Lopez to Lead Junior Team

[golfdigest]

Former U.S. Solheim Cup Captain Nancy Lopez will captain the 2009 PING Junior Solheim Cup U.S. Team, announced Wednesday by the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA). The prestigious event, which biennially showcases the 12 top female U.S. junior golfers (ages 12-18) competing against the 12 best European junior golfers, will be held August 17-23, 2009 at Aurora Country Club in Aurora, Ill.

As a former junior golfer,  I've always idolized and emulated Lopez, especially now that I've had the experience of working with the Hall of Famer  on her online column, Nancy's Corner. I'm inspired by her positive energy and desire to carve the way for up-and-coming junior golfers.

"All these girls are my daughters' age, so I think it'll be a lot of fun to be a part of what they're doing," Lopez said. "Hopefully I can make a difference in their lives."

Lopez is also hoping to lead the team to victory, as she did when she captained the 2005 U.S. Solheim Cup  to a 15 1/2 - 12 1/2 victory over the Europeans. As a player, Lopez captured 48 LPGA Tour titles between 1978and 1997 and compiled a  2-1-0record in the inaugural 1990 Solheim Cup.

Lopez was a standout junior golfer herself. She won the New Mexico Women’s Amateur at the age of 12, won the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship twice (1972 and 1974), and was a member of the U.S. Curtis Cup and World Amateur teams. Consequently, she knows the enormous pressure these girls will face and is prepared to help them overcome it.

Notably, in the four years the PING Junior Solheim Cup has been played, the host team has won every time. So Lopez and her crew enter the 2009 matches hoping to keep the streak alive and break the series' all-time tie of 2-2-0 in her favor.

However, most importantly to Lopez is the chance to nurture the LPGA's future crop of stars. Past participants in the matches have included Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Brittany Lincicome, Brittany Lang, Louise Stahle and Minea Blomqvist.  "This is a new challenge and an opportunity to get to know the players of tomorrow," Lopez said. "I feel like I've been out of the loop for many years, so to meet the new superstars of the LPGA excited me a whole bunch."

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