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Angela Stanford by no means needed to be given something. And, for a very long time, she had no cause to ask. Stanford has been enjoying her approach into majors longer than some gamers on the LPGA have been alive. In reality, she hasn’t missed a significant for the reason that 2002 McDonald’s LPGA Championship.
That’s 97 consecutive main begins, the longest file within the sport. In reality, Jack Nicklaus is the one participant to ever attain 100 consecutive main begins.
Now, Stanford received’t have to fret about reaching No. 98 because the Chevron Championship, scheduled for April 18-21, has introduced that she’ll obtain an exemption into the primary LPGA main of the yr. Whereas Stanford continues to grind on her sport, she knew it was time to ask for assist and was grateful for the decision.
“I’d be mendacity if I mentioned it doesn’t take the strain off a bit bit,” she mentioned, “which is sweet.”
The purpose of reaching 100 consecutive majors put Stanford on a mission over the offseason. She bought rattled in her first begin of the yr on the LPGA Drive On as aggressive rust kicked in. Final season, Stanford labored fairly a bit for the Golf Channel as an on-course reporter, as she dabbled in what is perhaps her subsequent chapter.
However she couldn’t shake the significance of this streak, and rededicating herself to the file has given her a way of peace that it doesn’t matter what occurs, she’ll be OK when it’s time to cease competing on the LPGA.
Angela Stanford poses with the trophy after successful the Volunteers of America Basic on the Previous American Golf Membership on December 6, 2020, in The Colony, Texas. (Photograph: Chuck Burton/Getty Photos)
There are usually extra youngsters in a ladies’s main championship discipline than there are gamers over 40. At age 46, Stanford, a seven-time winner on the LPGA, has supplied an necessary perspective to each youthful gamers and media alike on what’s on the coronary heart of LPGA custom.
Stanford is properly conscious that whereas there are 5 majors now, there have been loads of years on the LPGA that had been so lean that solely two main championship trophies had been up for grabs.
“Should you watch any golf in any respect,” mentioned Stanford, “when you observe golf historical past, it’s apparent that the majors are the tournaments that gamers decide their careers by.
“I believe to have the ability to play in a significant, it’s a must to be enjoying fairly good, after which to have the ability to do it yr after yr after yr … I believe the factor I’m most pleased with is I sustained that stage.”
Stanford received the tour’s latest main, the Amundi Evian Championship, in 2019 at age 40. The Texan’s first LPGA title got here in 2003 on the ShopRite LPGA Basic, and her most up-to-date got here in 2020 on the Volunteers of America Basic, not removed from her Fort Value dwelling. Stanford can be the reigning Senior LPGA Championship winner, taking the senior main title in her 2023 debut at age 45.
Natalie Gulbis, Morgan Pressel Stacy Lewis, captain of staff USA and Angela Stanford pose with the Solheim Cup trophy throughout the official name previous to the Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin Golf Membership on September 19, 2023, in Casares, Spain. (Photograph by Stuart Franklin/Getty Photos)
Later this yr, Stanford will as soon as once more function an assistant captain on the Solheim Cup to fellow Texan Stacy Lewis.
“Chevron is thrilled to welcome Angela Stanford, one of many most interesting American gamers of her technology, into the sector at The Chevron Championship at The Membership at Carlton Woods,” mentioned Al Williams, Vice President, Company Affairs at Chevron in a press release.
Cristie Kerr’s main streak ended at 92 (with 76 made cuts). The following finest in LPGA historical past is Betsy King with 73 (67 made cuts).
The longest lively majors streak in males’s golf belongs to Adam Scott at 89. The Aussie’s streak started on the 2001 British Open Championship.
Stanford’s teacher, Todd Kolb, is coming on this weekend. It’s not in her make-up to obtain an exemption after which mail it in. She needs to get to 100 main begins whereas additionally enjoying the weekends.
After the Chevron, Stanford’s 99th begin would come on the U.S. Girls’s Open at Lancaster Nation Membership. She plans to ask the USGA for a one-time exemption, ought to she want it. Different methods embody the highest 75 of the Rolex Rankings, high 10 of the present CME factors listing or join a qualifier.
The a hundredth begin could be on the KPMG Girls’s PGA June 20-23 at Sahalee Nation Membership in Washington.
“This may very well be it,” mentioned Stanford. “I’m actually type of set on if I can get to the end line of 100 … I need to play Evian yet one more time, and if I get into AIG (at St. Andrews), I’d love that.
“I’ve realized that I’m type of at my restrict right here. I’ve gotten to the purpose that I don’t know that I can chase it previous this yr. … If that is the final Chevron, that’s OK. It’s very significant.”
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