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LSU’s Ingrid Lindblad Ends College Career with ANNIKA Award

Ingrid Lindblad and Annika Sorenstam pose with the ANNIKA Award at Omni La Costa.
Ingrid Lindblad and Annika Sorenstam pose with the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel at Omni La Costa. Courtesy of The Back of the Range.

This year’s recipient of the ANNIKA Award is Ingrid Lindblad, a graduate student who has spent her 5 years at LSU. Her impressive season made her nomination a no-brainer. The ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel is given to the best female collegiate golfer.

Lindblad’s list of extensive accomplishments just this season include:

  • #1 player in the NCAA, the World Golf Amateur Rankings and Clippd Rankings
  • Scoring average: 69.21
  • Spent more than half her first season at or under par
  • 4 wins (15 total at LSU, an SEC record)
  • Placed in the top-5 in 9 out of 10 events
  • First NCAA Match Play appearance (personally and LSU’s)

Lindblad has been on the Final Watch List all 5 years of her collegiate career. Like Sorenstam, Lindblad is Swedish and says she followed the “Annika trek” throughout Europe and felt like this award is the crowning achievement of her time under Sorenstam’s mentorship.

“I’m so happy,” said Lindblad at the award ceremony at Omni La Costa during the NCAA Championship. “I feel like I’ve worked hard for this and this was one of the reasons I came back for my fifth year, so it feels good to kind of close my
college career out, and I’m very thankful for this award.” 

Sorenstam replies, “I’m very happy for you and with what you have done on the
course and also what you stand for as a character amongst your peers… and glad to see a Swede
on here (the ANNIKA Award). There are some wonderful names on this trophy and all the
players on here have gone on to do some great things and I see the same thing for Ingrid.”

Ingrid Lindblad and LSU's golf team cheer on teammate Aine Donegan in NCAA Championship match play quarterfinals.
Ingrid Lindblad and LSU’s golf team cheer on teammate Aine Donegan in NCAA Championship match play quarterfinals. Kelly Okun, Fairway to Green.

Lindblad finished her collegiate career today by sinking a 30-foot birdie putt to win her match against Oregon’s Karen Tsuru. Her excitement on the 15th green could be seen from the 1st tee, and you could feel her energy as she cheered on teammate Aine Donegan in the final match. Unfortunately, Lindblad’s collegiate career ended today after LSU failed to advance to the semifinals. However, her future is bright with plans to turn professional and her exemption through the ANNIKA Award to play in the 2024 Amundi Evian Championship, an LPGA major.

ANNIKA Award History

2024 is the 10th anniversary of the ANNIKA Award, a recognition legend Annika Sorenstam created to celebrate the best female collegiate players in the game alongside the male’s version, the Haskins Award.

The ANNIKA Award has a watchlist where NCAA Division I players can qualify to be on it based on their performance throughout the golf season. The nominees are then voted on by golf coaches, players and the media. Sorenstam came to Omni La Costa in Carlsbad, Calif., to present the award in person.

2023-2024 ANNIKA Award Final Watch List

9 of the 10 finalists competed in the NCAA DI Women’s Golf Championship. The following nominees are listed in alphabetical order:

  • Amanda Sambach (Virginia)
  • Catherine Park (Southern California)
  • Emma Bunch (New Mexico State)
  • Ingrid Lindblad (LSU)
  • Julia Lopez Ramirez (Mississippi State)
  • Lottie Woad (Florida State)
  • Louise Rydqvist (South Carolina)
  • Paula Martin Sampedro (Stanford)
  • Rachel Kuehn (Wake Forest)
  • Zoe Campos (UCLA)

Previous ANNIKA Award Winners

  • Rose Zhang (Stanford; 2022, 2023)
  • Rachel Heck (Stanford, 2021)
  • Natalie Srinivasan (Furman, 2020)
  • Maria Fassi (Arkansas; 2018, 2019)
  • Leona Maguire (Duke; 2015, 2017)
  • Bronte Law (UCLA, 2016)
  • Alison Lee (UCLA, 2014)
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