Rye, N.H. — Hall of Famer and LPGA fan favorite Nancy Lopez will make her first Handa Cup stop next month when the LPGA Legends Tour tees it up at Wentworth By the Sea Country Club, Jane Blalock, chief executive of the tour, said Wednesday.
Lopez will join a star-packed field of LPGA Hall of Famers on both the U.S. and international teams. The U.S. 12 will have a distinct New England flavor, with Westford, Mass., native Pat Bradley, and former nationally ranked junior Vermont skier, Patty Sheehan, returning to their roots.
Meg Mallon, who won the 2004 U.S. Women’s Open at The Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, Mass., will be on hand to help the Americans defend their championship.
Pia Nilsson will captain the internationals. In addition to coaching Annika Sorenstam to stardom, Nilsson has earned international repute as an author (she released her fourth book, “Play Your Best Golf Now,” with Golf Digest’s Ron Sirak on Thursday) and co-creator of Vision 54, which integrates golf and life coaching approaches.
Blalock, who hinted at future additions to the women’s senior tour’s current six-event schedule, moved the tourney from Labor Day to May. One reason was to avoid a conflict with the PGA Tour’s Deutsche Bank Championship, which occurs each Labor Day weekend in Norton, Mass.
A May 19-May 22 date also positions the Handa Cup as one of the first tourneys on a crowded New England golf calendar.
“It gets us ahead of all the other events of the golf season,” said Blalock, who hails from Portsmouth, N.H. “There will be much greater excitement in mid- to late-May about the Handa Cup.”
The alternate-shot, best-ball, and singles formats of the Solheim and Ryder Cups. The tourney kicks off with a pro-am and opening ceremonies on May 19, followed by practice rounds on May 20. Saturday’s competition will involve best-ball and alternate shot, with singles matches on Sunday, May 22. Each member of the winning team pockets $10,000. Runner-up players receive $6,000 each.
You may purchase tickets ($15 for adults; kids under 17 and all military personnel get in free) at the Legends Tour website. All ticket proceeds will benefit The First Tee of New Hampshire. The tourney donated $20,000 to The First Tee last year, a sum Blalock intended to increase this season.
(Emily Kay is a regular contributor to New England Golf Monthly. Check her out on the Waggle Room, Boston Golf Examiner, National Golf Examiner, and GottaGoGolf websites. You may also follow Kay on Twitter @golfexaminer.)
Emily Kay is a regular contributor to New England Golf Monthly.
