This weekend is the start of the Major Champions Invitational hosted by Sir Nick Faldo in partnership with Peter Jacobsen SPORTS. The event will be played at Bella Collina, in Montverde, FL beginning tomorrow and ending Wednesday, March 14.
This tournament is an opportunity for legends of the game to support the next generation of golfers. Players will compete on a team of four, representing the champion that selected them. They will also compete as individuals in age categories for boys and girls.
Annika, along with other major champions like Rory McIlroy, Jack Nicklaus and Nancy Lopez, have selected juniors to represent them throughout the week.
The four juniors who will represent Annika are past ANNIKA Foundation event participants, two of whom are past ANNIKA Invitational champions.
Elizabeth Wang of San Marino, Calif., has played in the ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex for five consecutive years. Her best finish in the tournament was T2 in 2016. Elizabeth has verbally committed to Harvard University.
Born in Onsala, Sweden, Amanda Linner has played in a total of six ANNIKA Invitationals, four in Europe and two in the U.S. She won the ANNIKA Invitational Europe in 2017 and finished 2nd last year in the ANNIKA Invitational USA after a close playoff. She also represented Team Europe in the PING Jr. Solheim Cup. Linner is currently ranked 22nd in World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Joining them is another ANNIKA Invitational Champion, Valeria Pacheco. Valeria, from Ponce, Puerto Rico, took home a victory at the 2017 ANNIKA Invitational Latin America. She has played in five ANNIKA Invitationals – every location except for China. Valeria has verbally committed to play college golf at Texas Christian University after she graduates in May.
Lastly, China’s Jiayi Wang will finish off the foursome. 2018 was her first year playing in an ANNIKA event, finishing T26 at the ANNIKA Invitational USA. A month later, she finished in the top 25 at the Buick Shanshan Feng Girls Invitational.
Seventeen additional ANNIKA Foundation alumnae will compete for other teams in the Major Champions invitational. We look forward to seeing everyone out there and wish all competitors good luck!