Nancy Lopez bids emotional farewell to U.S. Open

HUTCHINSON, KANSAS - Nancy Lopez closed out another chapter in a remarkable career Friday. <br> <br> Cheers rang in her ears and tears welled in her eyes as Lopez played for the 25th and final time in the U.S. Women&#39;s Open. It was one more stop on the farewell tour for one of the sport&#39;s most beloved and engaging players. <br> <br> Her round of 79 at the Prairie Dunes Country Club left Lopez at 20-over 160 for the tournament, and she missed the cut by a wide margin. <br> <br> And while it bothered Lopez to play so poorly, it didn&#39;t matter to those who applauded her. And applaud they did -- from the bleachers, from the hillsides, from the luxury suites and along the fairway. <br> <br> The cheers reached a crescendo as Lopez walked up the 18th fairway. You would have thought she was winning the Open instead of leaving it. <br> <br> The 45-year-old Lopez, who lives in Albany with husband Ray Knight, is in her 25th year on the LPGA Tour. She announced this spring that it would be her last as a full-time player. The last of her 48 tour wins came in 1997.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/7/192786