LPGA tour players, celebrities to tee it up in Orlando at Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 23: Annika Sörenstam of Sweden lines up her putt on the 18th green during a playoff against Derek Lowe in the final round of the 2022 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on Ja
ORLANDO, Fla. - One of the more interesting and unique aspects of the LPGA Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions held this January at Lake Nona Country Club is that these are champions getting to play with other champions.
Guys like two-time World Series winner Tim Wakefield gets to walk the fairways with Annika Sorenstam, considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. And they definitely take the time to pick each other's brains.
IRVING, TX - APRIL 23: Tim Wakefield plays his shot from the 15th hole tee during round two of the ClubCorp Classic at Las Colinas Country Club on April 23, 2022 in Irving, Texas. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
"I think we can learn from each other," said Sorenstam. "In the end, it's the same. You want to perform at the highest level. I mean, I love to learn, so for me, it's been really interesting hearing the stories."
The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on January 23, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. [Credit: Hilton Grand Vacations]
The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on January 23, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. [Credit: Hilton Grand Vacations]
The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on January 23, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. [Credit: Hilton Grand Vacations]
"The thing I've learned most about their game is tempo. Everything is so smooth," said Wakefield. "You know, as an athlete playing baseball, everything was fast and as hard as you can go. But that's not how golf is supposed to be played. Talking to them about my sport was, I think it's the grind, I think that I can compare with them. We played 162 games in 180 days. They're doing the same thing. But they have pro-ams in between tournaments. So it's a little bit different. You know they get one or two days off. Like a Monday, and then they're doing pro-ams Tuesday, Wednesday, and then they're competing for the weekend. So it's a grind for these girls too."
WEST DES MOINES, IA - AUGUST 17: (R-L) Captain, Annika Sorenstam of Team Europe, talks with Suzann Pettersen and Jodi Ewart Shadoff during practice for the Solheim Cup at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club on August 17, 2017 in West Des Moines, Iow
"There's gonna be a lot of questions that I ask throughout the round, and you know about their career and how they have handled adversity and how they've handled you know, the big pressure moments," said LPGA Tour winner Jodi Ewart Shadoff. "I think it's going to be a good growing experience for me as an athlete for sure."
WEST DES MOINES, IA - AUGUST 17: Jodi Ewart Shadoff of Team Europe smiles Annika Sorenstam of Team Europe she answers a question during a press conference for the Solheim Cup at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club on August 17, 2017 in West Des Moin
The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions began in 2013. As the LPGA Tour’s first stop of the year, it features LPGA winners from the previous two seasons competing for $1.5 million in official prize money.
The 2023 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions will take place on January 19-22 at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando. The tournament allows spectators. You can find more information about the tournament and how to purchase tickets here.