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Showing posts with label Annika59. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Annika59. Show all posts
Monday, 3 July 2017
Friday, 15 November 2013
PGA Honour for Sorenstam
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| Getty Images |
Annika Sorenstam has been named the 2013 PGA First Lady of Golf by the PGA of America.
The 43-year-old Swede becomes the first non-American to win the biennial award as she was recognised for her outstanding achievements both on and off the course.
Sorenstam won 89 tournaments worldwide during her glittering career, including 10 major titles, and she remains the all-time leading money winner on the LPGA Tour with earnings of over $22m.
She is also the second-highest points scorer in the Solheim Cup, posting a record of 22 wins, 11 defeats and four halved matches in her eight appearances for Europe.
Sorenstam won her 72nd and final LPGA Tour title in 2008 before announcing her retirement, and she has since set up a number of businesses including a teaching academy, a golf course design firm and a financial-planning group.
She is also the spokesperson for a charity which encourages children to live a healthy, active lifestyle through improved fitness and nutrition.
"Annika's impact upon women's golf in the modern era has been remarkable, setting a standard that may never be touched," said PGA of America President Ted Bishop.
"Her commitment to fitness and excellence made her a legend on the course, but her legacy in the game also includes a sincere dedication to growing a healthy next generation and inspiring future young women through golf.
"The PGA is honored to now call her the 2013 PGA First Lady of Golf."
Sorenstam added: "I have been so fortunate throughout my life to have people who helped pave the way for me to work hard and exceed my goals on and off the course.
"I truly feel like I am living a dream and want to help the next generation do the same.
"It's gratifying that The PGA of America has taken notice of our programming that offers junior girls the opportunity to play first-class tournaments around the world, while also educating them about the importance of health and wellness. I'm flattered to be named the 2013 PGA First Lady of Golf."
Sunday, 15 July 2012
IMG Turmoil Cuts Across Golf
The defections at IMG continued when Jon Heaton, a vice president in the IMG Golf division, gave notice July 4 that he would be leaving the company.
Heaton, who represented Steve Stricker and Annika Sorenstam and was the U.S. face for the company for World No. 1 Luke Donald, leaves a big hole compounded by IMG's other personnel losses in the past year.
Since May 2011, when Mark Steinberg left IMG, taking Tiger Woods with him, the outbound flow has accelerated. Jon Wagner, a senior vice president and co-managing director of the Americas for IMG Worldwide, left two months ago, quickly followed by Kevin Lynch, a vice president, and Jeff Stacy. At least eight agents in the golf division have left since billionaire Theodore Forstmann purchased IMG Worldwide in 2004.
Heaton’s departure prompted IMG to file a breach-of-contract lawsuit in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on July 6. IMG contends that Heaton could not compete against his former employer per the wording in his non-compete agreement.
According to an IMG statement, the court granted IMG a temporary restraining order to restrict Heaton from competing against IMG.
In the statement, IMG disclosed that Heaton was leaving for Excel Sports Management, Steinberg's new employer.
A phone message left with Heaton and a text message sent to Steinberg were not immediately returned.
IMG would not comment beyond the statement confirming the court's restraining order against Heaton, citing the pending legal dispute.
The legal wrangling between IMG and former employees started when Wagner left and the focus turned toward his non-compete agreement. At the time, his clients included Donald, Trevor Immelman and Sean O’Hair.
On May 7, IMG filed a request for a temporary restraining order in Cuyahoga's Common Pleas Court. The court sided with IMG, prohibiting Wagner from representing any current IMG clients or competing against IMG for clients.
Since then, Lynch and Stacy have been added to the lawsuit, and Heaton likely will be included soon.
A pre-trial conference is scheduled for July 10 in Cleveland regarding a contempt-of-court allegation by IMG against Wagner, possibly stemming from what IMG contends was inappropriate contact between Wagner and Immelman. During a sponsor day at CordeValle resort in San Martin, Calif., on the Monday after the U.S. Open, Wagner, Immelman and David Fry attended and were videotaped together by a private investigator who sources say was hired by IMG.
Still pictures from the video were submitted to the court as evidence of Wagner’s violation of the temporary restraining order.
Wagner would not comment about the pre-trial conference, but Immelman was not pleased by the allegation and what he sees as a violation of his privacy.
“I was caught totally off guard when I heard about the pictures,” Immelman said via phone. “I’m trying to do my best efforts for one of my long-standing partners, Old Mutual and its guests, and pictures were being taken. I understand there are legal issues outstanding, but I felt like it was crossing the line.”
The loss of another top lieutenant in Cleveland leaves few agents left in the golf division. Clarke Jones and Ben Walter, who recently returned to Ohio from the London office, and David Livingston are left as the primary faces of IMG Golf in the U.S.
Donald, who is travelling to the U.K. to defend his title in next week's Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, was unavailable for comment about the latest move. However, Donald has the most to lose with Heaton’s departure. He has three large sponsorship deals – Mizuno, Titleist/FootJoy and Royal Bank of Canada – expiring at the end of 2012.
When Wagner left in May, Donald took a wait-and-see approach to how things would play out. “Obviously I have a new lead guy," Donald said during the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, N.C., "and I think that it's an opportunity for them to really show what they can do for me."
Now with another change in his representation team and deals to be negotiated, Donald may have to look deeper into his commitment to IMG.
According to sources, IMG Golf in the U.S. has shrunk in the past 12 years from 60 employees to 13, and the representation business has become a shell of its former self.
During Forstmann's reign, the legacy business of player representation was mostly replaced by the event business, which was evidenced by the defections of former agents Peter Malik, Jay Danzi, Chris Armstrong and Steinberg.
Now with Wagner, Lynch, Stacy and Heaton gone since Forstmann’s death, the question left for IMG Golf is handling Donald’s needs.
“I think it's changed a little bit, certainly a little bit less focused on just client service,” Donald said of IMG in May. “I think that business has changed in general, not just with IMG, but 10 years ago there was two or three options for me; now there's 40, 40 guys out there probably managing different players. So I think that's just the nature of the business in general.”
Donald is right. IMG is not the only management company experiencing change.
In January, Lagardre Unlimited, a division of Lagardre Group, a French company, purchased Gaylord Sports of Scottsdale, Arizona
In the past month, Brian Newton, the agent for Nick Watney, Jeff Overton and Bryce Molder, left Lagardre Unlimited and retired from the business. In the wake of that move, Overton signed in June with The Legacy Agency of New York, and Newton’s departure potentially puts Nick Watney in play.
At the same time, Legacy signed John Huh and Jason Kokrak to representation contracts.
It seems that one former player is staying with IMG for the long haul. According to Mike McGee, the managing director of the Annika brand of business, Sorenstam was notified of the move on Friday that Heaton had left the company and was moving to Excel – not by Heaton but by IMG.
McGee, who is Sorenstam's husband and the father of her two children, characterised the arrangement between Heaton and Sorenstam as little more that a point of contact between the retired LPGA star and IMG and not a per se agent. The departure of Heaton means little to the relationship between her and IMG.
“We are committed to IMG,” McGee said.
Source: GolfWeek
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Annika Turns Down Solheim Chance
Annika Sorenstam has turned down the chance to lead the European team in the Solheim Cup next year.
The 10-time major champion retired in 2008 having taken part in eight cup events against the United States.
But after helping the team to victory under Alison Nicholas last year the 41-year-old feels the time is not yet right to take over the reins.
"The Solheim Cup has been an important part of my career and I hope to one day lead the European team," she said.
"After working with captain Alison Nicholas (of Britain) and her team this past year as vice-captain I saw first-hand the incredible amount of work and dedication it takes to be the captain.
"With my young family, foundation, businesses and other commitments I have already made to try and help grow the game, I simply cannot provide the necessary time."
Meg Mallon will captain the United States for next year's match in Parker, Colorado after succeeding Rosie Jones.
Europe regained the trophy with a 15-13 victory in Killeen Castle, Dunsany, Ireland.
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