Alison Nicholas Receives PGA Lifetime Achievement Award

December 2013, Alison Nicholas MBE was awarded with the PGAs of Europe’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding achievements and contribution to the game.

Alison Nicholas is a wonderful role model in women’s golf. She was 17 when she first took up the sport, turning professional just 4 four years later. It just shows that you do not need to start playing when you are still in nappies to be successful. Anyone can do it if they have the drive and determination like Alison Nicholas.

Her first major professional win came in 1987 when she won the Weetabix Ladies British Open at St Mellion. Nicholas’ career spanned nearly 30 years. She was prominent member of the Ladies European Tour and a standout player in the Solheim Cup, playing six times, vice-captaining twice (2003 and 2005) and captaining twice (2009 and 2011). Nicholas can boast 18 professional wins including a Major: the 1997 US Women’s Open at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, in Oregon.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Alison Nicholas by Ian Randell, Chief Executive of the PGAs of Europe, and Sandy Jones, PGAs of Europe Chairman, during the Annual Congress Gala Awards Dinner following a special message of congratulations from Nicholas’ fellow player and friend, Laura Davies. Nicholas received a standing ovation at the Hotel Vila Gale Lagos in the Algarve, where the Awards Dinner took place. The Lifetime Achievement Award has previously been awarded to Seve Ballesteros (posthumously in 2011) and Tony Jacklin (2012).

“I’m overwhelmed to be honest, I certainly didn’t expect it, but I’m honoured and humbled to received it,” explained Nicholas. “It blows me away to think my name is amongst those previous recipients.

“Seve Ballesteros was my hero, when you saw him play, his tenacity and sheer charisma was something that we all looked up to and aspired to, so to receive an award he’s also received is incredible.

“Jacklin obviously pioneered the modern Ryder Cup era and taught Europe to win and believe in themselves – I took all those things on board when I took on the Solheim Cup captaincy and wanted to aspire to do the same as him. Both these winners were an inspiration to me so to receive the award after them is unreal, I can’t get my head around it to be honest.”

Now 51, Nicholas has retired from playing and captaincy roles. She is currently a PGA Professional coach at a club on the outskirts of Birmingham where she will be developing the golf stars of the future.

References

http://www.alisonnicholas.co.uk/content.php?id=1005

http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/main_article.php?id=68291&pid=1001