LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam was locked in at the U.S. Senior Women’s Open this week, but her focus wasn’t entirely on the Barton Hills Country Club course. Back home in central Florida, her 16-year-old daughter, Ava, a former softball player, was making her debut in her first high school golf match for Lake Highland Prep. Sorenstam, 55 and a 72-time LPGA winner, admitted with a smile she just wanted to make sure Ava “survived nine holes.” Talk about balancing a major championship with major mom duties!
Ava’s Sudden Swing into the Golf Scene
Ava pulled a fast one on the family at the end of her junior year, announcing she was ditching softball to try out for the golf team in her senior year. This is a whole new ballgame for Sorenstam, whose legendary work ethic is meticulous. Ava, it turns out, likes playing way more than practicing. So, if mom wants to hang out, it means leaving the range. When Ava was prepping for her first qualifier, she was so nervous she called her younger brother, Will, for pointers. “I don’t know how you do it,” she told him. “I’m so nervous.” This kid is a willing student, though! She soaks up her mom’s instruction, practically asking what she’s doing wrong after every shot. Ava, who plays right-handed, will be debuting at No. 3 in the lineup and apparently has “quite a lot of clubhead speed.” She’s “working around the green” and can “hit par 4s in one and then walk away with six.” High praise from her mom, who also thinks Ava is pretty stoked about the “bag and outfits,” “having fun,” and maybe even the “cute boys on the golf team.” Ava’s even navigating college visits right now, with her sights set on an SEC school, just like her mom was an NCAA champion at Arizona.
Will McGee: A Golf Nut’s Lofty Ambitions
While Ava is just getting started, her brother Will McGee has been a golf nut for years. He was only 10 when his mom made her U.S. Senior Women’s Open debut five years ago and was already well-versed in her resume. Will, who is outgoing and quick with advice or a hug, even teams up annually with his famous mom at the PNC Championship. These days, Will, a lefty, has some seriously lofty goals: he wants to win majors and be No. 1 in the world. That’s big-time ambition, right there. It makes sense why Ava would call him for advice, even if he was busy playing an AJGA event in Pennsylvania.
The Family That Golfs Together
The family dynamic is clearly shifting, and it’s awesome to watch. This Friday, Ava and Will will be flying by themselves for the first time, heading from Orlando to Detroit to watch their parents work inside the ropes at the championship. Sorenstam’s return from retirement to play for another major was always about growing the game and solidifying this championship, but it’s crystal clear it was just as much about family. As she once put it, “I think it’s good that our kids see that I work because I want them to understand that what we have today didn’t just show up in the mail.” With both of Annika Sorenstam’s kids fully bitten by the golf bug, this family is making sure the next generation understands exactly what it takes. Get ready, golf world, the Sorenstam-McGee legacy is just getting started!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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