Nancy Lopez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nancy Lopez |
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|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Nancy Marie Lopez |
| Born | January 6, 1957 Torrance, California, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Residence | The Villages, Florida, U.S. |
| Spouse | Ed Russell (m. 2017) Ray Knight (1982–2009) Tim Melton (1979–1982) |
| Children | Ashley, Erinn, Torri |
| Career | |
| College | University of Tulsa (two years) |
| Turned professional | 1977 |
| Current tour(s) | LPGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 51 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| LPGA Tour | 48 |
| LPGA of Japan Tour | 1 |
| Other | 3 |
| Best results in LPGA Major Championships (Wins: 3) |
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| Kraft Nabisco C'ship | T3: 1995 |
| LPGA Championship | Won: 1978, 1985, 1989 |
| U.S. Women's Open | 2nd/T2: 1975, 1977, 1989, 1997 |
| du Maurier Classic | 2nd/T2: 1979, 1981, 1996 |
| Women's British Open | DNP |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 1987 |
| LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year |
1978 |
| LPGA Tour Money Winner |
1978, 1979, 1985 |
| LPGA Tour Player of the Year |
1978, 1979, 1985, 1988 |
| LPGA Tour Vare Trophy |
1978, 1979, 1985 |
| GWAA Female Player of the Year |
1978, 1979, 1985 |
| Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year |
1978, 1985 |
| LPGA William and Mousie Powell Award |
1987 |
| Flo Hyman Memorial Award | 1992 |
| USGA Bob Jones Award | 1998 |
| Old Tom Morris Award | 2000 |
Nancy Marie Lopez (born January 6, 1957) is an American former professional golfer. She is famous for her amazing golf career. Nancy joined the LPGA Tour in 1977. She won 48 LPGA Tour events, including three major championships. Many people consider her one of the greatest women golfers ever.
Contents
Nancy Lopez's Early Golf Days
Nancy Lopez started playing golf at a very young age. She won the New Mexico Women's Amateur tournament when she was just 12 years old in 1969. She also won the U.S. Girls' Junior championship twice, in 1972 and 1974.
After finishing high school in Roswell, she played in the U.S. Women's Open. She competed as an amateur in 1974 and again in 1975. In 1975, she even tied for second place, which was a huge achievement for an amateur!
College Golf Success
In 1976, Nancy went to the University of Tulsa. As a freshman, she was named an All-American. She also won the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) national golf championship. That same year, she was part of the U.S. Curtis Cup and World Amateur teams. Nancy left college after her second year. She decided to become a professional golfer in 1977. In 1977, she was again the runner-up at the U.S. Women's Open.
Nancy Lopez's Professional Golf Career
Nancy Lopez had an incredible first full season on the LPGA Tour in 1978. She won nine tournaments that year! This included an amazing streak of five wins in a row. She was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.
In 1978, she also won several important awards:
- The Vare Trophy for having the lowest scoring average.
- LPGA Rookie of the Year.
- LPGA Player of the Year.
- She was named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year.
Continued Success and Family Life
Nancy continued her winning streak in 1979, winning eight more times. From 1980 to 1984, she won multiple tournaments each year. Her schedule changed a bit in 1983 and 1984. She played fewer tournaments because she had her first child.
When she returned to playing full-time in 1985, Nancy had another fantastic year. She won five tournaments and placed second or third in many others. She won the money title, the scoring title, and the Player of the Year Award again. For the second time, she was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year.
Her schedule was shorter again in 1986 when her second daughter was born. But she came back strong, winning multiple times from 1987 to 1989. She won Player of the Year honors again in 1988. In the early 1990s, her third daughter was born, which also affected her playing schedule. She continued to play fewer tournaments through 2002. After that, she played only a few events each year.
Major Wins and Hall of Fame
Nancy Lopez is known as one of the greatest women golfers. She won three major championships, all of them at the LPGA Championship. She won this major in 1978, 1985, and 1989.
She never won the U.S. Women's Open, but she finished second four times. One of her most memorable second-place finishes was in 1997. She was the first player in that event's history to score under 70 in all four rounds, but she still lost to another great golfer, Alison Nicholas.
Nancy Lopez was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1987. This is a very high honor in golf. She was also a member of the United States Solheim Cup team in 1990. Later, she was the captain of the team in 2005, leading them to victory. She officially retired from regular tournament play in 2002. In 2002, she was also inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
Nancy Lopez holds a unique record: she is the only woman to win LPGA Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year, and the Vare Trophy all in the same season (1978). Today, her company, Nancy Lopez Golf, makes golf clubs and accessories for women. She also sometimes works as a television commentator for golf events.
Nancy Lopez's Personal Life
Nancy Lopez has been married three times. She was married to sportscaster Tim Melton from 1979 to 1982. Later, in October 1982, she married Major League All-Star baseball player Ray Knight. They were married for 27 years and have three daughters: Ashley, Erinn, and Torri.
Nancy and Ray lived in Albany, Georgia, which was his hometown. Since 1986, Nancy has hosted the Nancy Lopez Hospice Golf Classic. This event raises money for the Albany Community Hospice, a charity that helps people. She continues to host this event every year.
Currently, Nancy lives in The Villages, Florida. There, she hosts another yearly golf tournament. This tournament benefits a charity called AIM (Adventures in Movement). AIM helps children and adults with special needs, including those who are mentally challenged, visually impaired, hearing impaired, or physically handicapped. She has hosted this tournament since 1981 and is also a national ambassador for AIM. In 2017, Nancy married Ed Russell.
Nancy Lopez's Golf Achievements
Nancy Lopez won a total of 51 professional golf tournaments.
- She won 48 times on the LPGA Tour.
- She won 3 major championships.
- She also won 3 other professional events.
Team Appearances
Nancy Lopez represented the United States in several team golf events:
- Amateur Teams:
- Curtis Cup: 1976 (her team won!)
- Espirito Santo Trophy: 1976 (her team won!)
- Professional Teams:
- Solheim Cup: 1990 (her team won!). She was also a non-playing captain in 2005 when her team won again!
- Handa Cup: 2011 (her team won!), 2012 (tie, her team kept the Cup), 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Nancy Lopez para niños
- List of golfers with most LPGA Tour wins
- List of golfers with most LPGA major championship wins
