COLUMBUS, Ga. — The first spring watch list for the ANNIKA Award was announced on Monday morning, with top-ranked Stanford women’s golf having three of its best on the list.
Headlining the list is Megha Ganne, who had the best fall of her collegiate career. Ganne won her second tournament when she finished in the top spot at the Nanea Invitational, the final event of the fall. She shot a 9-under 210 across three rounds, including a 6-under 67 in the opening round. Her only other fall tournament came in the Stanford Invitational, where she finished in a tie for third. Through February, her scoring average of 69.67 would break the Stanford single-season scoring record held by Rose Zhang (69.68) if continued for the duration of the season.
Paula Martin Sampedro is back on the list after being named a finalist for the award in the spring of 2024. Statistically, she is right on track with her career averages, shooting a 70.50 in the first 12 rounds of her sophomore season. She also scored her first collegiate win by tying for first at The Molly Invitational, the first tournament of the new year. Martin Sampedro also finished second at the San Diego State Classic. As was the case during her Pac-12 Freshman of the Year season, Martin Sampedro has been under par in every tournament.
Meja Örtengren is the lone freshman on the list for Stanford, and deservedly so. In her first four collegiate tournaments, Örtengren has finished in the top five in all of them. She won the San Diego State Classic in February and shot a 10-under 62 in the second round, tying the program record for most strokes under par in a single round. She has been under par in all but one round this season, and is unbeaten in match play at 3-0-1.
20 golfers made this year’s Final Fall ANNIKA Award Watch List. Stanford is the only school in the country with three represented. Arkansas, Florida State, Oregon, and USC each have two.
Created in 2014, the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel is annually given to the top female Division 1 collegiate golfer; the winner is voted on by players, coaches, and members of the college golf media. Named for Annika Sorenstam, the award was created in partnership with the Haskins Foundation to acknowledge the top female golfer and to match the Haskins Award presented by Stifel, which acknowledges the top male Division I collegiate golfer.
Stifel, one of the nation's leading wealth management and investment banking firms, is the presenting sponsor of the ANNIKA and Haskins Awards, which recognize annually the most outstanding NCAA Division I female and male college golfers. Stifel also sponsors the NCAA Division I Women's and Men's Golf Championships on GOLF Channel.