The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Longhorn Hall of Honor: Charlotta Sorenstam
09.17.2015 | Texas Athletics, Women's Golf, T-Association
The 16th Women’s Hall of Honor class will be inducted in a Sept. 25 ceremony at the Frank Erwin Center.
Charlotta Sorenstam packed up and headed to The University of Texas before ever seeing the Forty Acres. Her first trip to the United States, in fact, was when she moved to Austin from her native Sweden.
Attending a game inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium served as a quick reminder that she was pretty far from home.
"I had never seen so many people until my first football game," Sorenstam recalled. "It was amazing being in such a great town."
Sorenstam played golf for Texas in 1993, and won the NCAA individual title while also leading the team to a program-best second place finish. The season also included five team victories and six top-five performances.
Sorenstam earned All-American and All-Southwest Conference honors, and she was also awarded the Honda Broderick Award for National Collegiate Golfer of the Year.
She recalls her experiences at Texas with great fondness.
"I was so excited about the quality of golf courses we got to play and practice at," she said. "I got a lot better in those nine months."
The former Longhorn also says that her time at Texas was crucial in her preparation for a professional career.
"The team atmosphere, practicing and encouraging each other really helped," she said. "You can't get that anywhere else except for college golf."
After her one year at Texas, Sorenstam turned professional and played on the Ladies European Tour and LPGA. She has two tour victories -- the 2000 LPGA Standard Register PING and the 2001 Korean LPGA Hyundai Securities Ladies Open.
Sorenstam was also a member of the 1998 European Solheim Cup team and served as the European Junior Solheim Cup team's captain in 2005.
"I have really loved traveling around the world and getting to go to places I never would have if I didn't play golf," she said.
Sorenstam currently serves as the head teaching professional for the Annika Academy in Orlando. Her passion is creating programs for junior golfers who have collegiate and professional aspirations.
"It's so nice to see development in my students. Seeing small steps in the right direction and then seeing them bloom is really special," she said.
Sorenstam is looking forward to the induction ceremony and said she will be joined by her parents and sister, LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam.
"It's so nice to be acknowledged from such a great organization," she said. "Sometimes I have to pinch myself."
Day of Distinction: 2015 Men's and Women's Hall of Honor Induction
Please join Texas Athletics as we induct 13 decorated and distinguished former University of Texas student-athletes and staff into the Men's and Women's Athletics Halls of Honor on Friday, Sept. 25
Tickets start at $35. To purchase, or if you have additional questions, please call (512) 232-4422.
