The ever-present smile on Lee Lopez’s face portends a promising career on the LPGA as she succeeds as a rookie on this year’s Epson Tour. But even more so, the attitude recalls a time in Whittier, Calif., when Lopez learned the game at the knee of her father, Robert.
“My dad was the only one in my family who played golf,” Lopez said. “My dad’s workplace had a company league once a week and he started playing in that, so he took me out there at age 4 for nine holes. Plus, we got ice cream after golf. I was hooked.
“I grew up on a public golf course in a large Latino community. I realized early on that I probably couldn’t go to college unless I earned a scholarship. So golf was a way to get an education. My dad gets to work at 4:30 in the morning and he always told me, ‘A bad day at the golf course is always better than my best day at work.’ ”
Lopez, 24, was taught by her father until her teen-aged years and then carried that positive focus through to a star-studded prep and college career at Long Beach State and UCLA. At Long Beach, she was the Big West Conference Freshman of the Year as the 49ers won the Big West title. After she transferred to UCLA, Lopez achieved All-America, Academic and MVP honors and an NCAA team title in 2011. Plus, she earned a degree in History from UCLA.
The upward movement has continued in her rookie season as a professional. She is seventh on the Epson Tour money list and second in the Gaelle Truet Rookie of the Year standings. In her last three events, Lopez has finished tied for fifth, second and tied for fifth. She led after the second round of the Four Winds Invitational in South Bend, Ind., and after the first round of the Island Resort Championship in Harris, Mich., the two most recent tournaments on the Epson Tour schedule. Additionally, Lopez has played every round (39) in all 13 events thus far this season and aims to continue the Iron Woman routine over the final seven events of the season when plays resumes July 25 at the SEFCU Championship in Albany, N.Y.
“Surprisingly, the transition from amateur golf to the Epson Tour has been pretty easy,” Lopez said. “I’m lucky I’ve got some former teammates and friends out here. I’ve been taking a lot of their advice on traveling and practicing. This is my job. It’s what I love to do. I’m not one for taking many breaks.”
Lopez seeks to follow in the footsteps of retired Lorena Ochoa, whom she met a few years ago at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
“She was the nicest, most authentic person,” Lopez said. “We met her family while walking the course. They were the nicest people. I just liked the way she carried herself on the course. That’s something I wanted to be.”
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