Annika Sorenstam analyzes her putting strategy at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. ©HGV Tournament Of Champions.

THE LEGEND: ANNIKA SORENSTAM

Considered one of the best female golfers (if not the best) in history, Annika Sorenstam has more than 72 career wins and has won 10 major championships. She was named Rookie of the Year in her debut year (1994), even though she didn’t win a tournament. Her first major victory came a year later, when Sorenstam won the U.S. Women’s Open by one stroke. She was also named the 1995 Athlete of the Year in her native Sweden. 

Sorenstam has been named LPGA Player of the Year eight times, more than any other player. Her list of accolades is mind boggling. 

Being the first and only woman to shoot 59 in an 18-hole competition is among Sorenstam’s favorite career achievements. “I’m super proud of that,” she says. Sorenstam also points to her NCAA career, which set her on the path to professional golf, and her induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame (in 2003), as highlights. 

It all began at the age of 13 for Sorenstam, who was introduced to the game of golf by her parents. “I have so many memories,” says Sorenstam. “We didn’t really go on a lot of golf trips, but we’d play in teams against each other.” (Sorenstam’s sister, Charlotta, is a powerful golfer in her own right). “It just makes me smile when I think of it, it was something we did together that we enjoyed.”

But golf almost wasn’t in the cards for Sorenstam, save for the young golfer’s competitive nature. 

“In the beginning, it really wasn’t love at first sight,” says Sorenstam. “I wanted faster sports—I played soccer, I competed in tennis, I did downhill skiing. Golf was kind of slow.”

“But it slowly grew on me,” she continues. “I think I wanted to figure this game out. I still haven’t, but I just wanted to get better. I wanted to learn how to hit the shot. And then, I thought, ‘if I can do it once, can I do it twice?’”

To be successful in golf, Sorenstam says, you need to be dedicated, disciplined and focused, like anything else in life. “My dad told me a long time ago that there are no shortcuts to success,” she says. “You’ve just got to keep doing it over and over again, practice and fine-tune, and then practice on that.”

Today, Sorenstam is focused on helping the next generation of female golfers succeed through the ANNIKA Foundation. 

“We empower, develop and advance young women through the game of golf, not just on the golf course but also in life,” she says. 

The foundation helps women secure more tournaments and opportunities.

“This is my way of saying thank you and making sure that other young girls can fulfill their dreams, kind of like I am,” says Sorenstam. “I want to make the sport better today than it was yesterday.”

Lydia Ko on the tournament circuit. ©Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

THE OLYMPIC CHAMPION: LYDIA KO

Lydia Ko is the reigning Olympic golf champion and is the most decorated golfer in the history of the Olympic Games—she won gold in 2024, silver in 2016 and bronze in 2020. She is also the youngest player, at 27, to be inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame. 

Ko started playing golf as a young child in South Korea. Her parents introduced her to the sport after Korean golfer Se Ri Pak won the U.S. Women’s Golf Open in 1998. 

“Because of that, there was a huge boom in golf in Korea,” says Ko. “My aunt was an avid golfer, and she gave me one of her clubs—I kind of whacked the ball and apparently made contact, so she cut down a couple of her clubs for me. That’s how I started.”

A few years later, Ko’s family emigrated to New Zealand. Some of her favorite memories came in playing provincial golf as a team. 

“Even though it’s [golf is] an individual sport, I loved the competition and being in that team environment,” says Ko. “I do remember not wanting to lose. Luckily during the time, the province I represented (North Harbour) was one of the strongest teams. So, it was fun, and I got to compete at an elite level of provincial golf and play against some girls that I ended up playing on the national team.”

Ko offers these words for success. “There’s just so many different types of players,” she says. “What works well for you might not necessarily work well for me. Knowing your game better and knowing your body will bring the most success.”

While there’s been much talk about her retirement, Ko has no plans to do so in the immediate future. 

“I had a great year last year and I still have the competitive drive,” says Ko. “I’ve changed my mind as much as I change my socks. But I’m excited for what’s ahead and I’m excited for this season coming up.”

Leona Maguire ponders a shot on the green. ©Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

THE RECORD-BREAKER: LEONA MAGUIRE

Leona Maguire came out strong in her rookie year (2021). Her performance in the 2021 Solheim Cup, the female equivalent of the Ryder Cup, helped secure Europe’s 15-13 victory over the United States. 

It was that team spirit Maguire built up during her remarkable career at Duke, where she broke records left and right. Among her honors: four-time Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American, three-time Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Player of the Year, three-time ACC Individual Champion and an ACC Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She finished her collegiate career with a 70.97 stroke average, the lowest in NCAA history for a golfer who’s competed in more than 100 rounds.

“It’s nice to have that team atmosphere inside of an individual sport,” says Maguire.
“I had an incredible four years. I made a lot of memories on those trips with the team, with a lot of laughs along the way.” 

Maguire first became interested in golf when she was 10 years old, when her father took and her twin sister to the golf course. Maguire’s competitive spirit flourished there.

“Growing up, we were competitive in everything we did,” says Maguire. “We did a lot of competitive sports and were always trying to outdo each other. We got better without realizing it.”

After a lot of competitive swimming, the love of the unknown drew Maguire further into the golf world. “I liked the fact that golf was different every day. There were different golf courses, different grasses, different weather conditions. It was a nice, new challenge, and I met a lot of friends along the way,” Maguire adds. 

Maguire counts her 2016 Olympic experience as one of her greatest achievements. 

“I think I teed off in the second group that first morning and was the first one to make a birdie,” says Maguire. “It’s amazing, as an amateur, to get to play in an event like that.”

In 2022, Maguire became the first Irish golfer to win an LPGA tournament, and at the end of that season, moved to No. 11 on the world rankings, her highest placement ever. The following year, she won the Meijer LPGA Classic and broke records again by becoming the first Irishwoman with two LPGA victories. The win catapulted her to No. 10 in the world rankings, making her the first Irishwoman to break the Top 10. 

What’s in store for her in 2025? 

“I’m just looking forward to a new season of opportunities,” says Maguire. 

Christine Silen demonstrates the use of a 7 iron. Photo by Roberto Gonzalez.

THE NETWORK BIGWIG: CHRISTINE SILEN

As director of marketing for NBC Sports, Christine Silen manages the network’s major sponsorships deals. She received her graduate degree from Rollins College and before that had a successful collegiate golf career at Boston University, where she was tri-captain of the golf team. 

Silen started joining her dad at the golf club after looking for a new sports challenge at the age of 13. To her surprise, it spurred a love for the game.  

“One of the coaches made it so fun for me,” says Silen. “That’s when I really got hooked. I loved the fact that you could be outside, and you got to see these beautiful courses. That’s when I started getting into competitions.”

At that time, Silen was the only junior female golfer at her New Jersey club; since there were no girls playing in her age range, she played a lot of golf with the club’s male interns. It made her change her approach, which still affects her game today.

“If I’m just going to grab a tee time by myself, 98% of the time, I’ll be paired up with male golfers,” says Silen. “You either get a sigh from the men thinking that ‘Oh, now it’s just going to be a slow round and she’s just picking up the game,’ or on the flip side, ‘she probably plays on tour and she’s a scratch golfer.’”

But Silen loves getting on the course when expectations are low. 

“Most the time, the people I’m playing with have automatic low expectations and the fact that I was able to hang in there and either play at their level or sometimes beat them on the course is very entertaining,” she says.

For those looking to get started in golf, Silen offers these words of advice: get out on the course and leave the intimidation factor by the wayside. 

“One of the most important things is to just find a local driving range—it can be something like Topgolf,” she says. “If it’s the driving range at a golf club, that’s even better, but it’s just finding something really local, getting out and playing and giving it a shot.”

As far as dressing for the golf course, there are a few no-nos. 

“Stay away from denim—sometimes you won’t be let in, depending on where you play,” she says. “The same with tank tops. I like to wear tennis clothes—it’s a great alternative when you’re looking for outfits to wear on the golf course.”

Back to our guide to everything golf in Central Florida