Living the Dream
8/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Living the Dream
Leslie Spalding (above) is Alabama’s latest professional golf success story. The 1991 senior earned her LPGA card in 1995, citing her former Tide coaches, Dick Spybey & Betty Palmer, as some of the secrets behind her success.
A solid all-around player during her time at the Capstone (1988-91), Leslie Spalding did not set the Alabama record books on fire. However since her arrival on the LPGA tour in 1996, she has become one of the program’s most successful graduates.
A native of Billings, Mont., Spalding led the Crimson Tide with a 77.8 stroke average during her senior season.
She captured a pair of medallist crowns during her years at Bama and earned Academic All-SEC honors three times.
Spalding began her professional playing career on the Futures Tour (1992-95) before qualifying for the LPGA. Since her arrival on Tour, Spalding has improved every season. Every year she makes more cuts and earns more money and closes in on capturing her first tournament title.
Her best finish on tour was a tie for 3rd at the 2001 ShopRite LPGA Classic. Spalding’s career low round of 64 has come twice (ShopRite & Welch’s Fry’s Championship). She has a pair of career aces (hole-in-one) to her credit at the New Albany Golf Classic and the BMO Financial Group Canadian Open.
Now a non-exempt member of the LPGA, Spalding continues to be a success climbing the career money list with nearly $600,000??ranking her 189th all-time.
PROmotion
Golfers from Alabama have gone on to fulfill life-long dreams. Cases in point, All-American Judi Schneider Pavon (1986-89) qualified for the 1992 LPGA tour as a full-time member, while Peggy Kirsch (1978-81) qualified under conditional status. Sofia Gronberg (1986-87) plays the European LPGA and at one time was the leading money winner. Gronberg was the Swedish Junior National Champion in 1985. Leslie Spalding (1988-91), Maria Lopez (1990-92), and Loretta Coleman (1983-84) have all played on the Futures Tour. Spalding is currently on the LPGA tour (see above feature). Lois Ledbetter Vucich competed on the Futures Tour from 1988-90 and won one tournament, the 1989 Magna-Millikin Bank Classic in Decatur, Ill. and Kathryn Cusick (1997-98) captured the Lincoln FUTURES Golf Classic in Avon, Conn., in 2002. Other UA graduates who have joined Cusick and Vanessa Bell as members of the Futures Tour include Paula Carter, Linda Sorensen and Sarah Johnston.
