Sara Lee Classic
Encyclopedia
The Sara Lee Classic was a golf
tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1988 to 2002. It was played at Hermitage Golf Course in Old Hickory, Tennessee
from 1988 to 1999. In 2000, the tournament moved to the Legends Club of Tennessee in Franklin, Tennessee
and changed its name to the Electrolux USA Championship. The tournament was hosted by singers Vince Gill
and Amy Grant
in its final three years.
Electrolux USA Championship Hosted by Vince Gill and Amy Grant
Sara Lee Classic
suffered severe burns after finishing her second round of play in that year's Sara Lee Classic. Gerring was in a buffet line at a tournament hospitality tent when a catering employee tried to restart a fire with denatured alcohol. Flames erupted, engulfing Gerring from the waist up. Gerring was immediately taken to a nearby burn unit.
Gerring did not play pro golf again until 1996, but never recovered her form. Three years after the accident, Gerring settled a lawsuit she filed against the catering company whose employee caused the fire to happen.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1988 to 2002. It was played at Hermitage Golf Course in Old Hickory, Tennessee
Old Hickory, Tennessee
Old Hickory, Tennessee is a section of metropolitan Nashville, Tennessee, named in honor of President Andrew Jackson who was nicknamed "Old Hickory."...
from 1988 to 1999. In 2000, the tournament moved to the Legends Club of Tennessee in Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
and changed its name to the Electrolux USA Championship. The tournament was hosted by singers Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
and Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
in its final three years.
Winners
Aerus Electrolux USA Championship Hosted by Vince Gill and Amy Grant- 2002 Annika SörenstamAnnika SörenstamAnnika Sörenstam is a Swedish-American professional golfer whose achievements rank her as one of the most successful golfers in history. Before stepping away from competitive golf at the end of the 2008 season, she won 90 international tournaments as a professional, making her the female golfer...
Electrolux USA Championship Hosted by Vince Gill and Amy Grant
- 2001 Juli InksterJuli InksterJuli Inkster is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. With a professional career spanning 27 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $11 million in career earnings...
- 2000 Pat HurstPat HurstPat Hurst is an American professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.Hurst's father is American and her mother is originally from Japan. She was born in San Leandro, California and raised in California.-Amateur career:...
Sara Lee Classic
- 1999 Meg Mallon
- 1998 Barb MuchaBarb MuchaBarb Mucha is an American professional golfer.Mucha was born in Parma Heights, Ohio. She played college golf at Michigan State University.Prior to joining the LPGA Tour in 1987, Mucha won six events on the Futures Tour...
- 1997 Terry-Jo MyersTerry-Jo MyersTerry-Jo Myers is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Myers won three times on the LPGA Tour between 1988 and 1997.Myers suffered from interstitial cystitis throughout her career...
- 1996 Meg Mallon
- 1995 Michelle McGannMichelle McGannMichelle McGann is an American professional golfer.McGann was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. She was diagnosed as with juvenile diabetes at age 13 but she did not let the disease interfere with her game...
- 1994 Laura DaviesLaura DaviesLaura Jane Davies CBE is an English professional golfer.She is considered the most accomplished English female golfer of modern times being the first non-American to finish at the top of the LPGA money list...
- 1993 Meg Mallon
- 1992 Maggie WillMaggie WillMargaret "Maggie" Will is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Will won three times on the LPGA Tour between 1990 and 1994.-LPGA Tour wins:LPGA Tour playoff record -External links:...
- 1991 Nancy LopezNancy LopezNancy Marie Lopez is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won 48 LPGA Tour events during her LPGA career, including three major championships.-Amateur career:...
- 1990 Ayako OkamotoAyako Okamotois a Japanese professional golfer. She won 62 tournaments internationally, including 17 on the American LPGA Tour. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early career:...
- 1989 Kathy PostlewaitKathy PostlewaitKathy Postlewait is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Postlewait won four times on the LPGA Tour between 1983 and 1989.-LPGA Tour wins:LPGA Tour playoff record -External links:...
- 1988 Patti RizzoPatti RizzoPatrice "Patti" Rizzo is an American professional golfer and golf instructor.Rizzo was born in Hollywood, Florida. A collegiate All-American at the University of Miami, among her significant victories as an amateur were the Eastern Women's Amateur and Mexican Amateur in 1980, a year when she was...
Tournament highlights
- 1988: The inaugural version of the tournament is decided in a sudden death playoff involving four players. Patti RizzoPatti RizzoPatrice "Patti" Rizzo is an American professional golfer and golf instructor.Rizzo was born in Hollywood, Florida. A collegiate All-American at the University of Miami, among her significant victories as an amateur were the Eastern Women's Amateur and Mexican Amateur in 1980, a year when she was...
birdies the fifth extra hole to defeat Sherri TurnerSherri Turner-Amateur career:Turner was born in Greenville, South Carolina. A golfer by the age of 5, she was the 1974-75 Carolinas Junior champion. While playing for Furman University, she was a medalist at three tournaments, including the Women's Southern Intercollegiate. She was selected for the All-American...
after Tammie GreenTammie GreenTammie Green is an American professional golfer.-Career:Green was born in Somerset, Ohio. She attended Marshall University. She started her professional career on the Futures Tour, on which she won 11 tournaments and was Player of the Year in 1985 and 1986. She was Rookie of the Year on the LPGA...
and Kim Williams had previously dropped out on the playoff's first hole. - 1991: Nancy LopezNancy LopezNancy Marie Lopez is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won 48 LPGA Tour events during her LPGA career, including three major championships.-Amateur career:...
, pregnant with her third child, wins by two shots over Kris MonaghanKris MonaghanKris Monaghan is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Monaghan won twice on the LPGA Tour, in 1990 and 1993.-LPGA Tour wins:*1990 Red Robin Kyocera Inamori Classic*1993 Kyocera Inamori Classic...
. - 1995: Michelle McGannMichelle McGannMichelle McGann is an American professional golfer.McGann was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. She was diagnosed as with juvenile diabetes at age 13 but she did not let the disease interfere with her game...
wins on the LPGA Tour for the first time. She finished one shot ahead of defending champion Laura DaviesLaura DaviesLaura Jane Davies CBE is an English professional golfer.She is considered the most accomplished English female golfer of modern times being the first non-American to finish at the top of the LPGA money list...
. - 2002: Annika SörenstamAnnika SörenstamAnnika Sörenstam is a Swedish-American professional golfer whose achievements rank her as one of the most successful golfers in history. Before stepping away from competitive golf at the end of the 2008 season, she won 90 international tournaments as a professional, making her the female golfer...
wins the last edition of the tournament by shooting a final round 64 to finish one shot ahead of Pat HurstPat HurstPat Hurst is an American professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.Hurst's father is American and her mother is originally from Japan. She was born in San Leandro, California and raised in California.-Amateur career:...
. Hurst came to the tournament's final hole tied for the lead but hit a ball into the water leading to a bogey.
1992 fire
Three-time LPGA Tour winner Cathy GerringCathy Gerring
Cathy Kratzert Gerring is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Born Cathy Kratzert, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, she played college golf at Ohio State University....
suffered severe burns after finishing her second round of play in that year's Sara Lee Classic. Gerring was in a buffet line at a tournament hospitality tent when a catering employee tried to restart a fire with denatured alcohol. Flames erupted, engulfing Gerring from the waist up. Gerring was immediately taken to a nearby burn unit.
Gerring did not play pro golf again until 1996, but never recovered her form. Three years after the accident, Gerring settled a lawsuit she filed against the catering company whose employee caused the fire to happen.