Wins the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham on 27 July 2003, completing the career Grand Slam in women’s majors.
On 27 July 2003, Annika Sörenstam won the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, completing the coveted career Grand Slam in women’s professional golf.[1][4] She closed out the championship with characteristic precision and calm, securing the final major she had not yet won.
A career Grand Slam—winning all four of the LPGA’s primary major championships at least once—is a rare accomplishment, especially in the modern era of deep, international fields. By 2003, Sörenstam had already claimed multiple titles at the U.S. Women’s Open, the LPGA Championship, and the Kraft Nabisco Championship; the British Open victory added the last remaining major to her resume.[1]
The win at Royal Lytham was significant not just numerically but symbolically. Contested on a classic links course, the championship challenged players with wind, pot bunkers, and firm turf quite different from typical LPGA venues. Sörenstam’s ability to adapt her high‑precision style to links golf underscored her versatility and global competitiveness.[4]
Historically, this triumph cemented her status as one of the game’s greats on both sides of the Atlantic and contributed to her 2003 induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame.[1][19] It also reinforced the growing influence of European women in professional golf, as a Swedish player claimed one of Britain’s most storied titles. For many commentators, 27 July 2003 marks the moment her career achievements reached a level that placed her firmly among the all‑time legends of the sport.