1. LPGA-USGA Girls Golf celebrates 20th Anniversary in 2009
2. Former LPGA chairman of the board, Shepard, passes away
3. Twenty-one golfers join 2009 LPGA Tour for their rookie season
This week is the third in a five-part series highlighting the new year's class
4. LPGA news and notes
1. LPGA-USGA Girls Golf celebrates 20th Anniversary in 2009
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program (Girls Golf) celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Established in 1989 by Sandy LaBauve, the Girls Golf program was formed to connect girls between the ages seven to 17 with the game of golf.
Initiated in Phoenix, Ariz., by LaBauve, a Class A LPGA Teaching and Club Professional (T&CP) and PGA of America member, the purpose was to create a national program for young girls to learn the game and strengthen the camaraderie among participants in a fun and supportive environment. Today, Girls Golf has grown to nearly 200 sites across the United States with nearly 6,000 girls participating this year. The only initiative of its kind, Girls Golf is administered through a partnership between The LPGA Foundation and the USGA, both non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organizations.
The Girls Golf sites around the country are coordinated by site directors who are LPGA or PGA professionals, USGA members, Girl Scout leaders, Hook-A-Kid-On-Golf directors, Executive Women's Golf Association (EWGA) members, volunteers, moms, dads or members of other local golf associations. Individual programs cover the costs for course access, fees, snacks, special events, instruction and miscellaneous expenses through fund raising, membership dues and event fees, as well as donations from the community.
As a developmental junior golf program, Girls Golf presents an opportunity for girls to make lasting friendships, gain self-confidence, learn to compete and have fun, all while fostering a lifetime of enjoyment for the game of golf. The program became an initiative of the LPGA in 1994 and, in January 2002, the LPGA and USGA launched a cooperative effort through an expanded partnership to further promote the future of Girls Golf. Many members of Girls Golf have gone on to excel in their collegiate and professional careers. On the LPGA Tour, Vicky Hurst, of Florida, and Angela Oh, of New Jersey, are making their Tour debut as rookies in 2009 and were both Girls Golf participants.
About LPGA-USGA Girls Golf
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2009, LPGA-USGA Girls Golf (Girls Golf) was formed to connect girls, ages 7 to 17, with the game of golf. A developmental junior golf program and the only national initiative of its kind, Girls Golf presents an opportunity for girls to make lasting friendships, gain self-confidence, learn to compete and have fun, while fostering a lifetime of enjoyment for the game.
Girls Golf, with nearly 200 sites around the country and more than 60,000 participants since its inception in 1989, is administered through a partnership between The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Foundation and the United States Golf Association (USGA), both 501(c)(3) charitable organizations.
2. Former LPGA chairman of the board, Shepard, passes away
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Andy Shepard, 84, former chairman of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Board of Directors, died Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, following complications from a recent fall. Shepard, a Santa Rosa, Calif., resident at the time of his death, served on the LPGA Board of Directors from 1992-96, and was chairman of the board from 1997-2000.
Shepard, a Stanford University graduate, started with Santa Rosa-based Exchange Bank as a teller in 1949. He led the transition of Exchange Bank from a small, rural institution to an award-winning modern commercial bank. Throughout his tenure, he rose through the leadership and led the bank as president, board chairman, CEO and chairman until 2003; he served as chairman emeritus ever since.
In addition to his wife, Mardi, in Santa Rosa, Shepard is survived by daughters Marcy Lyons, of Greenbrae, Calif., and Susan Ball, of Pasadena, Calif.; stepdaughters Debbie Bird, of Plano, Texas, and Trece O'Donnell, of Littleton, Colo; four grandchildren; and five stepgrandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Foundation, 1154 Montgomery Drive, Suite 1, Santa Rosa, CA 95405, or to the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation, 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95401-4395.
3. Twenty-one golfers join 2009 LPGA Tour for their rookie season
This week is the third in a five-part series highlighting the new year's class
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The official start of the 2009 LPGA Tour season is fast approaching and, with it, the members of the 2009 rookie class are polishing up their skills to prepare for the next step in their careers. The 2009 LPGA Tour rookie class is comprised of 21 'rookies,' who have some very veteran experience, as Stacy Lewis notched two top-10 finishes in seven starts on the 2008 LPGA Tour, while Anna Nordqvist earned earned low amateur honors at the 2008 RICOH Women's British Open and also made the cut in 2007. Representing six countries outside the United States with 15 international members and six members hailing from five U.S. states, the class is as diverse as they are talented.
This week is the third of five weeks highlighting snapshots of each rookie in the run up to the first official 2009 LPGA Tour event, the SBS Open at Turtle Bay.
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Stacy Lewis State: Texas Turned professional: June 2008 Priority List Category: 11 2008 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament medalist Stacy Lewis had a decorated amateur experience. While a member of the University of Arkansas' women's golf team, Lewis won 12 events and was a four-time All-American. She was the 2005 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Year, the 2007 NCAA Division I National Champion and the 2008 SEC Championship Individual Medalist and Player of the Year. As the nation's top-ranked amateur in the Golfweek/Titleist Women's Amateur Rankings the 23-year-old was a member of the victorious 2008 U.S. Curtis Cup Team, becoming the first player to go 5-0 in Curtis Cup history. Lewis competed in seven events on the 2008 Tour with two top-10 finishes, including a tie for third at the U.S. Women's Open. Outside of golf, Lewis enjoys working out, watching sports, traveling and having time to herself. |
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Mika Miyazato (Me-kah) Country: Japan Turned professional: December 2008 Priority List Category: 11 Mika Miyazato had a successful amateur career in Japan. She became the youngest winner of the Japan Amateur Women's Championship in 2004 at 14 years, 8 months. In 2006, she won the 15-17 Girls' division of the Callaway Golf Junior World Golf Championships at Torrey Pines North Course, and was the 2006 Asian Games individual and team silver medalist. Miyazato - no relation to LPGA Tour member Ai Miyazato - also won back-to-back Japan Junior Championships in 2006-07. The 19-year-old enjoys listening to music, watching sports other than golf, watching Ichiro Suzuki play and shopping. |
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Anna Nordqvist (Ann-ah Nord-quist) Country: Sweden Turned professional: December 2008 Priority List Category: 16 Anna Nordqvist had a successful amateur career in Europe and the United States. She was the 2004 and 2005 Swedish Junior Player of the Year. In 2005, she won the Girls' British Open Amateur Championship and was named the Swedish Amateur of the Year. In 2006, Nordqvist won the European Team Amateur event. At Arizona State University, she was named the 2007 National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Freshman of the Year and earned back-to-back NGCA First Team All-American and Academic All-American honors in 2007-08. The 21-year-old also earned low amateur honors at the 2008 RICOH Women's British Open. In addition to golf, Nordqvist enjoys following all kinds of sports. |
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Angela Oh State: New Jersey Turned professional: June 2008 Priority List Category: 20 As an amateur, Angela Oh was named the 2003-04 Philadelphia Section Player of the Year and was a 2004 Junior Ryder Cup Team selection. In 2005, Oh was selected as the Junior PGA Player of the Year and won the first of two consecutive New Jersey State Junior Championships. While at the University of Tennessee, the 20-year-old was named to the 2007 All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) Second Team and recorded eight top-10 finishes. Oh's hobbies include listening to music, playing the guitar, working out and talking to family and friends. |
4. LPGA news and notes
Matthew wins inaugural HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup 2009
RIO de JANEIRO, BRAZIL, Jan. 25, 2009 - Catriona Matthew carded a final-round 3-under-par 69 to secure a five-stroke victory at the inaugural HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup 2009 at Itanhanga Golf Club in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With the victory, Matthew took home the $100,000 first-place check and notched her first unofficial win on the LPGA Tour. The 39-year-old has two official victories on the LPGA Tour at the 2001 Cup Noodles Hawaiian Ladies Open and, most recently, at the 2004 Wendy's Championship for Children.
"This comes as a bit of a surprise having not played in a month," said Matthew, who is expecting her second child in May. "Being pregnant, I didn't know what to expect, but I'm delighted."
Matthew birdied the first hole for the second consecutive day, but dropped the shot with a bogey on the second hole. She carded back-to-back birdies on holes five and six and a fourth birdie on hole 14 to finish her scoring for the week. Matthew, who expects to play only one more tournament this season, finished the LPGA's first international exhibition in Brazil at 6-under-par 138 (69-69), five strokes ahead of Kristy McPherson (71-72=143, -1). Last year, the Scot had three top-10 finishes including a tie for second at the Sybase Classic Presented by ShopRite.
"Really, it wasn't until the last three holes, after 16, where I felt I had it won," Matthew said. "We all enjoyed playing here in Brazil."
McPherson was the only other player under par for the two-day, 36-hole tournament. The South Carolinian finished at even-par 72 for the day following four birdies and four bogies.
"I'm pleased," McPherson said. "Catriona played great. I hit the ball great yesterday and not so great today. I was still rusty, but this was an opportunity to play against some top girls."
The inaugural HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup 2009 featured an unofficial money purse of $500,000 and a 15-player field. The event was the LPGA Tour's first-ever tournament in Brazil.
Brazilian Park finishes third
Brazil native Angela Park carded a 3-over-par 75 on Sunday for a third-place finish at the inaugural HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup 2009. Park's two-day, 3-over-par 147 (72-75) was nine strokes off the pace set by winner Catriona Matthew, of Scotland. Playing in front of the weekend's largest galleries, Park put herself out of contention on Sunday with a double bogey, bogey, bogey finish, but still managed to claim the $40,000 third-place check. Fellow Brazilian Candy Hannemann finished the week in 11th place at 8-over-par 152 (74-78).
Topics: News and Notes
