12 Things You Didn't Know About Anne Van Dam

A big name in women's golf, Dutch professional Anne van Dam has had multiple victories on the Ladies European Tour (LET) and made her Solheim Cup debut in 2019. Renowned for her prowess off the tee, here are 12 things you might not know about her...

12 Things You Didn't Know About Anne Van Dam

1. Van Dam was born on October 2, 1995 in Arnhem, The Netherlands. She actually shares the same birthday as German Major champion Sophia Popov.

2. In 2014 she finished 10th at Qualifying School, earning full membership on the Ladies European Tour. She then turned pro in January 2015

3. On her website it says she started playing golf at the age of five, but was not smitten right away. She is quoted as saying: "I started playing golf around the age of 5 on a holiday in America with my parents. My dad played quite a bit and my sister and mother just started out. In the beginning I didn’t really like it that much because my biggest passion at that time was competitive swimming short distances."

4. She has said in the past that at the age of 13 she had to decide between swimming and golf. She chose golf because she had already started winning in the sport.

5. Her first professional victory came at the 2016 Xiamen International Open on the LET. She has had five total victories on the LET.

6. She regularly features among the game's biggest hitters. She averaged over 287 yards in 2022, which put her second in the list just behind Germany's Chiara Noja.

7. She cites her favourite food as Thai or Italian. Her favourite athlete is Michael Phelps.

8. Van Dam made her Solheim Cup debut in 2019, which was a narrow victory for the European team. She played in four matches and won one of them alongside Suzann Pettersen in fourball play.

9. She did also play in the Junior Solheim Cup in 2013. In a losing team effort, she was one of only two European players to win her singles match on the final day. She beat Amy Lee 3&1.

10. Her favourite courses are Royal Melbourne and Whistling Straits. In terms of her favourites in Holland, she likes Eindhovensche GC, Rosendaelsche GC, Hilversumse GC and Noordwijkse GC.

11. As a young amateur she won the National Championships in several age groups -  under 9, 12, 18 and 21.

12. Her handicap was +4.5 when she turned pro.