World Golf and LPGA Hall-of-Famer, Annika Sorenstam hosts the sole namesake event on the LPGA Tour at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, FL.
The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican is celebrating its seventh year and fourth year as The ANNIKA. 108 of the world’s best female professional golfers will compete at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida starting this Thursday. They are vying for a share of the $3.2 million purse, one of the largest prize funds outside of the major championships and the CME Group Tour Championship.
The field is headlined by Rolex Rankings World No. 1 and Bradenton, Florida resident Nelly Korda who will be chasing history at The ANNIKA. She is one point away from becoming eligible for the LPGA Hall of Fame after winning the 2026 Rolex Player of The Year. She can earn that final point with a victory at The ANNIKA.
Korda is a three-time winner of the ANNIKA. If she wins this week, she will be the first LPGA professional to win the same event for a fourth time since Hall of Famer and tournament namesake, Annika Sorenstam, achieved the feat in 2005. With a win, Korda can become the first player in LPGA history to win a single tournament at least four times in seven appearances.
All four of the tournament’s past champions are entered into the tournament, including defending champion Linn Grant, three-time champion Nelly Korda, 2023 champion Lillia Vu and 2020 champion Sei Young Kim.
Round one of official tournament play begins this Thursday at 7 am. There is a special Veterans Day ceremony at 8:30 am at the Flagpole at Pelican Golf Club. This is an annual tradition and not to be missed, with guest speakers and a check presentation to Operation Healing Forces as part of the Veterans Day ceremony.
Tickets are on sale at www.TheAnnika.com/tickets and via SeatGeek.
In other Tampa Bay Area golf news…Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Florida and home to the Valspar Championship (May 3 to May 9, 2027) has sold for nearly $20M. Companies affiliated with Concert Golf Partners, an owner-operator of upscale private golf and country clubs across the country is purchasing the resort and golf club.
The Valspar Championship has been hosted at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook since 2000. An agreement keeps the tournament at the resort through 2030.
In further news, October 26, 2026 – Heritage Golf Group, the fastest-growing owner and operator of golf and country clubs in the United States, has announced the acquisition of Fox Hollow Golf Club in the Tampa Bay area from the Creighton Family. The acquisition marks Heritage’s 51st property nationwide and fourth acquisition in just four months, bringing the company’s Florida portfolio to 14 clubs and further strengthening its presence in one of the country’s most desirable golf markets.
Located within a ten-mile radius of two existing Heritage properties, The Club at Cheval and TPC Tampa Bay, Fox Hollow creates a unique cluster of clubs in the Tampa market. The proximity of Fox Hollow and TPC Tampa Bay, both accessible to the public, presents new opportunities to attract traveling golfers and position the area as a premier golf destination. The acquisition also supports Heritage’s broader strategy of building regional club clusters that create operational efficiencies, enhance Member benefits, and expand the company’s market presence.
Mark your calendar for the 2026 Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s, with European Team Captain Darren Clarke, International Team Captain Retief Goosen and U.S. Team Captain Justin Leonard today unveiling star-studded rosters featuring major champions, World Golf Hall of Fame members and some of the most recognizable names in professional golf.
The three teams will compete Dec. 3-6 at Feather Sound Country Club in Clearwater, Florida, in the event’s distinctive head-to-head format. Among this year’s field are Skechers Brand Ambassadors Leonard, Goosen, Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer, representing all three teams and underscoring Skechers’ growing presence across the global golf landscape.
There is a lot of world-class golf to see this week. Get out to The ANNIKA, be inspired, be amazed, and enjoy your golf.
Some REGISTRY Tampa Bay content may be sponsored, paid for, or promotional. Sponsored content is created by or for advertisers. Views and claims expressed are those of the advertiser and do not necessarily reflect REGISTRY Tampa Bay. We do not endorse any advertised products or services.
