4/22/02
E-mail address: mediarelations@usga.org
Nancy
Lopez Accepts Special Exemption To Women's Open
Far Hills, N.J.
– LPGA Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez has accepted a special exemption to
play in the 2002 U.S. Women’s Open, scheduled from July 4-7 at Prairie
Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan. The exemption was extended
by the Women’s Committee of the United States Golf Association.
 |
| This
will be Lopez's 25th Women's Open. (USGA Photo Archives) |
Lopez, 45, who earlier
this year announced her intention to scale back her tournament schedule
after the 2002 season, will be playing in her 25th Women’s
Open. Lopez previously accepted special exemptions into the championship
in 1999 and 2000.
“I am thrilled
to have another chance to win the Women’s Open, a championship that
means so much to me,” said Lopez.
She is a four-time
runner-up (1975,'77,'89,'97) and is the only player in the championship’s
history to shoot all four rounds in the 60s, which she did in 1997 at
Pumpkin Ridge (Ore.) Golf Club. She finished 9-under-par and was
runner-up to Alison Nicholas.
The recipient of
the USGA’s Bob Jones Award in 1998, Lopez won the 1972 and 1974 U.S.
Girls’ Junior championships. Since turning professional in 1977,
she has won 48 LPGA Tour events. In 1987, she was inducted into
the LPGA Hall of Fame. She is the only player in LPGA Tour history
to have won Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year, and the Vare Trophy
(for lowest scoring average) in the same year.
