After so many Michelle Wie and John Daly exemptions resulting in missed cuts, sometimes sponsor's exemptions can put a bad taste in your mouth, But here is an exemption I'm really happy to see!
Stephanie Sparks, best known for her co-host role on the Big Break has been offered a sponsor's exemption to the 2008 Ginn OPEN, April 14-20, and...she's accepted, back surgeries and all! Well done Stephanie!
Sparks was an All-American at Duke University from 1992 to 1994. Before turning pro in 1996 and joining the FUTURES tour, she won quite a few amateur events, including the Women's Western Amateur Champion, Women's Eastern Amateur Champion, Women's North and South Champion, and West Virginia State Amateur Champion. She joined the LPGA in 2000, but back problems shortened her career before it really had a chance to take off.
I really enjoyed the Vince/Stephanie combo on The Big Break. Like Golf for Women's Stina Sternberg, Stephanie is great in front of a camera - she's stylish, beautiful and athletic and the camera loves her. She's not the calendar girl type like Natalie Gulbis, and she doesn't have the same "quick come backs" that Kelly Tilghman has (that sometimes gets her into trouble), but she is a solid analyst and commentator and I'd like to see more of her on The Golf Channel or even network television like Dottie Pepper.
Now...Dottie Pepper...there's one talented woman, golfer and TV analyst. I am so impressed with her. She can play with the boys and hold her own without a flinch. You never see her intimidated by being the lone golfgal in a field of male players, commentators, reporters and other analysts. To me she and Johnny Miller are the best analysts out there - a great team - even when they step in it with their Ben Hogan puking and chokin freakin dogs blunders. I love it when they're calling the action.
Anyway, I was really pleased to see today that Dottie will be inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall-of-Fame this May. No surprise, given she helped Furman to 4 straight appearances at the NCAA Championships, including three top four finishes. She was a star amateur golfer with many accolades and a star LPGA'er in her own right winning 17 LPGA titles. She was on 6 U.S. Solheim Cup teams and a fierce competitor.
Now, what I'd like to see is more of Stephanie and Stina on The Golf Channel and other sports TV stations. Both Stephanie and Stina made the Golf With Style shows fun and entertaining and made you want to play at every venue they visited.
I am really looking forward to Stina co-hosting the Big Break Ka'anpali, which kicks off April 15th. The previews look great and I'll bet this Big Break garners the largest audience ever.
Anyway, ladies...you may not realize it, but you are an inspiration to young women entering sports media careers. My niece is one of those and I know she's watching you and loving it!
Golfgal
I like Dottie's spunk and knowledge. She's from Saratoga Springs, NY, just south of me. Johnny on the other hand I can sometimes live without. I can't stand it when he critiques a player's shot selection or points out swing faults with only the benefit of his monitor. Johnny's own swing was loose and not very reliable. That explains his huge success for a period of time and his relatively short career. I learned all that with a monitor.
Nice article! -Bob
Posted by: Brancato | April 06, 2008 at 08:52 PM