Nancy Lopez is one of the most celebrated golfers of all time. From the time she played golf as an amateur through her career as a professional on the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour, Lopez was a winner. She won her first major championship—the LPGA Championship—in 1978 and was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame in 1987.
Lopez was born on Jan. 6, 1957, in Torrance, California, the daughter of Mexican-American parents. Her father, Domingo, gave Lopez her first set of clubs when she was eight and she turned professional after her sophomore year of college. She was named Female Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA) from 1978-79 and in 1985.
Lopez also secured the Vare Trophy, given to the golfer with the lowest average number of strokes per round. She also won the trophy in 1979, when she won eight events. Most of her success on the LPGA tour was in the 1980s when she won 25 events. From the standpoint of wins, her best season was 1985, when she won five events and scored 21 top-10 finishes. In 1988, she became the fourth player in the history of the PGA to exceed $2 million in winnings. She began to play a reduced schedule in the 1990s, and her last victory was in 1997 at a Charity Championship.
After retiring from golf, Lopez remained active in the sport. She sponsors an annual tournament known as the Lopez Hospice Golf Classic, and another tournament that benefits an organization, Winshape, that provides children with foster care. Even after retirement, she has continued to play in various events from time to time—including the LPGA Championship in 2004 and 2007. She has her own line of clothing and equipment for women golfers, called Nancy Lopez Golf.
Nancy was recognized as the queen of golf by becoming one of the best players in the 70s and 80s. Her talent and discipline led her to become a great source of pride for our community as she inspires many Latinas around the world.
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