rockin500
12-03-2002, 12:14 PM
This is pretty big news i think in the golfing world. She won the right to be in the tournament in September but just accepted now. Its pretty cool and hope she does well.
from espn.com
Suzy Whaley, a 36-year-old golf pro from Connecticut, said Tuesday she has decided to accept an invitation to play in the Greater Hartford Open, becoming the first female golfer to tee off in a PGA event.
"I took a long time to make this decision," she said. "I understand the historical implications of this decision, and the importance it has for women golfers."
The Syracuse, N.Y. native qualified for the GHO in September when she pulled a come-from-behind victory by shooting a 1-under-par 71 at the Ellington Ridge Country Club to win the Connecticut Sectional title.
Whaley is graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she played on the collegiate golf team, and a two-time competitor on the LPGA tour. She is currently a head golf pro at a Connecticut golf course.
Playing in the Tour event means Whaley will have to play the full 6,820 yards of the course, and shoot from the men's tees. When she played in September, Whaley played the shorter 6,239 layout.
"It's a lot longer than I'm used to playing," Whaley said. "I'm going to do it anyway. I'm going to do it the best I possibly can, and that's going to have to be good enough."
The GHO will take place July 21-27 at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell. Without a sponsor, the future of the tournament was in doubt for much of the fall until organizers could cobble together enough support from corporate sponsors and the state to acquire the $4 million needed to put on the event.
GHO organizers said in September Whaley is welcome at the tournament.
from espn.com
Suzy Whaley, a 36-year-old golf pro from Connecticut, said Tuesday she has decided to accept an invitation to play in the Greater Hartford Open, becoming the first female golfer to tee off in a PGA event.
"I took a long time to make this decision," she said. "I understand the historical implications of this decision, and the importance it has for women golfers."
The Syracuse, N.Y. native qualified for the GHO in September when she pulled a come-from-behind victory by shooting a 1-under-par 71 at the Ellington Ridge Country Club to win the Connecticut Sectional title.
Whaley is graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she played on the collegiate golf team, and a two-time competitor on the LPGA tour. She is currently a head golf pro at a Connecticut golf course.
Playing in the Tour event means Whaley will have to play the full 6,820 yards of the course, and shoot from the men's tees. When she played in September, Whaley played the shorter 6,239 layout.
"It's a lot longer than I'm used to playing," Whaley said. "I'm going to do it anyway. I'm going to do it the best I possibly can, and that's going to have to be good enough."
The GHO will take place July 21-27 at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell. Without a sponsor, the future of the tournament was in doubt for much of the fall until organizers could cobble together enough support from corporate sponsors and the state to acquire the $4 million needed to put on the event.
GHO organizers said in September Whaley is welcome at the tournament.