Maria Anna Hjorth (born 15 October 1973) is a Swedish professional golfer. Early years Hjorth was born in Falun. As the youngest of three daughters to Kjell and Monica Hjorth, she first gripped a golf club at three years of age. Six years old, she traveled with her family, to compete in the unofficial Swedish Championship for children, the Colgate Cup, for girls up to 10 years of age. After the round, her older sister helped her to count the score. Nordic skiing was a main interest during winter time. At ten years of age, Hjorth also began playing curling and later became the youngest ever individual winner of the Swedish Championship in curling. On the golf course, she usually practiced with older boys, why she soon find it easier to play from the men's tees. During her amateur career she always represented Falun-Borlänge Golf Club. Amateur career Hjorth won many individual amateur titles including the 1995 European Ladies Amateur Championship at Wannsee, Berlin, Germany. She represented Sweden twice at the Espirito Santo Trophy. In 1992 in Vancouver, Canada, with Annika Sörenstam on the team, Sweden finished fourth. In 1994 at Golf National in Paris, France, the Swedish team finished as bronze medalists. Hjorth was also part of the winning Swedish team at the 1994 European Lady Junior's Team Championship at Gutenhof Golf Club, Austria. Hjorth attended the University of Stirling in Scotland. Professional career Hjorth turned professional in 1996 and won the Swedish Golf Tour Order of Merit that year. She played mainly on the Ladies European Tour (LET) in 1996 and 1997. In late 1997, she finished fourth at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to gain exempt status on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour for the 1998 season. Since 1998 she has played mainly on LPGA Tour, while continuing to play in Europe several times each year. She has won two individual titles on the LET and five on the LPGA. Winning her second LPGA title in 1999, the Mizuno Classic in Japan, she played with a mix-matched set of clubs because her clubs were lost by an airline. She has finished second in the Women's PGA Championship, losing in a playoff, and tied second in the Women's British Open. She was also sole or tied second in the Evian Masters in France three times before it was recognized as a major championship. She was a member of five