstam’s husband Mike McGee addresses participants in the College-Am prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam poses with students during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior to the 2024…
Annika Sorenstam poses with students during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam poses with the ANNIKA Award by Stifel prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented…
Annika Sorenstam poses with the ANNIKA Award by Stifel prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam teaches students the fundamentals of golf during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior…
Annika Sorenstam teaches students the fundamentals of golf during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam helps a student putt during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior to the…
Annika Sorenstam helps a student putt during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam helps a student putt during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior to the…
Annika Sorenstam helps a student putt during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam poses with sponsors Team Toro prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M…
Annika Sorenstam poses with sponsors Team Toro prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam helps students with their clubs during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior to…
Annika Sorenstam helps students with their clubs during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
General view of the clubhouse prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal…
General view of the clubhouse prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Annika Sorenstam teaches students the fundamentals of golf during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior…
Annika Sorenstam teaches students the fundamentals of golf during the “Share My Passion” youth event prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M – Round One
The ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at…
The ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
3M sponsorship tee markers on the 1st tee prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by…
3M sponsorship tee markers on the 1st tee prior to the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 08, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
