ORLANDO, Fla.—San José State women’s golfer Kajsa Arwefjäll is one of four collegiate women’s golfers named to the second class of ambassadors for the ANNIKA Development Program at Old Barnwell Golf Club in Aiken, S.C., as announced by the ANNIKA Foundation.
The program provides opportunities for women to excel in both golf and life and benefits a select group of college graduates who are attempting to pursue a professional career in golf. All four women were selected on a combination of their golf talent, potential, leadership skills, personal character and dedication to their college careers.
Arwefjäll is joined by Caley McGinty from The Ohio State University, Anna Morgan from Furman University and Anna Zanusso from the University of Denver.
Over the next three years, each ambassador will have access to play and practice at Old Barnwell and will receive training from its professional staff. They will also receive a $10,000 annual stipend to cover tournament fees and travel. Annika herself will provide mentoring sessions during their time in the development program. Additionally, ambassadors will receive housing for the first year of the program.
As part of their residency, program ambassadors will play and interact with Old Barnwell members and have the opportunity to give back by participating in an ANNIKA Foundation “Share My Passion” clinic for young girls, helping at an ANNIKA Invitational junior event and/or speaking at an ANNIKA Foundation fundraiser golf outing.
“Being part of the ANNIKA Development Program at Old Barnwell means the world to me. As a Swedish golfer I have looked up to Annika ever since I was little, not only for her golf but also for the way she gives back to the community. I can’t wait to do the same for others. I love the philosophy behind Old Barnwell and the ANNIKA Foundation, and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to give back to golf with them. I’m honored and excited for this next step in my professional career and to share my love for the game with others!” – Kajsa Arwefjall
For more information about the ANNIKA Development Program, visit annikafoundation.org/annikadevelopmentprogram.
About the ANNIKA Foundation
Annika Sörenstam created the ANNIKA Foundation (annikafoundation.org) to develop, empower and advance young women around the world through golf and in life. More specifically, it provides opportunities in women’s golf at the junior, collegiate and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of personal development, including living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition. The foundation has partnered with key organizations to promote healthy, active lifestyles for children, including SPARK, Florida Hospital for Children’s Healthy 100 Kids initiative, The First Tee Nine Healthy Habits curriculum for children and an endowment of AJGA’s ACE Grant program.
The ANNIKA Foundation annually conducts several “Share My Passion” grassroots clinics designed to introduce kids to the game. It also conducts six major golf events for aspiring junior girls: the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex in the U.S.; ANNIKA Invitational Asia; ANNIKA Invitational Europe and ANNIKA Cup in Sweden; the Women’s Amateur Latin America; the R&A in Peru; and the ANNIKA Invitational Australasia in New Zealand.
Since 2014, the foundation has annually hosted the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M, a women’s college tournament featuring 12 top Division 1 schools. It recently announced the More Than Golf Invitational for top mid-major conference women’s teams to be conducted at Old Barnwell starting in 2025. Moreover, with the support of the Haskins Foundation, the foundation created the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel, which is given annually to the best collegiate female golfer.
In 2022, the ANNIKA Development Program was created to support recent college graduates pursuing their dreams of playing professional golf. In 2024, the foundation partnered with the ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Tour to provide development and advancement opportunities for young professionals looking to one day play in the LPGA Tour. The foundation is also the main beneficiary of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, a new tournament tradition that began on the LPGA Tour in November 2023.
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