Meet Gail Graham
3-Time winner on the LPGA
Tour hails from Canada |
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Gail Graham will host the
April 26, 2010 LPGA Golf Clinic for Women in the Atlanta area.
She currently plays on The Legends Tour, Official Senior Tour of
the LPGA. After a 15-year career hitting all the LPGA Tour stops
and exiting three of them as a champion, Graham has enjoyed
continued competition among her peers on The Legends Tour.
Recently, she teed it up in the 2009 Handa Cup, The Legends
Tour's equivalent of the Solheim Cup, representing her home
country of Canada. She earned 1 point for Team World, teaming up
with Peru's Jenny Lidback and going all square in a match
against the formidable Sherri Turner and LPGA Hall of Famer
Sandra Haynie of the U.S.
Graham began playing golf at
the age of 13 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She was the
Manitoba Amateur champion in 1983 and 1985. She was a member of
the Canadian Commonwealth Championship team in 1987 and the low
amateur at the LPGA’s 1987 du Maurier Ltd. Classic. The Canadian
graduated from Lamar University, where she was an NCAA Academic
All-American in 1986.
Graham credits her parents Alice and Bill Anderson as the
individuals most influencing her career. A member of the LPGA
Executive Committee from 1994-97 and from 2000-02, Graham also
served as LPGA Tour president from 2001-02. Graham's hobbies
include interior design, antiquing, crafts and watching HGTV.
She has two Jack Russell terriers: Petey and Lucy and she is a
huge hockey fan. An aspiring golf commentator, national anthem
singer and tournament consultant, Graham is never at a loss for
something to do.
A Quick 18 with Gail |
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Front
9 – About Golf
| 1. |
Which club in your bag is your favorite?
My
putter! |
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2.
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Name
golfers who have influenced your career or that you
admire.
Nancy
Lopez, Jocelyne Bourassa, Jack Nicklaus |
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3. |
What was
your favorite Tour stop on the LPGA?
LPGA Corning
Classic |
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4. |
What is the
best tip you can give to an amateur golfer?
Pay attention to the fundamentals. Grip. Stance.
Posture. If you start with a solid base it will be a lot
easier to find your swing, make solid contact and have a
ball. |
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5. |
What is
your favorite golf course to play?
My home course in B.C.: the Kelowna Golf and Country
Club. |
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6. |
What is the
strongest part of your game?
Currently, that's a tough one! Getting the ball airborne
is a major accomplishment right now. But when I compete
on Tour, I would have to say my putting. |
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7. |
Do you
think a hole in one is pure luck or pure skill?
A little of both. Skill to make contact and luck for the
hole to get in the way. |
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8. |
If you
could have one special power in golf, how would you enhance
your game?
To have length like Michelle Wie or Brittany
Lincicome. My short game was always strong so if I could
have been super long, it would have been a blast. I
would take it today... |
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9. |
How many
pairs of golf shoes do you have?
5 or 6. They are all a few years old but in great
shape. It may be time for some new ones, though! |
Back 9 - About You (and a
little more Golf)
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10. |
What is
your favorite sport to watch and which team/individual do
you follow?
Hockey! Hockey! Hockey! I follow the Calgary Flames
because Jarome Iginla is a friend. And of course I LOVE
Sidney Crosby! |
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11. |
What is
your favorite TV show?
Criminal Minds - it intrigues and scares me. Love
Brothers and Sisters, too. |
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12. |
If you were
to write a book, what would it be about?
It would be a story about overcoming obstacles to live
your dream. |
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13. |
Which
holiday do you look forward to the most?
Christmas - always a big holiday get-together. |
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14. |
Name
a place you’ve never been and why you’d like to go
there.
I would love to go to Italy! The movie "Under the Tuscan
Sun" is a favorite of mine and I would love to see the
hills of Tuscany |
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15. |
What is
your favorite restaurant?
The Flying Biscuit Cafe In Atlanta for Breakfast. Subway
for lunch and for dinner.
I also like Seasons 52. |
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16. |
What is
your favorite movie? Can you quote a line from it?
I grew up watching the Sound of Music every single time
it came on TV. I know the words to every song they sing! |
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17. |
What's your
favorite golf memory?
Winning the 1997 Alpine Australian Ladies Masters
with my parents in the gallery. I had to talk them into
going even though I had two free business class tickets
for them to use! |
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18. |
What is
your favorite thing about golf?
The people that I have met over the course of the 30+
years that I have played the game. |
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That Was Then... |
- 3 LPGA
Wins
- LPGA
Tour past president from 2001-2002.
- 15
years on LPGA Tour
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This Is Now... |
- Active
on The Legends Tour, Official Senior Tour of the LPGA
-
President of LPGA Tournament Owners Association since 2007
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 |
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Graham signs
a ball for a fan at the Wendy's Charity Challenge in Jackson,
Michigan. |
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 |
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Graham teed
it up for the World Team representing Canada in The Legends
Tour's 2009 Handa Cup. |
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