U.S., World Teams Announced for 2014 ISPS Handa Cup

BOSTON, Mass. (WCBI/Legends Tour) – The teams have been named and the stage is set for this year’s ninth annual ISPS Handa Cup, scheduled September 25-28, at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Mississippi.

A highlight on The Legends Tour schedule each year, the Handa Cup is an international team competition that pits U.S.-born LPGA Legends (age 45 and over) against internationally born LPGA Legends in 36 holes of head-to-head stroke-play competition.

This year, the World Team returns to the event as the defending champion for the first time. The international squad defeated Team U.S.A. 27-21 in 2013, giving the Americans incentive to win back the honor and the World Team a firm desire to retain the cup.

“All but one member of our team was a part of the 2013 World Team that defeated the U.S. for the very first time,” said South Africa’s Sally Little, captain of the 2014 World Team. “We savored that victory and I promise we will draw on that energy again this year in defense of the Handa Cup.”

Team USA will gain a little firepower this year with the addition of Juli Inkster, who won the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open Championship at Old Waverly. Inkster will make her debut in the event, joining former U.S. Solheim Cup teammates and former U.S. Solheim Captains Beth Daniel, Meg Mallon, Pat Bradley and Rosie Jones.

Captained by Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez, Team USA will be comprised of: Bradley, Daniel, Inkster, Christa Johnson, Jones, Mallon, Barb Mucha, Laurie Rinker, Nancy Scranton, Val Skinner, Sherri Steinhauer and Sherri Turner. Elaine Crosby will serve as assistant captain.

“My team is excited and ready to play at Old Waverly,” said Lopez, also a former U.S. Solheim Cup team member and captain. “These players know how to win and we are ready to win the Handa Cup back.”

The World Team will feature former European Solheim Cup players Helen Alfredsson of Sweden, Laura Davies, Trish Johnson and Alison Nicholas, all of Great Britain, as well as Sweden’s Liselotte Neumann, who captained Europe’s victorious 2013 Solheim Cup Team.

Joining those European Solheim Cup stalwarts for the World Team will be: Canadians Dawn Coe-Jones and Lorie Kane; Australians Jane Crafter, Wendy Doolan and Jan Stephenson; South Americans Alicia Dibos and Jenny Lidback; and Japan’s Mieko Nomura. Coe-Jones will serve as assistant captain for the World Team.

New to the rules this year, both World Team Captain Sally Little and Team USA Captain Nancy Lopez may serve as playing captains with the option to slate themselves into the competitive lineup.

Grounds passes are $10 per day and clubhouse passes are for $25 per day. Kids 10 and under, as well as members of the military, get in free with an I.D.

Tickets are available at www.thelegendstour.com/tickets.

Here is the schedule of events for the 2014 ISPS Handa Cup:

Thursday, Sept. 25 – Opening ceremony, 6 p.m..

Friday, Sept. 26 – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Pro-Am tournament, 10 a.m. Pro-am teams will be comprised of one LPGA Legend, three adult amateurs and one junior player selected from the Old Waverly junior golf program (boys and girls, ages 8-16). Opening matches announced following the pro-am.

Saturday, Sept. 27 – Team matches, 9 a.m. Individual matches announced following team play.

Sunday, Sept. 28 – Individual matches, 9 a.m., with a closing ceremony following play

About The Legends Tour
The Legends Tour is the official senior tour of the LPGA. The tour began in 2000 by LPGA professionals to showcase the talents of some of the greatest women’s golfers of all time. The Legends Tour has more than 120 members, including 12 LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame members. Legends Tour players have over 675 combined LPGA Tour victories, including 70 major championships. In its 13 seasons, The Legends Tour has awarded more than $11 million in prize money and helped raise more than $14 million for charity. The Legends Tour has hosted events in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Japan and Australia. For additional information on The Legends Tour, log on to www.thelegendstour.com.