WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 12, 2000 – The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) has named the trophy presented to the Rolex Rookie of the Year the Louise Suggs Trophy to recognize Suggs’ many achievements and contributions to the LPGA. Suggs is one of 13 founders of the LPGA and a member of the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. Effective in 2000, the LPGA is commissioning the development of the Louise Suggs Trophy, and the recipient will receive a replica of the perpetual trophy, which will be housed at LPGA headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla. “Louise Suggs’ contributions to the LPGA and women’s golf extend far beyond her exploits on the golf course, which were considerable,” said Ty M. Votaw, commissioner of the LPGA. “While playing on the LPGA Tour, Louise was president of the association and was instrumental in building the Tour during its early years. She is still teaching golf at Sea Island and has been an inspiration and adviser to players, both veteran and up-and-coming, for many years.” Suggs has 58 victories to her credit, including 11 major titles. A native of Atlanta, Suggs became the first LPGA player to win the same tournament three consecutive times (the Dallas Citivan Open, 1959-61). She was president of the association from 1955-57. She had nine victories in 1953 and tied with Babe Zaharias in 1954 for the most wins at five. Her 14-stroke victory at the 1949 U.S. Women’s Open was a 72-hole scoring record of 291, which stood for 37 years, and remains the LPGA’s all-time record for largest margin of victory. Suggs is one of four LPGA players to have achieved the career Grand Slam, winning each of the four majors during her career. Suggs was one of six inaugural inductees in the LPGA Tour’s Hall of Fame. A gifted teacher, Suggs was named an honorary member of the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Division in 1993. She has donated a number of her trophies and memorabilia to the World Golf Hall of Fame, of which the LPGA Tour is a part, housed at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. Sponsored by Rolex, the Rolex Rookie of the Year award has been awarded since 1962, when Mary Mills claimed the award. The Rolex Rookie of the Year is determined via a points system that awards points to LPGA rookies based on their tournament performances throughout the season. Six of the LPGA’s 17 Hall of Fame members were Rolex Rookie of the Year recipients: JoAnne Carner (1970); Amy Alcott (1975); Nancy Lopez (1978); Beth Daniel (1979); Patty Sheehan (1981); and Juli Inkster (1984). Other prominent LPGA players who were Rolex Rookie of the Year recipients include Liselotte Neumann (1988), Helen Alfredsson (1993), Annika Sorenstam (1994), Karrie Webb (1996) and Se Ri Pak (1998). The oldest, longest-running women’s sports association in the world, the LPGA is a non-profit organization involved in every facet of golf. The LPGA, whose membership includes both touring and teaching golf professionals, will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2000. Featuring the world’s best women golfers, players on the LPGA Tour in 2000 will compete for more money per tournament than ever before. Through its tournaments, the LPGA has generated more than $110 million for charities since 1981. The LPGA is also committed to advancing women, youth and the sport of golf through expanding the programs of the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional (T&CP) Division, as well as increasing contributions of the organization and its tournaments to charity. For Further Information, Contact: Leslie King, LPGA, +1 904-274-6270