BELLEAIR, Fla., Dec. 13, 2023 – The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican donated $100,000 from the 2023 edition of the championship to the Morton Plant Mease Health Care Foundation to help families in need as part of its ‘Birdies for Babies’ charitable program in partnership with BayCare Health System. Tampa Bay’s annual LPGA Tour event, The ANNIKA took place Nov. 9-12 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla., where Lilia Vu captured her fourth victory of her 2023 season, elevating her to World No. 1.
To give back to the local community, The ANNIKA pledged to donate $50 for every birdie and $100 for every eagle scored during all four rounds of the championship to the Morton Plant Mease Health Care Foundation. New for 2023, spectators also had the opportunity to donate to the Birdies for Babies program via the ‘BayCare Long Putt Challenge’ adjacent to the tournament’s signature 12th hole. For every 30-foot putt made during the week, $100 was donated to the Birdies for Babies program.
The 120-player field recorded 1446 birdies and 19 eagles during the four days of competition, totaling $74,200. $21,305 was donated combined from the ‘BayCare Long Putt Challenge’, the ANNIKA media day putting competition and spectator donations. The Doyle family, owners of Pelican Golf Club and longtime supporters of the Morton Plant Mease Health Care Foundation, added an additional $4,500 to round up the total donation to $100,000.
All funds received from the 2023 partnership are invested into BayCare’s Mease Countryside and Morton Plant Hospitals to promote safe sleep for babies, specifically height-adjustable bassinets and sleep sacks. The height-adjustable bassinets are designed to keep infants close to their mothers without compromising safety. The sleep sacks are a way to promote safe sleep practices and reduce the risk of SIDS. New mothers will be discharged with education and two sleep sacks to promote safe sleep practices.
During the 2023 tournament, LPGA professionals Amanda Doherty and Lauren Hartlage visited the NICU and labor and delivery floor at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater. The players spoke with attending doctors and nurses in the NICU, learning about the different programs offered at BayCare and where the funds from the ‘Birdies for Babies’ program goes towards.
The Birdies for Babies charitable program launched with the inaugural Pelican Women’s Championship in 2020 and now has donated more than $260,000 to families in need from the tournament’s first four years.
- 2020: 932 total birdies were recorded for a $46,600 donation.
- 2021: 1,369 birdies were recorded a $68,450 donation
- 2022: 958 birdies were recorded (three-round tournament) for a $47,900 donation.
- 2023: 1446 birdies, 19 eagles and more than 200 birdies from the ‘BayCare Long Putt Challenge’ were recorded for a $100,000 donation.
A link to the Birdies for Babies charitable program and donation information can be found here: https://give.mpmfoundation.org/birdies-for-babies
BayCare, a leading not-for-profit health care system, provides a wide range of services at 16 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations for patients and their families throughout Tampa Bay and the Central Florida regions.
BayCare is a premiere partner of The ANNIKA and is the tournament’s exclusive Health Care System. BayCare supports the tournament’s volunteer program that recruits and deploys hundreds of individuals to assist in managing the event. The company also is an official sponsor of the Raymond James Women’s Leadership Summit, taking place on Tuesday, Nov. 7 that brought together a diverse panel to inspire women in the community featuring local civic and business leaders, as well as LPGA Tour players and executives.
For more information on The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, visit www.TheAnnika.com and on social media: @TheAnnikaLPGA on Twitter, @TheAnnikaLPGA on Instagram and The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican on Facebook.
About Morton Plant Mease Health Care Foundation
For nearly 50 years, Morton Plant Mease Health Care Foundation has provided philanthropic support to the not-for-profit hospitals of Morton Plant Mease, including Morton Plant, Clearwater; Mease Dunedin; Mease Countryside, Safety Harbor and Morton Plant North Bay, New Port Richey. The close connection between the hospitals of Morton Plant Mease and their neighbors reveal a unique spirit of giving – a relationship characterized by people caring for the hospitals that care for them. Thanks to the community’s philanthropic support, the Foundation granted the not-for-profit hospitals of Morton Plant Mease $16.4 million in 2022 - significantly the most in its history. Morton Plant Mease Health Care Foundation’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator.
About BayCare Health System
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 16 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit www.BayCare.org
About The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican
The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican is the LPGA’s annual tournament in the Tampa Bay region and features the world’s best female golfers competing over four rounds for a share of the $3.25 million purse, one of the largest purses on the LPGA Tour outside of major championships and the LPGA Tour’s season-ending event. The tournament is contested at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla., a Donald Ross design and Beau Welling redesign that offers world-class
amenities and an unmatched golf experience. Annika Sorenstam serves as tournament host with proceeds benefiting the ANNIKA Foundation. The championship is operated by Outlyr, a global sports, event management and lifestyle marketing agency. For more information on The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, visit www.TheAnnika.com.
About ANNIKA
In 2008, Annika stepped away from professional golf and created the ANNIKA Foundation, which currently hosts six global tournaments for junior girls with over 600 girls from 60 different countries competing annually. The Foundation also hosts the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M, a premiere event on the NCAA Division I women’s golf fall schedule featuring 12 of the top DI schools in the country. New this year, a member of the winning team will earn an exemption to compete in The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.
Annika, the ANNIKA Foundation and the Haskins Foundation annually recognize the NCAA Division I women’s golf player of the year via the ANNIKA Award. Stanford’s Rose Zhang was named the back-to-back Annika Award winner for 2023.
In 2014 the LPGA, in partnership with Rolex, the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award was established to recognize the player who, during a current LPGA Tour season, has the most outstanding record in all five major championships. In 2020, Annika was elected the President of the International Golf Federation which oversees golf in the Olympic Games. In 2021, Annika became the first female golfer to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
About Gainbridge® & Group 1001
Founded in 2018, Gainbridge® is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge® is headquartered in Zionsville, Indiana. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.io or follow and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Group 1001 Insurance Holdings, LLC (“Group 1001”) is a technology-driven financial services company with a mission to empower customers, employees, and communities by making innovative products accessible to everyone. Group 1001 strives to demystify how insurance and annuity products are purchased today by leveraging technology to provide intuitive financial solutions for all Americans. As part of its mission, Group 1001 invests in strategic partnerships to connect with and transform communities through education and sports. As of June 30, 2023, Group 1001 had combined assets under management of approximately $60.9 billion and comprises the following brands: Delaware Life, Gainbridge®, Clear Spring Health, Clear Spring Property and Casualty Group, and Clear Spring Life. Learn more at www.group1001.com.
About the LPGA
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is the world’s premier women’s professional golf organization. Created in 1950 by 13 pioneering female Founders, the LPGA, whose members now represent over 60 countries, is the longest-standing professional women’s sports organization. Through the LPGA Tour, the Epson Tour, a joint venture with the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Professionals, the LPGA provides female professionals the opportunity to pursue their dreams in the game of golf at the highest level. In addition to its professional tours and teaching accreditation programs, the LPGA features a fully integrated Foundation, which offers best-in-class programming for female golfers through its junior golf programming and LPGA Amateurs chapters, tournaments and membership. LPGA aims to use its unique platform to inspire, transform and advance opportunities for girls and women, on and off the golf course.
Follow the LPGA online at www.LPGA.com and on its mobile apps. Join the social conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About the LPGA Tour
The LPGA Tour is the world’s leading competitive destination for the best female professional golfers in the world. The Tour hosts more than 30 annual events across 12 countries and regions for over 200 Active Players, awarding total prize funds exceeding $100 million and reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. Follow the LPGA Tour on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel.
Media Contact:
Jeremy Friedman
The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican
Outlyr
407-721-9752
jfriedman@outlyr.com