ANNIKA Invitational
72 invited girls and 54 holes, in the first event of the ANNIKA Foundation's global series
October 8–11, 2026
The Golf Club of Georgia (Lakeside), Alpharetta, GA
- Thursday, October 8: player registration, a practice-round shotgun and the Junior-Am fundraising tournament. Rounds on October 9, 10 and 11, with the award ceremony immediately after the final round.
- 72 girls, 54 holes of stroke play, $295 fee. Projected setup: par 72, 6,287 yards.
- Applications closed August 25 at 3 p.m. ET, and payment to confirm a place was due August 30.
Dates from AJGA: Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex, checked September 25, 2026. Confirm entry details with the organizer; Tessaira does not run this event.
The story
The ANNIKA Invitational, now the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex, was the first event Annika Sorenstam founded in her foundation's series of global events. The inaugural edition was played in 2009 in conjunction with the AJGA, and the AJGA's tournament history lists a champion every year since, starting with Simin Feng. It is an AJGA invitational for girls ages 12-19: a 72-player field, 54 holes of stroke play with no cut, and a $295 fee. For 2026 the field is built from the top 47 girls (2027 graduates and younger) in the Rolex AJGA Rankings as of August 18, 2026, plus international invitees and additional spots the AJGA allocates to local supporters, which it does not take requests for. The 2026 edition, October 8-11, is the first at The Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta; every previous edition was played in Florida. Past champions include Céline Boutier (2011), Alison Lee (2012), Angel Yin (2015), whose 204 (-12) was a tournament record at the time, and Ingrid Lindblad (2019). Bethany Wu was the first two-time winner, in 2013 and 2014. In 2022 Yana Wilson beat Anna Davis on the first playoff hole by holing her 70-yard second shot for eagle on the par-4 18th, and Asterisk Talley won in 2025 at 9-under 204.
The venue
The 2026 host is the Lakeside course at The Golf Club of Georgia, 1 Golf Club Drive, Alpharetta, Georgia, projected at par 72 and 6,287 yards with a girls' course rating and slope of 76.9 and 143. The tournament has moved before: Reunion Resort's Watson Course in Kissimmee, Florida hosted from 2009 to 2017, World Golf Village's Slammer & Squire in St. Augustine from 2018 to 2021, Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando from 2022 to 2024, and Heathrow Country Club in 2025.
Course setup: The 2026 projected setup on the Lakeside course at The Golf Club of Georgia is par 72 and 6,287 yards, with a girls' course rating and slope of 76.9 and 143. It is the event's first year on the course, so there is no tournament scoring history there yet.
Format
54 holes of stroke play over three days, Friday to Sunday in 2026, after a Thursday practice round and Junior-Am. The AJGA classifies it as an invitational with a Junior-Am, and its information page states there is no cut.
Cut: No
Field
72 players · Invitation, based on the Rolex AJGA Rankings
Top 47 girls in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, plus international invitees (2026).
Coach verdict
The AJGA builds the field from the top of its girls' rankings, and a finish here sits on a record beside the best of that list.
Best for: Girls 12-19 ranked high enough in the Rolex AJGA Rankings to earn an invitation, which in practice means players already at the top of AJGA girls' golf.
College scouting: The AJGA's event pages don't say how many college coaches attend.
Competitive insight
Because most of the field comes straight off the Rolex AJGA Rankings, a player knows well before the week whether she is in; the work is done during the season. Winning totals have ranged from 4-over in 2009 to 15-under in 2023 on a par-73 setup, so the number that wins depends heavily on the course and the year, and 2026 is the first year on this one.
Scoring context: Recent winning totals from the AJGA: 2025 Asterisk Talley 204 (-9); 2024 Natalie Yen 206 (-13, par 73); 2023 Ashleen Kaur 204 (-15, par 73); 2022 Yana Wilson 207 (-12, par 73, in a playoff).
Application tip
Invitations follow the Rolex AJGA Rankings, so the work happens across the season. For 2026 the cut-off was the top 47 girls (2027 graduates and younger) as of August 18; invited players applied by August 25 and paid by August 30. Check the AJGA's invitational criteria page for the 2027 terms.
What makes it different
Notable alumni
Recent champions
| Year | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | – | Asterisk Talley |
| 2024 | – | Natalie Yen |
| 2023 | – | Ashleen Kaur |
| 2022 | – | Yana Wilson |
| 2021 | – | Avery Zweig |
| 2020 | – | Benedetta Moresco |
| 2019 | – | Ingrid Lindblad |
| 2018 | – | Angelina Ye |
| 2017 | – | Brooke Seay |
| 2016 | – | Jaravee Boonchant |
| 2015 | – | Angel Yin |
| 2014 | – | Bethany Wu |
Is it worth the travel?
high valueThe fee is $295 and the invitation is the hard part. For a ranked player who receives one, a week in the Atlanta area against a field drawn from the top of the girls' rankings is worth the trip.
Is my golfer good enough, or am I kidding myself?
The number nobody will tell you straight, against real college golf scoring benchmarks, including when it is too early to say. Free, with no account needed.
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