PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Alice Dye, whose golf career has included capturing national amateur championships, serving at the game's highest administrative levels and influencing modern golf architectural design to better serve players of all abilities, has been named recipient of the 2004 PGA First Lady of Golf Award.

A native of Indianapolis, Ind., Dye will be honored May 26, in a 7 p.m. ceremony at The Kentucky Center's Bomhard Theater in Louisville, Ky. The ceremony is in conjunction with the 65th Senior PGA Championship week, May 24-30, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville.

"Alice Dye's passion for the game of golf is infectious and serves as an example for all who cherish the game and its future," said PGA of America President M.G. Orender. "Alice has achieved success both on and off the golf course, and has extended her career of service through tireless efforts in both architecture and serving with industry leaders to expand the accessibility to the game for women golfers. The PGA of America is very proud to present her with its PGA First Lady of Golf Award."

Introduced to golf at age 11 by her father, the late Perry O'Neal, Dye began a lifetime love affair with the game that would lead her to winning 50 amateur titles, including two USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championships, two Canadian Senior Women's Championships, nine Indiana Women's Amateur and three Florida Women's Amateur titles, competing on the 1970 Curtis Cup Team and serving as captain of the 1992 Women's World Cup.

Dye met her husband, golf architect Pete Dye, following World War II at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., where she graduated in 1948 and later received an honorary doctoral degree in 2002.

The Dyes married in 1950 and have collaborated on the design of many of America's premier golf courses. Their first joint effort was El Dorado, now Royal Oak Country Club in Greenwood, Ind. They have since co-designed such courses as PGA West in La Quinta, Calif.; The Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, S.C.; Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, S.C.; Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind.; and The Dye Course at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

The partnership evolved into Alice contributing her expertise to make more courses manageable for the woman player. She led a successful campaign to have "forward tees" added to new courses nationwide.

Dye was the first woman to serve as an independent director of The PGA of America (1999-2002), the first woman president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, and she is a past member of the USGA Women's Committee and LPGA Advisory Council. She currently serves on the Women's Western Amateur Board of Directors.

Dye's previous career honors include being a member of the Indiana Sports Hall of Fame, an honorary member of the Indiana PGA Section and a recipient of the Women's Western Golf Association Woman of Distinction Award.

Additionally, Pete and Alice Dye funded a pilot program at Purdue University, Golf: For Business & Life, which has since grown into a premier PGA Growth of the Game initiative operating at 35 colleges and universities nationwide. The program is taught by PGA Professionals, who instruct college juniors, seniors and graduate students in the basic skills, etiquette and terminology of golf.

"I am most honored to be selected by The PGA of America for this award," said Dye. "I fell in love with golf from the start, and have worked my whole life to promote the game and particularly women's golf. Throughout this journey, I have been blessed by having the guidance of many PGA Professionals, who encouraged me in my game and guided me, serving as mentors to help make me a better person.

"I have met so many great people in the game and have had the opportunity to express to young people how golf teaches you life skills and that the game can help make all of us better citizens. I believe that you never truly leave the game of golf. You may not be out on the course every day, but if you have played golf and understand its challenges and its joys, you may continue to watch it, pick up a magazine and follow the great people who are part of the game and its history."

Alice and Pete Dye live in Indianapolis and Delray Beach, Fla. They are the parents of two sons, both golf architects: Perry Dye of Denver, Colo., and Paul (P.B.) Dye of Wellington, Fla.

The PGA First Lady of Golf Award, inaugurated in 1998, is presented to a woman who has made significant contributions to the promotion of the game of golf. PGA First Lady of Golf recipients: 1998: Barbara Nicklaus 1999: Judy Rankin 2000: No recipient 2001: Judy Bell 2002: Nancy Lopez 2003: Renee Powell 2004: Alice Dye

Alice's book can be found at Amazon.com

The PGA of America, founded in 1916, is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the game of golf while continuing to enhance the standards of the profession. The Association is comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals who are dedicated to growing participation in the game of golf.

from PGA of America News

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