Chella Choi, Lydia Ko and Michelle Wie among the honorees
NAPLES, Fla., November 21, 2014 – LPGA Tour players, sponsors, and media took part in a night of celebration at Thursday night’s Rolex Awards Celebration to honor the 2014 end-of-the-year award recipients.
The star-studded evening at the Ritz Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida honored the winners of the Commissioner’s, Patty Berg, William & Mousie Powell, and Heather Farr Perseverance awards.
While the Rolex Player of the Year and Vare Trophy winners won’t be decided until the completion of the final round of this week’s CME Group Tour Championship, this year’s Rolex First-Time Winners were also recognized during Thursday night’s ceremony. There were seven Rolex First-Time winners this year: Mi Hyang Lee (Mizuno Classic), Lee-Anne Pace (Blue Bay LPGA), Austin Ernst (Portland Classic), Mirim Lee (Meijer LPGA Classic), Lizette Salas (Kingsmill Championship), Lydia Ko (Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic) and Mo Martin (RICOH Women’s British Open).
Additionally, Michelle Wie was honored for becoming the inaugural Rolex ANNIKA Major Award and Lydia Ko accepted her Rolex Rookie of the Year Award, which she clinched with three events remaining in the season.
ARTICLE: Lydia Ko Becomes Youngest Winner of Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award
ARTICLE: Wie Wins the Inaugural Rolex ANNIKA Major Award
WEGMANS RECEIVES COMMISSIONER’S AWARD
LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan presented this year’s Commissioner’s Award to Wegmans. Since 1977, Wegmans has been a sponsor of every LPGA event in Rochester, taking over as title sponsor in 1997 and stepped up in 2010 when the LPGA needed a sponsor for the championship.
The Commissioner’s Award, introduced in 1991 by the LPGA, honors a person or organization who has contributed uniquely to the LPGA and its members, who has furthered the cause of women’s golf, and whose character and standards are of the highest order. Previous award recipients have included Karsten and Louise Solheim; Jamie Farr; the LPGA Founders; Rolex; and Smucker’s.
KERRY GRAHAM HONORED WITH ELLEN GRIFFIN ROLEX AWARD
LPGA National Vice President of LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals Deb Vangellow awarded Kerry Graham, a Life member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Teaching and Club Professional (T&CP) membership, with the Ellen Griffin Rolex Award. Graham currently teaches golf in Phoenix and continues to study all aspects of the game, both physical and mental, to improve her skills and service to her clients.
Established in 1989, the LPGA established the “Ellen Griffin Rolex Award”. Ellen was considered by many to be the best-known female golf teacher in American history. She taught the game near Greensboro, North Carolina at “The Farm”. This award is given annually to a teacher who has demonstrated the spirit, love and dedication to teach and to the game of golf – just like Ellen did.
TOM MALETIS AWARDED PATTY BERG AWARD
Tom Maletis, the president of Tournament Golf Foundation, was honored with the Patty Berg Award. Maletis has been the cornerstone of the Portland Classic since 1988 and has been the President of Tournament Golf Foundation since 1997. During Maletis’ time with the event it has raised nearly $18 million for local charities. The Portland Classic is the longest running non-major on the LPGA schedule.
The Patty Berg Award is given to an individual, who like Berg, exemplifies diplomacy, sportsmanship, goodwill and contributions to the game of golf. Berg was one of the LPGA’s 12 Founders and one of the game’s greatest ambassadors. Aside from her sensational career Berg was the consummate professional inside and outside the ropes and she redefined the image of “athlete as entertainer” with a dedication to fan-focus.
CHOI AND FERRERO VOTED BY PEERS
LPGA Tour players voted on two awards this year and selected Chella Choi as the recipient of the William & Mousie Powell Award and Lisa Fererro as the recipient of the Heather Farr Perseverance Award.
Choi was voted the William & Mousie Powell Award recipient by her fellow LPGA competitors thanks to her spirit, ideals and values by her behavior and deeds.
The late Mousie Powell, for whom this award was named, was a close supporter and friend of the LPGA from the 1950s until her death on Jan. 18, 1997. She was married to William Powell, a Hollywood legend and one of its leading male actors. Mousie, who was also featured in movies during that time, started the William and Mousie Award in 1986. Past recipients include: Kathy Whitworth, Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley, Betsy King, Juli Inkster, and Lorena Ochoa.
The Heather Farr Perseverance Award honors an LPGA player who, through her hard work, dedication and love of the game of golf, has demonstrated determination, perseverance and spirit in fulfilling her goals as a player. At the age of just 31, Lisa Ferrero was diagnosed with breast cancer 18 months after she first approached a doctor. Lisa’s determination and dedication led doctors to the discovery and she is now on the road to recovery.
The LPGA established the Heather Farr Perseverance Award in 1994 to celebrate the life of Farr, an LPGA Tour player who died on Nov. 20, 1993, following a four-and-a-half-year battle with breast cancer. Past winners of this award include: Heather Farr, Shelley Hamlin, Martha Nause, Terry-Jo Myers, Lorie Kane, Nancy Scranton, Brandi Burton, Kris Tschetter, Kim Williams, Beth Daniel, Colleen Walker, Amy Read, Se Ri Pak, Leta Lindley and Sophie Gustafson.
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