SARASOTA — Like a fraternity pledge reciting the founders of his house, Hollis Stacy did likewise with the 13 founders of the Ladies Professional Golf Association.
Helen Dettweiler, Sally Sessions, Marlene Hagge, Alice Bauer, Babe Zaharias, Marilynn Smith, Patty Berg, Betty Jameson, Helen Hicks, Shirley Spork, Opal Hill, Bettye Danoff. The 2012 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee ripped through the names like a picture-perfect drive off the tee.
Louise Suggs was Stacy’s only yip.
“Oh, yes,” said the 70-year-old, a four-time winner of the U.S. Women’s Open, as well as 18 LPGA Tour events. “Georgia gal.” Suggs, who died in 2015 in Sarasota at age 91, is fourth all-time on the LPGA Tour victory list with 61.
Marking the 75th anniversary of the formation of the LPGA, the event created to honor its 13 founders, the Founders Cup, presented by U.S. Virgin Islands, kicks off the season’s first full-field event Feb. 6-9 at the Bradenton Country Club.
Held for the first time in 2011, the event had Cognizant, an American multinational technology company, as its title sponsor from 2021-2024. But when the company stepped away in October, it forced a move from its home in Clifton, N.J., and into a spot on the LPGA calendar occupied last year by the Drive On event. In recent weeks, U.S. Virgin Islands stepped into the void to become title sponsor.
A springboard for Korda’s memorable season
OT: Nelly Korda defeats Lydia Ko in sudden-death playoff to capture LPGA Drive On Championship
Held at the Bradenton CC, which includes Stacy as a member, the event proved memorable, as Bradenton resident Nelly Korda defeated Lydia Ko in a two-hole playoff. It was the first of seven Tour victories — five of them consecutively — for the 26-year-old LPGA Tour Player of the Year.
Like last year, Stacy will serve as a liaison between the players and club members. “I’m kind of the unspoken host,” she said. “I’m a member of the club, which is great. I stay in close contact with the players and the Tour.”
Stacy is looking forward to this year’s Founders Cup, but will always remember last year’s Drive On and how it served as a catapult to Korda’s once-in-a-lifetime season.
“The event was just phenomenal,” she said. “The members all came together, the golf course was in great shape, and little did anyone know it would spark Nelly on an historical run. We also had Lydia trying to get into the Hall of Fame. It was just a classic battle. What (Korda) did was something that I’m sure she’ll never forget. Winning in front of her family.”
Hurricanes left damage at Bradenton CC
Stacy said fans familiar with the layout of the Bradenton CC might notice a handful of differences due to hurricanes Helene and Milton. “We did have damage,” she said. “We lost a big part of our fencing, and lost a lot of trees. But the course will definitely hold up. What makes the golf course what it is are the greens. The greens are extremely fast.
“You have to drive the ball so well, and then you have to hit your irons with precision,” Stacy said. “Put the ball in the right place. Donald Ross was known for his treacherous greens. Not mean greens. Treacherous. Try to keep the ball on the green. But I think the course will play a little longer. Last year, it was a little fast.”
Her time on the Tour allowed Stacy to know many of the LPGA’s 13 founders. During the 1920s and 1930s, several professional tournaments were staged for women. But it wasn’t until the 1940s when efforts began in earnest to form a pro golf organization for women.
In 1944, the Women’s Professional Golf Association (WPGA) was formed, and players such as Berg, Suggs, Jameson, and Zaharias stood out. The WPGA lasted only until 1949, but it opened the door for the formation of the LPGA, founded on Sept 13, 1950 at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wichita, Kansas. The first tournament was the 1950 Tampa Open, held at the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club.
The founders wanted to establish a pro league for women golfers, create opportunities for them, and legitimize the pro status of women’s golf. But during the LPGA’s early years, with player purses a fraction of what they are today, its founders were forced to prepare the various courses for play, including performing maintenance and stringing the gallery ropes.
“They made the rules, they did the constitution, they had great foresight,” Stacy said. “They were very strong women, and I can’t thank them enough for what they did for women’s golf. We are the biggest women’s sports organization in the world. They wanted to form an association and start their own tour, like the men had started. They said, ‘why can’t we do it?’ And so they did it.”
LPGA grew under Volpe’s leadership
According to Stacy, it wasn’t until Ray Volpe, a marketing guru, took over as LPGA commissioner in the mid 1970s that women’s golf experienced a huge explosion. The arrival of Nancy Lopez and her extraordinary early success rocketed the sport even higher.
“We started seeing big crowds,” Stacy said. “We got a lot of eyeballs and a lot of attention. We saw some big growth.”
As for the upcoming Founders Cup, Stacy believes Ko’s second-place finish last year at the Drive On event will have her “coming out for blood. I think the course sets up better for her (this year),” she said. Still, standing in her way will be Korda, who, Stacy said, has been practicing in the bitter cold weather wearing a parka.
“Who’s practicing in this stuff right now?” she asked. “Like all of them, she works hard. (Last year), she won five in a row, on five different golf courses, in five different climates. She’s tough. Tough as nails. She’s got a beautiful swing. She has great club-head speed, and she’s got a good head on her shoulders.
“She’ll have a great year. She might not win whatever she won (last year). She might not win as many tournaments. But anytime you can drive it 280 (yards) and hit the fairway 99% of the time, I think your chances are pretty good.”
Block party kicks off Founders Cup week
Tournament week kicks off with a Founders Cup Block Party on Feb. 2 on Bradenton’s historic Old Main Street for an afternoon of entertainment, family fun, local food. The block party runs from 1-4 p.m. and will feature live music from Bradenton’s The Eric Von Band. The event is free and open to the public. Parking will be available at the Manatee County Public Parking Garage, located at Manatee Ave. West and 10th St. West.
Away from the action
The Expo Village, located on the lawn behind the Bradenton Country Club clubhouse, will be the hub for fans looking for a break from the on-course action. The LPGA Pro Shop will feature the latest LPGA gear including hats, polos, mid-layers and accessories. A custom hat bar will allow fans to choose a hat and pick from a variety of patches, with a personalized design created right on site. Browse the full selection of LPGA gear online by visiting LPGAProShop.com.
The Pacira Lesson Zone will offer fans the unique opportunity to receive a free 10-minute lesson from an LPGA Teaching Professional. Visit their booth, located by the LPGA Pro Shop, to sign up for a lesson. Entertainment for kids will include games of corn hole, battle chip, and inflatable skee-ball. Adults can visit the Tito’s Trailer and sample several signature cocktails, while a variety of non-alcoholic options will also be available. For more information on all the events happening at the Founders Cup, visit thefounderslpga.com.
Interested in going?
Tickets are available for purchase at SeatGeek.com. Daily tickets start at $39 for General Admission, with weekly passes starting at $129. Champions Club hospitality tickets start at $329 for 18th admission. The Champions Club provides premium access to an open-air structure on the 18th green and includes a shared food and beverage services, including bar options, as well as complimentary off-site parking. A special Inside-the-Ropes experience is available for $3,000. This unique opportunity allows two guests to walk inside the ropes with a featured group during a competition round. The experience also includes access to the Champions Club and complimentary off-site parking.
Kids aged 17 and under will receive complimentary admission with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information on junior tickets, visit SeatGeek.com. To honor the men and women of the United States Armed Forces, both current and former members in all branches, along with their accompanying spouse/partner or dependent, will receive complimentary grounds tickets.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko to headline field of the LPGA Founders Cup
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