Nancy Lopez - Best female athletes of all time - Pictures - CBS News Next Jackie Joyner-Kersee Despite the fact that Title IX ensures female athletes receive the same opportunities as their male counterparts, there are still major discrepancies in pay, facilities and exposure. What’s more, female athletes often come of age discouraged by the prevalence of sexist phrases like “play like a girl,” and the awareness that most people in the sports world somehow expect less of them. So, when female athletes arise who not only challenge, but shatter stereotypes of what women can do, they captivate the entire world. This is a list of those extraordinary women. Jackie Joyner-Kersee is often referred to as the First Lady of American athletics. She competed in four Olympic Games for the United States from 1984 to 1996, earning medals in both the women’s heptathlon and the women’s long jump. When all was said and done, Joyner-Kersee earned an astounding three gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. Here, she jumps to her second gold medal in the Seoul Olympic women’s long jump final, September 19, 1988, setting a new Olympic record at 7.40.

By CBS News Staff Writer Christina Capatides Credit: Ron Kuntz/AFP/Getty Images Serena Williams Serena Williams is considered by many to be the best tennis player of all time. Ranked No. 1 by the Women’s Tennis Association for the first time on July 8, 2002, she has since achieved this ranking six times. On Feb 18, 2013, she became the oldest No. 1 player in WTA history. As of July 2016, she maintains that top spot at the age of 34. Williams holds an incredible 94 WTA career titles. With 22 Grand Slam titles, she is also the only tennis player of either gender to have ever won singles titles at least six times in three of the four Grand Slam tournaments. In 2016, those 22 Grand Slam titles ties her with Steffi Graff for second place for most Grand Slam titles. Adding to a long list of incredible achievements, the tennis superstar now owns more victories in Grand Slam matches than anyone in tennis’ Open era with her 308th win at the U.S. Open on September 5, 2016.

She surpassed Roger Federer with her 308th win. Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images Mia Hamm Legendary U.S. striker Mia Hamm is responsible in large part for the surge in popularity women's soccer experienced in America in the 1990's. She led Team USA to its historic win at the 1999 Women's World Cup and was named the Women's FIFA World Player of the Year the first two years the award was given. Until 2013, Hamm held the record for most international goals scored by any player, male or female, in the history of soccer with 159. She has been inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. ESPN commentator and former sportswriter for the Washington Post Michael Wilbon called her, "Perhaps the most important athlete of the last 15 years." Credit: A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images Lindsey Vonn American alpine skier Lindsey Vonn has represented the United States at three Olympic Games (2002, 2006 and 2010), and earned two Olympic medals (gold and bronze). She is already the most successful ski racer in American history with 67 World Cup racing victories.

Vonn is one of only two female skiers to win four World Cup championships. And she is one of only six women to have won World Cup races in all five disciplines of alpine skiing (downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, and super combined). Credit: Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Babe Didrikson Zaharias Mildred Babe Didrikson Zaharias was one of the most versatile female athletes the sports world has ever known. Thrust into the national consciousness at the 1932 Olympic Games, Didrikson took both the 80 meter hurdles and javelin titles, finishing second in the high jump event as well. Didrikson was also an All-American basketball player, but her more lasting fame came when she took up golf and won the Women's Amateur title once and the US Open thrice, the third time in 1953 after battling the cancer from which she ultimately died in 1956. Here, Didrikson throws the javelin to win a gold medal in Women's Track and Field at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Credit: Getty Images Danica Patrick American race driver Danica Patrick is the most successful woman in the history of Indy Car racing. In fact, she is seen as a sort of pioneer for women in the sport. In 2005, she became the fourth woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and the first woman to ever lead it. She is also one of only two women to ever complete both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500. Her win at the 2008 Indy Japan 300 marked the first time a woman had ever won an IndyCar Series Race. In 2013, she became the first female NASCAR driver to ever win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole. She was voted Rookie of the Year in 2005 for her inaugural IndyCar Series season, driving the No. 10 car for Stewart-Haas Racing ever since. Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images Bille Jean King American tennis player Billie Jean King competed professionally from 1959 to 1983. During that time, she won 39 Grand Slam titles (12 singles, 16 women's doubles, and 11 mixed doubles).

For a number of years in the 1970's, King was the No. 1 ranked female tennis player in the world. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987. A prominent advocate for gay and women's rights, King has also been named Time magazine's Person of the Year and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1990, Life magazine even named her to its list of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century." She was one of only four athletes and the only female athlete to make the list. King is perhaps most famous, however, for defeating Bobby Riggs in the " Battle of the Sexes " on September 20, 1973. In fact, not only did she win the match, she won every set decisively (6-4, 6-3, 6-3); leading the London Sunday Times to call her victory "the drop shot and volley heard around the world." An estimated 50 million people tuned in to watch worldwide, as King obliterated the stereotypes of women as athletically inferior to men and less able to handle high-pressure situations.

Credit: Bob Martin/Allsport/Getty Images Lisa Leslie Clocking in at six feet, five inches, Lisa Leslie was the most dominant player in the Women's National Basketball Association for years. A three-time league MVP, the ambidextrous center led the United States to four Olympic gold medals in 1996, 2001, 2004 and 2008. Leslie, who played college ball at USC and professional ball with the Los Angeles Sparks, is the WNBA's all-time leader in rebounds. She was also a first-team all-league selection a record eight times. Lisa Leslie was able to dunk the ball by her sophomore year in high school and once scored 101 points in a single high school game. She was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. Here, she records the first ever slam dunk in women's professional basketball during a game against the Miami Sol on July 30, 2002. Credit: Lisa Blumenfeld/NBAE/Getty Images Michelle Akers Michelle Akers played on the U.S.

Women's National Team from 1985 to 2000, leading Team USA to its first two Women's World Cup victories in 1991 and 1999. She also won the Golden Boot at the 1991 Women's World Cup for scoring a whopping 10 goals. Akers played as both a midfielder and a forward during her storied career. She has since been both inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame and been named FIFA Female Player of the Century. Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport/Getty Images Bonnie Blair American speedskater Bonnie Blair competed in four Olympics; winning six medals, five of which were gold. As such, she is one of the top female skaters of all time and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. Here, Blair skates to a first place finish during the 500 meter speedskating competition at the Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, February 19, 1994.

Credit: Bob Martin/Allsport/Getty Images Nancy Lopez American golfer Nancy Lopez competed professionally from 1977 to 2003, and she is credited with singlehandedly saving the Ladies Professional Golf Association from the identity crisis it was suffering in the late 1970's. She burst onto the scene at the age of 21 and won five consecutive tournaments that year. Fellow players, the press, fans and sponsors recognized the star in their mist and hitched a ride on her coattails. During her epic career, Lopez won a staggering 48 LPGA Tour events, including three Women's PGA Championships. She was the LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 1978, a four-time LPGA Tour Player of the Year, and a two-time Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year. Lopez was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1987. She was also the youngest woman to ever qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame and had to wait six months for her induction to be finalized, so that she could meet the qualification for admission of having been on tour for 10 years.

Credit: Doug Collier/AFP/Getty Images Sonja Henie Born in Norway in 1912, Sonja Henie is widely considered the greatest female figure skater of all time. She won three Olympic titles in Ladies' Singles (1928, 1932, 1936), 10 consecutive world championships (1927-1936), and was a six-time European Champion (1931-1936). In fact, she has more titles to her name than any other female figure skater in history. After turning professional, Henie starred in 10 movies, became a U.S. citizen, and divorced twice before marrying her childhood sweetheart, Norwegian shipowner Niels Onstad. She died of leukemia at the age of 57, while flying from Paris to Oslo for treatment. Credit: Staff/AFP/Getty Images Tracy Caulkins American Tracy Caulkins is widely considered one of the best competitive swimmers of all time. A three-time Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion, Caulkins has won 48 national championships and set American records in all four major competitive swimming strokes (butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle).

Over the course of her career, Caulkins set five world records and 63 American ones; more than any other American swimmer of either gender. Credit: Tony Duffy/Getty Images Nadia Comăneci Legendary Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci captured four Olympic gold medals during her professional career. In 1976, she won the gold in three separate events: balance beam, uneven bars and general competition. In 1980, she added two more gold medals to her collection for the balance beam and floor exercise. Comăneci was also the first female athlete to ever score a perfect 10 in an Olympic gymnastics events. In 2000, the Laureus World Sports Academy named her one of the Athletes of the Century. Here, a 14-year-old Comăneci competes on the uneven bars at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. This is the performance that earned her that historic perfect score. Credit: Staff/AFP/Getty Images Misty May & Kerri Walsh Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings are widely considered the best female beach volleyball team of all time.

They won three consecutive gold medals at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Incredibly, they won 21 consecutive Olympic matches, during their 11-year run together, only losing a single set to Austria in 2012. Here, the dominant American pair celebrate their victory against April Ross and Jennifer Kessy in the finals at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Credit: Daniel Garcia/AFP/GettyImages Steffi Graf Germany's Steffi Graf is the first and only tennis player (male or female) to ever complete a Golden Slam. That means, she won all four Grand Slam titles, as well as the gold medal in singles at the Olympic Games, in the same calendar year. That year was 1988 and Graf lost just one match on her march to the historic title. In fact, dominating the competition with her signature forehand, Graf dropped only two sets on her path through the Australian, French, Wimbledon and US Open that year. She was ranked the No. 1 female singles player in the world for a record 377 total weeks.

That is the longest period any player of either gender has held the top rank since the WTA began handing it out. Credit: Bob Martin/Allsport/Getty Images Peggy Fleming American figure skater Peggy Fleming earned five U.S. titles and three World titles, but she is most famous for winning the gold medal at the 1968 Winter Olympic Games... and not just because it was the only gold medal the U.S. Olympic Team won that year. In 1961, the entire U.S. figure skating team was killed when Sabena Flight 548 crashed en route to the World Figure Skating Championships. It was an unthinkable tragedy that rendered Peggy Fleming's gold medal in the 1968 Olympics all the more important. It marked the Unites States' return to dominance in the sport, and it was a much needed symbol of resilience for the country as a whole. Credit: Staff/AFP/Getty Images Wilma Rudolph In the 1960's, Wilma Rudolph was considered the fastest woman in the world. Her story is one of beating impossible odds.

Born premature at just four-and-a-half pounds, she spent most of her childhood in bed after contracting polio, scarlet fever and pneumonia twice. Rudolph then lost the use of her left leg due to polio and was fitted for a metal brace at age six. Her siblings took turns massaging Rudolph's crippled leg every week, until she was miraculously able to shed her brace at age 9. After that, she became one of the best athletes the world had ever seen and went on to represent the United States in the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games. Rudolph earned four medals (three gold and one bronze) in the 200m, 100m and 4x100m races at her two Olympics. Here, she crosses the finish line of the Olympic 100m event in first place, establishing a new world record, September 2, 1960. A literal trailblazer, she was the first woman to ever run the 200m event in less than 23 seconds.

Credit: Staff/AFP/Getty Images Ronda Rousey Mixed martial artist and judoka Ronda Rousey is the current and first ever UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion. In 2008, she also became the first ever U.S. woman to earn an Olympic medal in Judo. As of March 2015, Rousey is undefeated in mixed martial arts with an 11-0 record and she doesn't seem to have any significant competition among female MMA fighters. In fact, there has been much debate about whether she should be allowed to fight men. In July 2015, she won both the Best Female Athlete and Best Fighter Awards at the ESPYs, beating out a group of all-male contemporaries for the honor of the year's best fighter. Credit: Harry How/Getty Images Chris Evert American Chris Evert was one of the most dominant women in tennis, during the 1970's and 80's. She won 18 Grand Slam singles championships and three doubles titles, earning the year-end ranking of No.

1 female singles player worldwide in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, and 1981. Evert still holds a number of impressive world records, as well. She reached 34 Grand Slam singles finals, which is more than any other player, male or female, in professional tennis. Evert's career winning percentage in singles matches is 89.96 percent. Her career winning percentage in singles matches on clay courts is an even more staggering 94.55 percent. Both of these percentages are the highest recorded by any player, male or female, in the history of professional tennis. Credit: Getty Images Joan Benoit Samuelson Like several of the other stars on the list, Joan Benoit Samuelson discovered her sport of dominance in a roundabout way. She took up long-distance running to combat a leg injury she suffered while skiing, and never looked back. Samuelson won the gold medal in the Women's Marathon event at the 1984 Summer Olympics, the year the event was introduced. As such, she is the first woman to ever do so.

Samuelson also holds the records for fastest times ever recorded by an American woman at the Chicago Marathon and the Olympic Marathon. She held the record for fastest time by an American woman at the Boston Marathon, as well, for 28 years. In 1985, she was given the James E. Sullivan Award for top amateur athlete in the United States. Credit: Matthew Sto/Getty Images Abby Wambach American striker Abby Wambach has scored more goals than any other player ever on the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team. In fact, at 184 goals, she holds the world record for most international goals scored by any soccer player in history, male or female. A member of Team USA from 2001 to 2015, Wambach has led the United States to two Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2012, and a Women's World Cup victory in 2015. In 2012, Wambach was named the FIFA World Player of the Year; the first American woman to win the award since Mia Hamm ten years earlier.

In May 2015, she was then honored as part of Time magazine'slist of the 100 most influential people in the world. It would be difficult to overstate her contributions to the game. Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images Mary Lou Retton Mary Lou Retton was the first American to ever win the all-around gold medal in gymnastics at the Olympic Games. Inspired by watching Nadia Comăneci on television as a child, Retton took up gymnastics and sought out Comaneci's coaches, Béla and Márta Károlyi, to train her. A knee injury forced her to undergo surgery just five weeks prior to the 1984 Summer Olympics. Retton, however, battled back and stunned the world with her performance at the Games. She won the gold medal in the individual all-around competition, two silver medals in vault and the team competition, and two bronze medals in the uneven bars and the floor exercise. Consequently, Retton became one of the most popular athletes in the United States, male or female. Here, she performs her floor routine at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, August 5, 1984.

Credit: Getty Images Martina Navratilova Born in Czechoslovakia, Martina Navratilova is the only tennis player of either gender in the history of the sport to have been ranked No. 1 in both singles and doubles for over 200 weeks in a row. She was ranked the top year-end female player seven times, including a world record five consecutive years. She won 18 singles Grand Slam titles and holds the record for major women's doubles titles at 31. Navratilova has won the Wimbledon singles title nine times, which is more than any other female player in history. She also shares the record for most total Wimbledon titles with Billie Jean King at 20. Navratilova is one of only three players, male or female, to have ever completed a Career Boxed Set. That means, she has won all four Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles... an absolutely astounding feat.

Credit: Allsport UK/Getty Images ESPN Classic - Lopez is LPGA's Knight in Shining Armor Lopez is LPGA's Knight in Shining Armor By Lisette Hilton Special to ESPN.com "The pain that Nancy suffered as a young player, not being able to golf courses other people could play. But it certainly has molded her life in a way that she doesn't see color," says Ray Knight, Nancy Lopez's husband, on ESPN Classic's SportsCentury series. Nancy Lopez's rookie season was one of the greatest in golf history. She was Nancy with the laughing eyes. She had a smile laser-bright, she hit the golf ball off the end of the earth, and she was a cat burglar on the greens. In a sport for the privileged, she was a Mexican-American from a family of modest means. Nancy Lopez dominated women's golf in the late 1970s and was a major force in the 1980s. There were seasons when she won more tournaments than many do in an entire career. There was one incendiary stretch when she became the first LPGA golfer to win five straight tournaments.

Lopez was an intense competitor who came into her own with a powerful, unorthodox swing taught her by her father. While she had length, touch and poise, she also had a relaxed attitude despite her fierce concentration. Her winning way with the galleries was of immeasurable help in advancing the sport with the public. Perhaps her greatest triumph is that for all of her accomplishments in a Hall of Fame career, her peers didn't begrudge her that success. On Lopez's first full year on the LPGA Tour, Hall of Famer Mickey Wright was awed by the 21-year-old's talent. "Never in my life have I seen such control in someone so young," Wright said. Lopez took the tour by storm, winning 17 tournaments in her first two full years. She remains the only player to win Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Vare Trophy (best scoring average) in the same year (1978). A four-time Player of the Year, she has 48 tour victories, including three LPGA Championships. She was born on Jan.

6, 1957 in Torrance, Calif., and raised in Roswell, N.M., where the family moved soon after her birth. Her father, Domingo, who owned a local auto repair shop, was the driving force in Nancy becoming a golfer. He suggested that his wife, Marina, start playing golf to ease consistent chest pains. Nancy followed her parents around their home course in Roswell. Domingo encouraged his daughter to join in the fun and gave her a sawed-off four wood when she was eight. Although Lopez didn't have professional lessons growing up, she had the constant coaching of Domingo, who taught his daughter to "play happy." Her father was so convinced that golf was her calling that he wouldn't give Nancy any household chores, in order to preserve her precious golf hands. The family could barely afford orthodontic braces for Lopez but sacrificed so that she would have them. In Domingo's mind, the braces were important for someone who would someday be famous. Lopez won her first peewee tournament at nine. At 12, she won the New Mexico Women's Amateur. As a teenager she won the U.S.

Golf Association Junior Girls Championship in 1972 and 1974. Being of Mexican descent, Lopez remembered experiencing racism while growing up. "I thought we weren't members of the country club because we couldn't afford it," she said. "Now I think it was discrimination." Lopez led the otherwise all-boys high school golf team at Goddard High School in Roswell to state titles in 1973 and 1974. Remarkably, as a senior, she tied for second at the U.S. Women's Open in 1975. The first woman to receive a full golf scholarship to Tulsa, she won the AIAW National Championship as a freshman when she was an All-American and the school's Female Athlete of the Year. She turned pro in 1977 after her sophomore year. Nancy Lopez finished second -- or tied for second -- in the U.S. Open four times. In six tournaments that season, she finished second twice. Reflecting on the way she played on the tour early in her career, Lopez said that she often played in the safe, prevailing LPGA style, avoiding bogeys rather than going for birdies.

The turning point in her life and game was the death of her mother, who died unexpectedly after an appendectomy, in September 1977. Lopez said that the experience made her more mentally powerful. Playing in 26 tournaments in 1978, the 21-year-old Lopez won nine times and led the tour by earning $189,813. Her first pro victory came in February at the Bent Tree Classic at Sarasota, Fla., when she birdied the 71st hole to beat Jo Ann Washam by a stroke and earn $15,000. This was just a warm-up for Lopez. In May and June, she set the golf world ablaze by winning five straight tournaments: the Greater Baltimore Classic, the Coca-Cola Classic in Jamesburg, N.J., the Golden Lights Championship in New Rochelle, N.Y., the LPGA Championship, and the Bankers Trust Classic in Rochester, N.Y. In winning the LPGA Championship by six strokes over Amy Alcott, Lopez set a tournament record with her 275 on the King's Island course in Ohio.

In 1979, the 5-foot-5 Lopez repeated as Player of the Year, as the Vare Trophy winner with a 71.20 stroke average (.56 better than her rookie year) and as the leading money-winner ($197,488). A sudden-death playoff win over Bonnie Bryant at the Coca-Cola Classic was one of Lopez's eight victories. After those two years of superstardom, Lopez stopped dominating, although she remained one of the best players on tour. She won three times each in 1981 and 1982. In May 1982, Lopez divorced sportscaster Tim Melton, whom she had married in 1979, and wed Houston Astros third baseman Ray Knight five months later. In 1983, Lopez cut back on playing because of the impending birth of Ashley, the first of her and Knight's three children (all girls). Still, she won two tournaments and exceeded the $1 million mark in career earnings.

After another two-victory season in 1984, the following year Lopez won five times, including gaining her second LPGA Championship when she shot a 273 to coast to an eight-stroke victory over Alice Miller. She was named Player of the Year as she set a record with a stroke average of 70.73. After playing in only four tournaments in 1986 because of the birth of her second daughter, Erinn, she returned to the tour the following year and won twice. Her victory at the Sarasota Classic (the same event in which she gained her first career win in 1978) was her 35th victory, which qualified her for the LPGA's Hall of Fame. She was inducted on July 20, 1987 as the 11th member. In 1988, she was named Player of the Year for the fourth time after winning three tournaments. She won three more tournaments the next year, including her third LPGA Championship when she shot 274 to defeat Ayako Okamoto by three strokes. In the 1990s, Lopez won only six tournaments.

Her last title came at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship in 1997. Since 1999, Lopez has played limited tournaments, due to knee and gallbladder surgeries as well as knee problems. Where Lopez came up short in her career was at the U.S. Open. She finished second four times. The two that bothered her most were her loss to Hollis Stacy by two strokes in 1977, and in 1997. Lopez, 40, became the first woman to post four rounds in the 60s (69-68-69-69) in the tournament but still lost by a stroke to Alison Nicholas, who shot a 274. In 2000, Lopez was recognized as one of the LPGA's top 50 players and teachers during the association's 50th anniversary celebration. In March 2002, Lopez, 45, announced this would be her final full season on the LPGA Tour. She said she didn't want to be one of those athletes that would keep playing even though she couldn't perform on a high level anymore.

Lopez also said that she needed more time to be with what had become her priority: her family. LPGA legend Nancy Lopez coming to Louisville, WAVE 3 Sports Dire - Cincinnati News, FOX19-WXIX TV LPGA legend Nancy Lopez coming to Louisville, WAVE 3 Sports Dire - Cincinnati News, FOX19-WXIX TV Member Center: LPGA legend Nancy Lopez coming to Louisville, WAVE 3 Sports Director Kent Taylor to emcee event 2016-02-02T20:33:42Z 2016-02-02T20:33:42Z The First Tee of Louisville Hosts Hall of Fame Golfer Nancy Lopez for annual Tales of the Tin Cup Event to be held at Big Spring Golf Club on Thursday, February 25th LOUISVILLE, KY – February 2nd, 2016 – The First Tee of Louisville , a youth development organization that introduces the game of golf and its values to young people, will welcome Hall-of-Fame golfer Nancy Lopez to Louisville to host the annual Tales of the Tin Cup event on Thursday, February 25th.

The First Tee of Louisville seeks to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. The event will be held at Big Spring Country Club and will feature dinner, a silent auction and an exclusive program and interview with Lopez, one of golf’s greatest women to play the sport. “The First Tee is an organization that has always been near and dear to my heart and Louisville has always been a great golf community,” said Lopez. “I’m excited and honored to participate in this wonderful evening for a deserving cause. I look forward to seeing everyone there on February 25th,” she said. Lopez joined the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour in 1977 and won 48 LPGA events, including three major championships during her storied career. Named “Golfer of the Decade” by GOLF Magazine, Lopez earned more than $5M in winnings on the course during her career. She is currently a playing editor for Golf For Women magazine and the founder of Nancy Lopez Golf, a leading equipment and apparel company for female golfers.

The First Tee of Louisville was founded in February 2005 and has grown into a vibrant youth development organization reaching young people on golf courses, in elementary schools and other programming locations. The First Tee provides Golf Skills, Life Skills and Healthy Habits to its participants with a goal is to inspire as many young people as possible to live the Nine Core Values of The First Tee – Honesty, Integrity, Sportsmanship, Respect, Confidence, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courtesy, and Judgment. Reservations for the event can be made by contacting D’Shawn Johnson at 502-772-9494 or via email at djohnson@thefirstteelouisville.org . ABOUT THE FIRST TEE OF LOUISVILLE Our Mission - To enrich the lives of young people in the Louisville Metropolitan area by providing unique programs and affordable facilities which promote character development and positive life skill through the game of golf. The First Tee is an international youth development organization introducing the game of golf and its inherent values to young people. Through after school and in school programs, we help shape the lives of young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values like integrity, respect and perseverance through the game of golf.

Our research-proven programs are having a positive impact on participants, their families and their communities. For more information, please visit: . Can't Find Something? The Top 10 Most Enduring Athletes in American Sports From the Past 20 Years | Bleacher Report The Top 10 Most Enduring Athletes in American Sports From the Past 20 Years By Rob Tiongson , Senior Analyst Jul 13, 2009 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow 2.0K 29 Comments While the sports world may embrace flashy young athletes who find instant success and riches without a day in a college classroom, there are the veterans of the field and asphalt arena whose skills simply never tarnished over time. Whether they located the fountain of youth or embraced old age right in front of its, well, old face, these individuals have simply been enduring to fans and the media as perennial winners.

From the tennis court to the famed 2.5-mile super speedway known as "The Brickyard," the following 10 athletes have exemplified what it means to be a "long term investment." These 10 athletes just didn't know when to quit, and with good reason: they're just that damn good. So without further ado, I present to you the "Top 10 Most Enduring Athletes of the Past 20 Years!" No. 10: Mark Martin (Photo by John Harrels This cagey driver has tried to walk away from the sport, either electing to step away from a full-season of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing (racing the Nationwide or Truck divisions) or taking a part-time gig with one of the sport's B-list teams. He's known as the best stock car driver to never win a championship in his illustrious twenty-seven years of competition in America's Fastest Growing Sport. The 50-year-old ageless wonder known as Mark Martin has been showing his critics that age is simply just a number.

From his rebellious, party-going days of the early 1980s as a roughneck Batesville, AR native to one of NASCAR's most physically fit gurus behind these steel chariots, Martin has shown some of that youthful competitiveness that propelled him into one of the sport's endearing stars. He was the sport's Jeff Gordon when it came to his cunning, calculative abilities to know when to push his car to the limits or when to save his equipment for the latter part of a race. Martin was Carl Edwards before the latter even entered the series with his strict and disciplined exercising regime that has kept the sentimental fan favorite as one of NASCAR's most enduring drivers in recent memory. With four victories and a legit shot at the title, perhaps this may be Martin's year where his label as the "Dan Marino" or "Jim Kelly" of racing will finally be erased from his name. No. 9: Nancy Lopez (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) From the moment Nancy Lopez made her debut in the LPGA Tour in 1978, golfing fanatics knew they were watching a pretty remarkable woman bound to shake up their sport's complexion.

Lopez competed on the tour full-time from her spectacular '78 season to 2003, when she retired for four years from the sport. With 50 career titles and the only woman golfer to win the rookie honors, Player of the Year award, and Vare Trophy (the latter three accomplished in '78), the 52-year-old Torrance, Calif. native has been one of the sport's staying powers. While Lopez has not exactly lit the world on fire as of late, her determination and longevity in her sport are some of the reasons why she belongs on this list. Long before the LPGA had Annika Sorenstam, it had Lopez to appear on Sports Illustrated's cover, propelling her as one of the sport's all-time greats. Oh yeah, did I mention she was the Associated Press' Female Athlete of The Year in 1978 and 1985? Next » No. 8: Ray Bourque Although this proudly adopted son of New England never brought the Stanley Cup to Beantown, Raymond Jean Bourque will forever be remembered as one of hockey's greatest all-time defenseman.

Suiting up in the spoked B's sweaters from 1979 to 2000 and serving an integral blue liner for the Av's in the 2000-'01 season, Bourque delighted hockey fans with his punishing checks and offensive prowess. The Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canadian's career numbers are staggering, as he played in over 1600 games. With 410 goals, assisted 1169 times for a career point total of 1579, Bourque is the game's all-time greatest scorers among defenseman. Nearly as remarkable as Bourque's emotional hoisting of the Cup in 2001 are the ten seasons in which he scored at least 80 points, as well as a December night in 1987 when he "gave" hockey great Phil Esposito his beloved No. 7 back. Literally. On that night, Bourque poignantly removed his jersey bearing Espotiso's number with another sweater underneath which read "Bourque 77," which lives in New England sports history eternally. Next » No.

7: Joe Sakic As one of the few athletes who have played for the same team throughout their career, Joe Sakic will perhaps be most remembered as "Mr. Avalanche." In a 20-year career in the NHL, the Burnaby, British Columbia, Canadian played in 1,378 games, scored an astonishing 625 goals and 1016 assists. With a career point total of 1,641, Sakic will surely be a member of hockey's hall-of-fame in the coming decade. Starting in at least 80 games in nine of his 20 years as a Quebec Nordique/Colorado Avalanche, this gritty 5' 11', 195 lbs. center was truly one of hockey's best talents to ever lace up the skates. Sakic announced his retirement on July 9, 2009—thus ending the career for the methodical athlete and one of the sport's true, loyal players in the era of free agency and the almighty dollars. No.

6: Pete Sampras (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) While Pete Sampras wasn't known within the sports media circles as congenial, on the contrary, the man called "Pistol Pete" had quite the way to talk back—with his racket. Though Sampras only competed from 1988 to 2002, those fifteen seasons of WTA play were quite memorable. Compiling a record of 762-222, Sampras won 64 titles in his career, including two wins in the Australian Open, seven Wimbledon titles (nearly won consecutively from '94-2000), and five US Open trophies. Considered one of tennis' all-time greatest, about the only "blemish" in Sampras' resume is that goose-egg next to the number of French Opens he won. No matter, the Washington D.C. native blossomed into one of the most tenacious players of the game. Sampras enjoyed an intense rivalry with fellow American ace Andre Agassi, besting his rival in 20 of the 34 contests in which they've competed against each other.

Currently competing in the Outback Champions Series, this 2007 International Tennis Hall of Famer still has game. Witness: He defeated John McEnroe in an event held in Boston in February and Patrick Rafter in the Del Mar Development Champions Cup in March. No. 5: Brett Favre You know that song by The Clash that goes, "Should I stay or should I go now?" If any athlete fits all the criteria needed to be "enduring," NFL quarterback Brett Favre takes the cake—and contemplates about eating it as well. The road to immortality was not exactly all set in stone for the pride of Kiln, Missouri. Favre endured pain nearly from the get-go, either on his own or because of tragedies to those closest to him. From a car accident that was nearly life-ending to playing through heartache with the loss of his father and mentor Irvin, the three-time AP NFL Most Valuable Player learned to cope with anguish with determination. Injured starting quarterback against one of the league's then potent AFC contenders in '92? Favre stepped it up and won in his first real test as a member of the Green Bay Packers. Couldn't beat those Dallas Cowboys in the postseason?

Though they stymied the Packs and Favre in three consecutive NFC playoff contests, it was Green Bay and No. 4 who got the last laugh in the 1996-'97 NFL Playoffs. That was the season in which Titletown returned to prominence with its third and most Super Bowl championship in a rather lopsided contest against the New Engalnd Patriots. While he's becoming quite infamous for his indecisiveness for the good life or the hard life on the field, the numbers with this enduring athlete can only speak for themselves: - 269 consecutive starts in regular season play (291 if you count playoff games) - Career record of 169-100 - 464 passing touchdowns - 65,127 career yards thrown Whatever the 39-year-old quarterback decides to do, you can be assured that Favre is a certain NFL legend, right up there with John Elway, Joe Montana, and Johnny Unitas. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) This picture of a young Michael Jordan in 1984 says it all.

Look closely and you'll see that patented game face of arguably one of the NBA's greatest, with his tongue out as if he was telling the opposition that he was untouchable once he was near the hoop. What can be said about one of the sport's 50 greatest hoops players of all-time? Do we measure his success by those six NBA World Titles from the 1990s? Or the five MVP championships he earned in his 17 year career? For me, Jordan is right up there as one of the greatest in any sport because of his will and determination to play in nearly any condition. While the death of his father, James Sr., halted the sensational star's career in the mid 1990s, the skills and drive of this Tar Heeler never waned. Even when he played as the aging and sore Washington Wizard in his late 30s, Jordan was always the crowd pleaser. You can chalk up your favorite moments of MJ as easily as he can count the number of fingers with a championship ring. To me, there's nothing like Game 5 of the 1996-'97 NBA Finals that pitted the Chicago Bulls against the Utah Jazz.

Playing with the flu, Jordan weathered through his pain by scoring 38 points (including the game winner). How crucial was the victory? The Bulls would go on to wrap up the series in the penultimate game of that season's finals, winning their fifth of six titles in the 1990s. No. 3: Nolan Ryan (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) When Refugio, Texas' Nolan Ryan made his Major League Baseball debut on September 11 of 1966 as a member of the New York Mets, the States were rocking to the Baroque pop sounds of The Beach Boys' hit album "Pet Sounds." "God Only Knows" what baseball would be like without this iron horse of a hurler, whose career spans nearly three decades. Ryan's legacy in the game besides his infamous fastball which reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour (even well into his 40s) are his 5,714 career strikeouts and seven no-hitters (leading all pitchers in that category).

Playing with the loveable losers (aka the Mets) from 1966 to 1971 (with a full season in the minors in '67 to work on his command/control, if you believe that), Ryan would be traded cross-country to the American League's California Angels. That was where Ryan's legend would truly start and flourish. Ryan set a then MLB-record of 383 strikeouts in a season in 1973. And about those no-hitters? The Texan achieved four of those during his years as a Halo, one with the Houston Astros in 1981, and his last two as a member of the Texas Rangers in 1990-'91. In his impressive 27-year career, Ryan's accomplishments as a player truly shine even in these modern days. Having played America's past time in the tumultuous 1960s, the turbulent 1970s, the bad fashion of the 1980s, and the 1990s, Ryan has played when the game was "clean" to the Steroid Era.

Even with that sore spot on baseball, what's even more unsightly, at least for opposing sluggers, was having to face that intimidating Texan who could methodically find your weak spots in the strike zone. Next » No. 2: Martina Narvatilova If Jimmy Connors was men's tennis' ironman, then Martina Narvatilova was the women's counterpart to one of the sport's most prolific players with quite the long, illustrious career. Gracing the tennis world with her pro debut in 1975 to her retirement from the sport in her waning years competing in the mixed doubles division, Narvatilova is the quintessential athlete whose skills never deteriorated with each passing decade from the 1970s to the 2000s. Equally as impressive as her three Australian Open titles, two French Open victories, nine Wimbledon championships, and four US Open triumphs are her 21 years as a pro tennis player and her 177 career titles. To this day, the number of titles that she has amassed is the most for the women and men's divisions.

Simply put, when you begin to reflect on her accomplishments, you could come up with more than 177 reasons why Narvatilova is one of sport's most enduring athletes in the past 20 years. No. 1: Cal Ripken, Jr. How many athletes in today's world of sports play for the same team for their entire career? Much less, how many athletes suit up for the game without missing a start for 16 consecutive years? Forget the fact that he hit .276, logged in 3,184 hits, homered 431 times, and batted in 1,695 runs throughout 20 years of playing. Cal Ripken, Jr. is not just only sport's most enduring athlete of the past 20 years, but one of the greatest to ever play any professional game. Paving the way for taller, grittier shortstops, Baltimore Orioles fans witnessed history throughout this Aberdeen, MD's incredible career. Needed that timely hit to score a run? Ripken could do it. Stuck in a rut and needed a pick-me-up on defense? No. 8 was there to complete that 4-6-3 double play.

If you needed to know the modern era's face of baseball, it's Ripken who virtually did it all. Despite winning the World Series once (in 1983), it is his individual accomplishments and professionalism on the field as an Oriole that immortalizes this legend into, shall I say, a baseball god. Former golfer Nancy Lopez serves as an advocate for young golfers | FOX6Now.com Former golfer Nancy Lopez serves as an advocate for young golfers Posted 10:00 pm, July 8, 2012, by Jen Lada , Updated at 10:01PM, July 8, 2012 Email This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. KOHLER -- The 2012 U.S. Women's Open at Blackwolf Run wrapped up Sunday, July 8th and Se Ri Pack's influence on the South Korean golfers is quite evident. Two of the top three finishers are from South Korea. The winner was 24-year-old Na Yeon Choi.

Similarly, Nancy Lopez can be looked at as one of the sport's trail blazers. With 48 wins to her name, Nancy Lopez is easily one of the greatest American female golfers. At the 1998 U.S. Women's Open at Blackwolf Run, Lopez was well off her championship game. "I came here with a good golf game and left pretty deflated," Lopez said. She wasn't without her sense of humor, however, as she and her playing partners famously attached white towels to their clubs, and waved them down the 18th fairway. "I was definitely surrendering to Blackwolf Run. I was really glad I was missing the cut because it kicked my butt!" Lopez said. Now, 14 years later, she is still an incredible ambassador for, and a revered personality in the sport. Though she never won a U.S. Women's Open, she's really not interested in jumping back on the links for another chance. "I'd love to be out there again, but I remember the pressure, and I loved it then, but now I'm like 'I don't know if I could deal with it now!'" Lopez said.

Perhaps that's why she's reached out to younger golfers, like Lizette Salas. The two have texted back and forth leading up to Sunday's round. "She's just everything to me and for young Latinas out there. She's obviously made a great impact on the sport and she still is making an impact and allowing youngsters to follow in her footsteps," Salas said. The South Korean dominance in the sport, and the American disappearance is not lost on Lopez. She has three daughters of her own -- none of whom play golf. However, she has some ideas on how golf could grow among young American girls. "If we could focused, that golf is a great sport. It's something that they can do for a long time. It's a good life-building type experience," Lopez said. Lopez is not alone in acknowledging the disparity. "You just have to look at the junior golf. That is the future of golf, and if we don't put our efforts towards that, then who knows," golfer Paula Creamer said.

Lopez likes that the game has changed -- noting the fitness level of this generation's golfers and their ability to handle the schedules and demands better than her colleagues ever could, but she still believes in moderation and an attitude that includes smiling and laughing through the wins and the losses. "Most of all, enjoy the game. It's a great game," Lopez said. Lopez says she has joked with course designer Pete Dye about the difficulty of Blackwolf Run. Related stories: Nancy Lopez Golf Ashley SE 12-Piece Set (Women's) Nancy Lopez Golf Ashley SE 12-Piece Set (Women's) Nancy Lopez Golf Ashley SE 12-Piece Set (Women's) by Nancy Lopez Unique, high-tech, wrap-style grips offer superior feel Six oversized, perimeter weighted irons One 400 cc Beta Ti Driver with exceptional forgiveness Three fairway woods and two hybrid wood/iron clubs Ultra-light graphite shafts on all clubs to provide optimum trajectory and control Amazon.com Product Description Nancy Lopez Golf has created an outstanding set of clubs with the Ashley SE Series golf club set. Named after Nancy's first daughter, this series is designed to blend the benefits of leading technology with style and affordability.

It is ideal for the woman who counts on quality from value driven equipment. Golf legend Nancy Lopez About the Irons All the Ashley SE irons are oversized and perimeter weighted with cavity backs for stability and square impact. The dual cambered sole reduces turf drag for cleaner shots even when you dig up a big divot on the course. All irons are offset, which means they promote the head being square at impact and help diminish every golfer's nightmare: the dreaded slice. About the Hybrid Irons The four and five hybrid clubs are the perfect blend of a wood and iron. Both contain two brass inserts to lower the center of gravity and ensure a higher launch angle. This provides the control of an iron along with the length of a fairway wood. Long, second shots on par five holes will be easier to hit with these clubs--going farther than with standard irons and straighter than with standard fairway woods. About the Driver The Ashley SE driver features a 400 cc Beta Ti head with a huge sweet spot that produces increased forgiveness and distance, as well as improved trajectory. Beta Ti is an industry name for Titanium alloys renown for their softness, spring and durability.

The Beta Ti face is extremely thin, allowing for greater weight to be used at the perimeter of the club head. The Beta Ti face delivers an exceptional spring effect and the increased perimeter weighting provides even greater distance. Beta Ti is much stiffer than pure Titanium, yet it is still lightweight and forgiving, making this driver reliable, stable, and powerful. About the Woods Like the irons, the Ashley SE woods are offset allowing the face of the club head to square at impact, reducing slices and fades. These woods are oversized and perimeter weighted with a medium face design for ideal playability in either the fairway or the rough. With these outstanding woods you'll impress your next foursome with your powerful, long second shots from the fairways. About Posiflex Graphite Shafts The Ashley SE clubs feature ultra-light graphite shafts. This proprietary design incorporates the revolutionary variable trajectory technology that improves shaft flexibility and club speed. Each set of shafts is individually designed to provide optimum trajectory and maximum control for each club in the set. Longer shafts use a lower kick point to produce a higher launch angle for longer carry distance. Meanwhile, shorter shafts utilize a higher kick point for enhanced ball control. This unique design also provides unparalleled feel for each club in the set.

About the Grips The unique, high-tech, wrap style grips of all the Ashley SE golf clubs offer superior feel and exceptional vibration dampening qualities. Playable in any type of weather, these lightweight grips allow for additional redistribution of weight in the club head, increasing energy transfer at impact. What's in the Box? Nancy Lopez Ashley SE series golf club set featuring six irons (6-9 irons, pitching wedge, and sand wedge), two hybrid irons (four and five hybrid irons), three fairway woods (3, 5, and 7 woods), one 400 cc Beta Ti driver The information above regarding this Nancy Lopez Golf Ashley SE 12-Piece Set (Women's) is as of 9-11-2005. Please click through for current information and availability. Click here to comment on this featured Nancy Lopez Golf Ashley SE 12-Piece Set (Women's) or any other Complete Sets Clubs or to simply post a comment or article related to sporting goods.

In addition to the Nancy Lopez Golf Ashley SE 12-Piece Set (Women's) on this page and other merchandise in the category of "Complete Sets Clubs" , we offer a number of other Golf products, as well as a broad line of sporting goods in general. Articles about Nancy Lopez - tribunedigital-chicagotribune On the back 9 By Ed Sherman, Tribune golf reporter | May 31, 2002 There are many reasons Nancy Lopez decided this would be her final full season on the LPGA Tour. Few, though, were more poignant than her agonizing over the death of her daughter Torri's puppy Wednesday. Torri, 10, took the dog, named Bear, out for a ride in a golf cart. Bear somehow fell out and was killed. When Lopez got the news, all she wanted to do was throw her arms around Torri. She couldn't. Instead of being at home in Albany, Ga., she was at Stonebridge Country Club in Aurora, preparing for the... NEWS Small Is Beautiful For Ram By Teddy Greenstein, Tribune Staff Writer | July 23, 1997 Jim Hansberger learned the essence of running a family business early in life.

In 1947, Hansberger's three older brothers started a golf club manufacturing company in Chicago. Hansberger sold the clubs to pay his way through school at the University of Minnesota. When he returned home for the summer, young Jim was given a more onerous task. The company was experiencing a postwar boom, producing as many as 10,000 clubs a day. The staff of 20 had no trouble making the clubs, but there was no space... NEWS 1975: Sandra Palmer wins the U.S. Women's Open by four... July 20, 2000 1975: Sandra Palmer wins the U.S. Women's Open by four strokes over Nancy Lopez, Joanne Carner and Sandra Post. 1997: Justin Leonard closes with a 65 to win the British Open at 12-under-par 272 at Royal Troon. Leonard, whose closing round is one of the best in major championship history, takes the lead from Jesper Parnevik with a birdie on No. 17.

SPORTS On the back 9 By Ed Sherman, Tribune golf reporter | May 31, 2002 There are many reasons Nancy Lopez decided this would be her final full season on the LPGA Tour. Few, though, were more poignant than her agonizing over the death of her daughter Torri's puppy Wednesday. Torri, 10, took the dog, named Bear, out for a ride in a golf cart. Bear somehow fell out and was killed. When Lopez got the news, all she wanted to do was throw her arms around Torri. She couldn't. Instead of being at home in Albany, Ga., she was at Stonebridge Country Club in Aurora, preparing for the... SPORTS TV--3:30 p.m., Saturday February 27, 1987 TV--3:30 p.m., Saturday; 3 p.m., Sunday; WMAQ-Ch. 5 (NBC) Event--$300,000 Kemper Open Outlook--The ninth annual Kemper for women is at the Princeville Makai Golf Club on Kauai, Hawaii. Wonder how many husbands will accompany their wives to this event?

One won`t be Baltimore third baseman Ray Knight, who will be working out with the Orioles in spring training while wife Nancy Lopez tries to bolster the struggling, young couples` bankbook. Lopez recently won the Sarasota Open to secure a spot in... SPORTS 1975: Sandra Palmer wins the U.S. Women's Open by four... July 20, 2000 1975: Sandra Palmer wins the U.S. Women's Open by four strokes over Nancy Lopez, Joanne Carner and Sandra Post. 1997: Justin Leonard closes with a 65 to win the British Open at 12-under-par 272 at Royal Troon. Leonard, whose closing round is one of the best in major championship history, takes the lead from Jesper Parnevik with a birdie on No. 17. NEWS Death Notice: JOSEPH RAMON LOPEZ-EGAN June 2, 2008 Joseph Ramon Lopez-Egan, age 5, of Elmhurst, beloved son of Ellwood C. Egan Jr.

and Kelly Suzanne Lopez; loving brother to Daniel and Rebecca; cherished grandson of Nancy Lopez, nee Moore, and Ellwood and Katharine Egan, nee Culhane; dearest nephew of William and Nora Renner, nee Egan, Edward and Mary Lopez, nee O'Connor, Terry Egan and Katharine Mary Egan; dear cousin to Andrew, Mary Kate, Brideen, Jack, Madeline, Mary and Michael. Visitation Tuesday atSteuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore... SPORTS 2000 Open A Long Shot For Lopez By Ed Sherman, Tribune Golf Writer | June 6, 1999 There's a chance Nancy Lopez won't be in the field for next year's U.S. Women's Open at the Merit Club in Libertyville. Lopez missed the cut for the second straight year, shooting 76-73. She played in the tournament on a special exemption from the United States Golf Association. To qualify automatically for next year's tournament, Lopez would need to win an LPGA Tour event or be among the leading money-winners. An ailing knee could prevent Lopez from meeting either criteria because she isn't...

NEWS Hall of Fame makes major changes to induction process Reuters | March 23, 2014 (Reuters) - The World Golf Hall of Fame is changing its induction process to be more equitable to male and female players. Until now, the eligibility process for LPGA players has been more stringent, based on a points system that has kept out multiple major champions such as Laura Davies and Dottie Pepper. Meanwhile, several male players without any major titles, including Colin Montgomerie of Scotland and Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki of Japan, have been inducted. Male and... SPORTS The Next Nancy Lopez Has Many Obstacles To Overcome First. By Ed Sherman, Tribune Golf Writer | July 21, 1998 The top women golfers don't come this way often, so it's a bonus that many of them will be in town Tuesday to participate in the Field's Classic in Libertyville. Annika Sorenstam will play in the one-day event in which six younger players will be paired in teams with six older players. The field also includes Karrie Webb, long-hitting Laura Davies and legends such as Patty Sheehan and Hollis Stacy.

Then, of course, there's Nancy Lopez, the LPGA Tour's equivalent... SPORTS Another Win For Ammaccapane June 22, 1992 Danielle Ammaccapane became this year's first three-time champion Sunday and the tour's leading money winner by taking the 54-hole Lady Keystone Open Sunday. She fought off repeated challenges from Nancy Lopez, Lori West and Muffin Spencer-Devlin to take the $60,000 winner's check in the $400,000 event at the West Course of Hershey Country Club. Ammaccapane recorded a 3-under-par 69 for a 54-hole total of 8-under-par 208 on the 6,348-yard course. The win gave Ammaccapane a season total of... SPORTS Lopez Throws In The Towel By Ed Sherman, Tribune Staff Writer | July 4, 1998 The U.S. Women's Open brought Nancy Lopez to tears again, but this time for a different reason. Last year, Lopez cried after finishing second to Alison Nicholas by a stroke. This year, her game made her cry.

Lopez didn't survive Blackwolf Run, playing perhaps the worst string of holes since junior high. She shot an embarrassing 83, featuring an eight-hole stretch beginning at the fifth where she was 11 over par with five bogeys and three double-bogeys. Lopez tried to make light of the awful... SPORTS Lopez Challenged To Hold Off Lpga Field Here By Reid Hanley | August 12, 1993 Nancy Lopez has been the biggest name in women's golf for more than 15 years. This week, she gets a chance to prove it again. To say Lopez heads the field at this week's LPGA Chicago Challenge is to understate her importance to the tournament, which is in the final year of its three-year contract with the LPGA. Lopez could insure the tournament's future with a strong showing that would attract good crowds Thursday through Sunday at White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville. "I...

SPORTS Lopez Leads Lpga Keystone June 21, 1992 Nancy Lopez took the second-round lead at the LPGA's $400,000 Lady Keystone Open with a 5-under-par 67 Saturday on the West Course of the Hershey Country Club. With a two-day total of 137, Lopez held a one-shot lead on another tour veteran, Hollis Stacy. Danielle Ammaccapane stood another shot back. "I want to win this tournament," said Lopez, who hasn`t won this year. "I finally feel comfortable with my new putter." Lopez had an eagle, four birdies and one bogey. SPORTS Lopez: Lpga's Working Legend By Ed Sherman, Tribune Golf Writer | May 26, 1998 Twenty years ago this month, Nancy Lopez began a run of five LPGA tournament victories in a row, dominating in a way that would make Tiger Woods' feats a footnote by comparison. Twenty years later, Lopez is one of the tour's elder stateswomen, still holding her own against players half her age. Twenty years ago, Lopez was a rookie who grew up playing with a set of Patty Berg women's clubs.

Twenty years later, Lopez is coming out with her own line of signature clubs for women. SPORTS Lopez Grabs Lpga Lead By From Tribune News Services | May 12, 1996 To hear Nancy Lopez tell it, her rebirth on the golf course was merely the result of a common midlife crisis. "Every woman goes through this right before they turn 40," Lopez said Saturday after rain and lightning stopped play at the McDonald's LPGA Championship in Wilmington, Del. "They freak out and decide to go on a diet." Lopez, who turned 39 in January, did just that. She lost 33 pounds, but found the game that won 47 LPGA titles, including this major tournament three times. SPORTS Small Is Beautiful For Ram By Teddy Greenstein, Tribune Staff Writer | July 23, 1997 Jim Hansberger learned the essence of running a family business early in life. In 1947, Hansberger's three older brothers started a golf club manufacturing company in Chicago. Hansberger sold the clubs to pay his way through school at the University of Minnesota. When he returned home for the summer, young Jim was given a more onerous task.

The company was experiencing a postwar boom, producing as many as 10,000 clubs a day. The staff of 20 had no trouble making the clubs, but there was no space...

Question: In which sport was Nancy Lopez one of the leading female contenders
Answer: Golf