Melissa McNamara
Encyclopedia
Melissa McNamara Luellen (born May 25, 1966) is an American professional golfer
who played on the LPGA Tour
.
McNamara was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
. She played college golf at the University of Tulsa
where her mother, Dale, was the head coach and was a member of the Chi Omega
fraternity. She helped her team win the 1988 NCAA Women's Division I Championship
and she won the individual title. These titles were later vacated by the NCAA
due to rules violations by the track and field team.
McNamara turned professional in 1988 and played on the Futures Tour
and Ladies European Tour
in 1988 and 1989. She joined the LPGA Tour in 1990. She won once on the LPGA Tour in 1991.
After retiring from tournament golf, McNamara became head coach of the University of Tulsa's women's golf team, replacing her mother. She coached at Tulsa for two years and then became head coach at Arizona State University
in 2002. She has coached the team to the 2009 NCAA championship and Azahara Muñoz
to the 2008 individual NCAA title.
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who played on the LPGA Tour
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
.
McNamara was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
. She played college golf at the University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
where her mother, Dale, was the head coach and was a member of the Chi Omega
Chi Omega
Chi Omega is a women's fraternity and the largest member of the National Panhellenic Conference. Chi Omega has 174 active collegiate chapters and over 230 alumnae chapters. Chi Omega's national headquarters is located in Memphis, Tennessee....
fraternity. She helped her team win the 1988 NCAA Women's Division I Championship
NCAA Women's Golf Championship
NCAA Champions for women's golf:-Division I:-Division II-III combined:-Division II:-Division III:-Team:The following schools have won more than one team championship:*15: Methodist*7: Arizona State*5: Duke, Rollins*4: Florida Southern...
and she won the individual title. These titles were later vacated by the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
due to rules violations by the track and field team.
McNamara turned professional in 1988 and played on the Futures Tour
FUTURES Tour
The LPGA Futures Tour, previously styled in uppercase as FUTURES Tour and known for sponsorship reasons between 2006 and 2010 as the Duramed FUTURES Tour, is the official developmental golf tour of the LPGA Tour...
and Ladies European Tour
Ladies European Tour
The Ladies European Tour is a professional golf tour for women which was founded in 1979. It is based in England. Like many UK-based sports organisations it is a company limited by guarantee, a legal structure which enables it to focus on maximising returns to its members through prize money,...
in 1988 and 1989. She joined the LPGA Tour in 1990. She won once on the LPGA Tour in 1991.
After retiring from tournament golf, McNamara became head coach of the University of Tulsa's women's golf team, replacing her mother. She coached at Tulsa for two years and then became head coach at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
in 2002. She has coached the team to the 2009 NCAA championship and Azahara Muñoz
Azahara Muñoz
Azahara Muñoz Guijarro is a Spanish professional golfer on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour.-Amateur career:...
to the 2008 individual NCAA title.