Golf’s Best in Media Honored by LPGA, Rolex at Evian Masters

Inkster recognized with Media Appreciation Award; Takekawa honored with Rolex Media Excellence Award; Six others lauded in France

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France, July 22, 2011 – LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Juli Inkster was honored with the inaugural Media Appreciation Award at the second annual LPGA Global Media Awards Presented by Rolex. The ceremony, hosted by the Evian Masters at the Hotel Ermitage, also recognized three writers and four photographers for their creativity, passion and innovation in covering women’s golf.

Inkster, a 28-year veteran of the LPGA Tour who has 31 career wins, was chosen for the honor by a select panel of prominent journalists who cover the LPGA Tour based on her excellence in working cohesively with the media on a regular basis.

“Every young player needs to study how Juli Inkster interacts with the media,” said Golf World executive editor and Golf Digest senior writer Ron Sirak, who presented Inkster with her award on Friday night. Whether she shoots 67 or 76, Juli is always there for our questions, answering with insight and humor. She is the gold standard when it comes to cooperation with the media."

KYODO NEWS golf writer Reiko Takekawa, who has covered both the PGA and the LPGA Tours for more than 13 years, was selected as the recipient of the Rolex Media Appreciation Award. The award is given to a member of the media for his or her long-time achievement in media coverage of women’s professional golf. Takekawa was also presented with a Rolex timepiece.

Two separate three-person, international voting panels, one made up of distinguished journalists from the GWAA (Golf Writers Association of America) and the other of distinguished photographers, were chosen to vote on the two writing categories and the four photography categories. The panels pared the submissions down to two or three finalists in each category and then chose the winners. Submissions were accepted for material that was published between May 24, 2010 and May 23, 2011 (the day following the 2011 Sybase Match Play Championship).

Beth Ann Baldry of GolfWeek Magazine was named the winner in the Column/Blog category for her article “Dollars and Degrees” on the choice made by golfers of when to turn professional. Read the story >>

Bill Fields of Golf World (U.S.) Magazine was honored in the Player Profile category for his piece “The Young and the Restless” which profiled the rise of players from South Korea on the LPGA Tour. Read the story >>

The photography winners:

Golf Course Photograph / LPGA Tour event: Philippe Millereau: Evian Masters

Player Action Photograph: David Cannon: Paula Creamer

Evian Masters Ambassador of the Year Photograph (Azahara Munoz): Eddy Lemaistre

Player Personality / Emotion Photograph: Julian Finney: Paula Creamer

A native of Osaka, Japan, Takekawa graduated with a degree in English Literature from Tezukayama University in Japan in 1985. A few years later she moved to Los Angeles, Calif. where she studied English at UCLA. After covering a variety of professional sports, including the NBA and MLB in the early 1990s, Takekawa started covering golf full-time in 1998 after Tiger Woods turned professional. She has covered the PGA Tour, including all four Majors, the Japan LPGA, and has been at nearly every LPGA event since Ai Miyazato joined the LPGA Tour in 2006. In addition to working for KYODO NEWS, which is the largest news agency in Japan, Takekawa also writes regularly for Weekly Par Golf Magazine, Chunichi Sports, and Sportiva.

“Golf was always one of my favorite sports and when Tiger Woods emerged on the professional golf scene, it allowed me to write about it full-time,” Takekawa said. “For the past 14 years, I’ve been lucky to cover many special golf moments including Ai Miyazato’s first win on the LPGA Tour. To be selected for this award is truly an honor.”

Players and executives were on hand Friday to not only present awards to the winners but also applaud all members of the media who have followed and supported the LPGA and women’s golf around the globe.

Golf's Best in Media Honored by LPGA, Rolex at Evian Masters

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