BOSTON, July 31, 2014 – Legends Tour co-founder Jane Blalock and LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame member Nancy Lopez will be inducted into The Legends Hall of Fame on Thursday, Aug. 14, in French Lick, Ind.
The induction will be held during tournament week of The Legends Championship, set for Aug. 13-17, at the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort.
"I am very honored to be inducted into the Legends Hall of Fame,” said Lopez, a 48-time winner on the LPGA Tour with three major championship victories. “When you get older, this honor becomes even more special after playing against so many great competitors over the years.”
During her first full season on the 1978 LPGA Tour, Lopez won nine tournaments, including five consecutive events. She also won the Vare Trophy for the LPGA’s low scoring average, was the LPGA’s top rookie and LPGA Player of the Year, becoming the only woman to have won all three LPGA top honors in the same season (1978).
Her three major championships all came at the LPGA Championship -- in 1978, 1985 and 1989. Lopez was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1987. She was a member of the inaugural 1990 United States Solheim Cup team and was captain of the team in 2005. Lopez has played in more than a dozen Legends Tour events, earning two top-10 finishes.
Blalock is a 29-time LPGA tour champion who still holds the record for most consecutive cuts made on a professional tour with 299. She was the LPGA’s top rookie in 1969, won her first tournament in 1970, and won 25 tournaments during the 1970s - never missing a cut through 1980. She won her last two tournaments in 1985 and retired from competition in 1987.
A founding member of The Legends Tour, Blalock currently serves as the tour’s CEO. Since its inception in 2000, the Legends Tour grew from two annual events to 11 events in 2013. A determined promoter of veteran LPGA players, Blalock also worked to get the Legends Tour’s designation as the official senior tour of the LPGA in 2001.
"Once I recovered from the shock of learning about my nomination, the most incredible sense of fulfillment and elation set in,” said Blalock. “It gave me the opportunity to reflect upon my entire LPGA and Legends Tour journey and to realize how fortunate I am to have lived this life."
The Legends Hall of Fame is a permanent installment displayed year-round at West Baden Springs Hotel in French Lick and was created by the resort to showcase some of the greatest names in women’s golf history. The Legends’ exhibit features photos and memorabilia showcasing the history of players' careers.
Nominated candidates will be reviewed and approved annually for induction by a committee comprised of French Lick Resort officials and ambassadors, as well as active and former Legends Tour players.
Annual inductions of two individuals will be held in conjunction with The Legends Championship. One inductee will be an active member of The Legends Tour who is still regularly competing in official Legends Tour events. The second inductee will be a semi-retired Legends Tour member who has made a significant impact on the game during her LPGA and Legends Tour careers.
Legends Tour members Jan Stephenson and Kathy Whitworth were inducted into the 2013 Legends Hall of Fame. Three additional honorees -- Mickey Wright, Louise Suggs and Betsy Rawls -- were recognized last year for their contributions to the game. The Legends Hall of Fame committee also honored golf course designer and architect Alice Dye with a special 2013 induction.
)
)
)
)
