The Woman of Distinction Award
Stacy Lewis
The WWGA honors Stacy Lewis with the 2025 Woman of Distinction Award.
Stacy Lewis, a two-time major winner and 13-time winner overall on the LPGA Tour, was humbled Thursday, Sept. 25, in receiving the Women’s Western Golf Association’s Woman of Distinction award.
“I’ve never heard that all at once before,” Lewis said after WWGA president Susan Buchanan rattled off Lewis’ career achievements at Sunset Ridge Country Club in Northfield, Ill.
The 40-year-old Lewis, who had announced days before her retirement at season’s end, said it will be a hard stop – at least until she becomes eligible for the Legends Tour at age 45.
“This is not a Lexi Thompson retirement,” Lewis said, referring to the star who still plays occasionally. “It’s pretty cold-turkey. I’d like to play some Legends, and I think the (U.S.) Seior Open is going to go to 45. But my daughter (Chesnee) is 7 going on 16. She wants me around right now, and I know in a few years she’s not going to want me around, so I want to take advantage of that time now.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d get to age 40 playing on the LPGA at this level. It’s really been a blessing.”
Lewis battled scoliosis for several years as a teen and, while wearing a back brace and after surgery to finally get her back straightened, still grew into a fine player, winning in three decades from 2007 to 2020 and captaining a pair of winning U.S. Solheim Cup teams.
“My goal was to set us up for the future,” Lewis said of her captaincy. “Getting to know the players was the coolest thing for me after playing against them for so long.”
Lewis is the latest in a distinguished line of notables to receive the WWGA’s highest honor, dating back to World Golf Hall of Famer Patty Berg receiving the inaugural distinction in 1994.
Her appearance was the highlight of the WWGA’s annual meeting at Sunset Ridge Country Club. The main business was the installation of officers, led by Buchanan’s election to another term at the helm.
The Woman of Distinction Award was first presented to Patty Berg in 1994. It is given to women who have displayed leadership qualities, involvement and commitment to the game on either the amateur or professional level.
The honoree will have also participated in or won a Women’s Western tournament. Other professional recipients who have received the award include Louise Suggs, Nancy Lopez, Peggy Kirk Bell, Betty Jameson, Wiffi Smith, Carol Mann, Kathy Whitworth, Mickey Wright, Emily Fletcher, Beth Daniel and 2024 recipient Dottie Pepper.
Amateur recipients include Carol Semple Thompson and Marlene Streit and Marlene Miller and WWGA Directors: June Beebe Atwood, Alice Dye, Judy Bell, Ann Upchurch, Co McArthur, Susan Wagner, Audrey Peterson and Sandra Fullmer.
