View source for Alison Nicholas

{{Short description|English professional golfer (born 1962)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name              = Alison Nicholas<br />{{small|[[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]}}
| image             = 2009 Solheim Cup - Alison Nicholas (1).jpg
| imagesize         = 225px
| caption           = Nicholas at the official announcement of the 2009 Solheim Cup team
| fullname          = Alison Nicholas
| nickname          =
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1962|3|6}}
| birth_place       = [[Gibraltar]]
| death_date        =  <!-- {{Death date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD|1962|3|6}} -->
| death_place       =
| height            = {{height|m=1.52|precision=0}}
| weight            =
| nationality       = {{ENG}}
| residence         =
| spouse            =
| partner           =
| children          =
| college           =
| yearpro           = 1984
| retired           =
| tour              =
| extour            = [[Ladies European Tour]] (joined 1984)<br>[[LPGA Tour]] (joined 1989)
| prowins           = 18
| lpgawins          = 4
| letwins           = 12 ([[List of golfers with most Ladies European Tour wins|10th all-time]])
| jlpgawins         = <!-- LPGA of Japan Tour wins -->
| klpgawins         = <!-- LPGA of Korea Tour wins -->
| lagtwins          = <!-- Number of Ladies Asian Golf Tour wins -->
| alpgwins          = <!-- Number of ALPG Tour wins -->
| futwins           = <!-- Number of Futures Tour wins -->
| otherwins         = 2
| majorwins         = 1
| nabisco           = T16: 1995
| lpga              = T23: 2000
| wusopen           = '''Won''': [[1997 U.S. Women's Open|1997]]
| dumaurier         = CUT: 1997
| wbritopen         =  28th: 2004
| wghofid           =
| wghofyear         =
| award1            = [[LET Order of Merit|Ladies European Tour<br>Order of Merit]]
| year1             = 1997
| award2            = [[LET Player of the Year|Ladies European Tour<br/>Player of the Year]]
| year2             = 1997
}}
'''Alison Nicholas''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|commas=on|MBE}} (born 6 March 1962) is an English [[professional golfer]], who won the [[1997 U.S. Women's Open]].

==Amateur career==
Nicholas was born in [[Gibraltar]]. She was educated at the School of St Mary and St Anne (now [[Abbots Bromley School for Girls]]). She enjoyed a very successful amateur career in England. She started playing golf at the age of 17 and won the 1982 and 1983 Northern Girls Amateur Open. Nicholas was the 1983 [[Ladies' British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship|British Amateur Stroke Play champion]]. In 1983, Nicholas won the Yorkshire Ladies County Championship.

==Professional career==
Nicholas turned professional in 1984 and joined the [[Ladies European Tour]] in the same year. She joined the [[LPGA Tour]] in 1989.

Nicholas won the [[Women's British Open]] in 1987, when it was recognised as a [[women's majors|major championship]] by the Ladies European Tour only, and the [[1997 U.S. Women's Open]]. She became the seventh player to have won both the British and U.S. Open titles, joining  [[Laura Davies]], [[Jane Geddes]], [[Betsy King]], [[Patty Sheehan]], [[Liselotte Neumann]] and [[Annika Sörenstam]].

At her retirement at the end of the 2004 season, Nicholas had won 12 events on the [[Ladies European Tour]]. She topped the European Tour Order of Merit in 1997 and finished in the top-10 15 times in 16 seasons between 1985 and 2000. She also won four times on the [[LPGA Tour]], between 1995 and 1999, including winning the [[U.S. Women's Open]] in 1997. In 1992, she won both the Western Australian Open and the Malaysian Open.

She won the 1991 Vivien Saunders Trophy for lowest stroke average (71.71). In 1997, she became the Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year, was awarded The Association of Golf Writers Trophy and was voted LET Players' Player of the Year, 1997 Evening Mail Sports Personality of the Year and 1997 Midlands Sports Personality of the Year.

In the [[1998 Birthday Honours]], she was appointed a [[Order of the British Empire|Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) for services to women's golf,<ref>United Kingdom list: {{London Gazette |issue=55155 |date=12 June 1998 |supp=y |pages=21 }}</ref> and in 2002 became a Life Member of the [[Ladies European Tour]].

Nicholas was a member of the European [[Solheim Cup]] team in [[1990 Solheim Cup|1990]], [[1992 Solheim Cup|1992]], [[1994 Solheim Cup|1994]], [[1996 Solheim Cup|1996]], [[1998 Solheim Cup|1998]] and [[2000 Solheim Cup|2000]], forming a formidable partnership with [[Laura Davies]]. She was non-playing assistant captain in [[2005 Solheim Cup|2005]]. In 2007, Nicholas was selected captain for the [[2009 Solheim Cup|2009]] and [[2011 Solheim Cup|2011]] European Solheim Cup teams.<ref name="SolheimCpt2009">{{cite web |title=Nicholas Solheim Cup Captain for Europe |publisher=[[Ladies European Tour]] |first=Bethan |last=Cutler |date=5 November 2007 |url=http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_news.php?Id=11486 |access-date=20 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080525232508/http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_news.php?Id=11486 |archive-date=25 May 2008}}</ref> In 2011, she led the European team to a 15–13 victory at [[Killeen Castle, Dunsany|Killeen Castle]] outside [[Dublin]], [[Ireland]].

==Professional wins (18)==
===LPGA Tour wins (4)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Legend
|-style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|LPGA Tour major championships (1)
|- 
|Other LPGA Tour (3) 
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.
!Date
!Tournament
!Winning score
!Margin of<br>victory
!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1
|28 May [[1995 LPGA Tour|1995]]
|[[LPGA Corning Classic]]<ref name="1995corning">{{cite web |website=GolfObserver.com |url=http://www.golfobserver.com/new/golfstats.php?year=1995&tour=LPGA&tournament=LPGA+Corning+Classic |title=1995 Corning Classic Golfstats |access-date=25 September 2011 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304234520/http://golfobserver.com/new/golfstats.php?tour=lpga&tournament=lpga+corning+classic&year=1995 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|−13 (70-67-66-72=275)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Barb Mucha]]
|-
|align=center|2
|10 Sep 1995
|[[Ping-AT&T Wireless Services LPGA Golf Championship]]<ref name="1995ping">{{cite web |website=GolfObserver.com |url=http://www.golfobserver.com/new/golfstats.php?year=1995&tour=LPGA&tournament=Safeway+Classic |title=1995 Ping Championship Golfstats |access-date=25 September 2011 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305202029/http://golfobserver.com/new/golfstats.php?tour=lpga&tournament=safeway+classic&year=1995 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|−9 (66-73-68=207)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Kelly Robbins]]
|-style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|3
|13 Jul [[1997 LPGA Tour|1997]]
|'''[[1997 U.S. Women's Open|U.S. Women's Open]]'''
|−10 (70-66-67-71=274)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Nancy Lopez]]
|-
|align=center|4
|20 Feb [[1999 LPGA Tour|1999]]
|[[Sunrise Hawaiian Ladies Open]]
|−7 (70-66-73=209)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Annette DeLuca]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Moira Dunn]]
|}

'''LPGA Tour playoff record (0–1)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result
|-style="background:#F5DEB3;"
|1
|1993
|[[LPGA Corning Classic]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Kelly Robbins]]
|Lost to par on first extra hole
|}

===Ladies European Tour wins (12)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.
!Date
!Tournament
!Winning score
!Margin of<br>victory
!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1 || 2 Aug [[1987 Ladies European Tour|1987]] || [[Weetabix Women's British Open]]<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/j0btbf03/paper/1#/paper/7t37n0r7/74 |title=Results Wetabix Ladies' British Open |language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=9/1987 |date=September 1987 |page=75 |accessdate=2022-12-19}}</ref> || +4 (74-76-73-73=296) || 1 stroke || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Laura Davies]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Muffin Spencer-Devlin]]
|-
|align=center|2 || 26 Sep 1987 || [[Laing Charity Classic]]<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/j0btbf03/paper/1#/paper/pnkh814m/88 |title=Results Laing Charity Classic |language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=10/1987 |date=October 1987 |page=89 |accessdate=2022-12-19}}</ref> || −8 (76-67-69-69=281) || 2 strokes || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Corinne Dibnah]]
|-
|align=center|3 || 21 May [[1988 Ladies European Tour|1988]] || [[British Olivetti Tournament]]<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/j0btbf03/paper/1#/paper/jkntr3ph/90 |title=Results British Olivetti Tournament |language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=6/1988 |date=June 1988 |page=91 |accessdate=2022-12-19}}</ref> || −9 (71-72-69-71=283) || 1 stroke || {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jane Connachan]]
|-
|align=center|4 || 4 Sep 1988 || [[Variety Club Celebrity Classic]]<ref name=vcgo>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/j0btbf03/paper/1#/paper/8kbs4vtn/90 |title=Results Variety Classic, Guernsey Open |language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=10/1988 |date=October 1988 |page=91 |accessdate=2022-12-19}}</ref> || −12 (68-67-69=204) || 4 strokes || {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Dale Reid]]
|-
|align=center|5 || 2 Oct 1988 || [[James Capel Guernsey Open]]<ref name=vcgo/> || −14 (68-72-67-67= 274) || 2 strokes || {{flagicon|RSA|1982}} [[Alison Sheard]]
|-
|align=center|6 || 30 Jul [[1989 Ladies European Tour|1989]] || [[Lufthansa Ladies' German Open]]<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/j0btbf03/paper/1#/paper/7n3bdv89/44 |title=Results Lufthansa Ladies German Open |language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=8/1989 |date=August 1988 |page=45 |accessdate=2022-12-19}}</ref> || −19 (67-69-68-65=269) || 5 strokes || {{flagicon|COL}} [[Patricia Gonzalez (golfer)|Patricia Gonzalez]]
|-
|align=center|7 || 27 Aug 1989 || [[Gislaved Ladies Open]]<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Anders |last=Nordlund |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/j0btbf03/paper/1#/paper/gtqv35x9/68 |title=Gislaveds Ladies Open: Lotta kom, sågs - och missade |trans-title=Gislaveds Ladies Open: Lotta came, was seen - and lost |language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=9/1989 |date=September 1989 |pages=68–69 |accessdate=2022-12-19}}</ref> || E (73-72-69-74=288) || 2 strokes || {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Liselotte Neumann]]
|-
|align=center|8 || 3 Nov 1989 || [[Qualitair Classic]]<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Lena |last=Sellberg |date=November 1989 |title=Sofia tvåa i La Manga, Qualitar Classic |trans-title=Sofia second in La Manga, Qualitar Classic  |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/161m3p5p/paper/97#/paper/161m3p5p/97 |magazine=Svensk Golf |language=Swedish |pages=94–95 |number=11}}</ref> || −3 (69-74-70=213) || 2 strokes || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Peggy Conley]]<br>{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Sofia Grönberg]]
|-
|align=center|9 || 2 Sep [[1990 Ladies European Tour|1990]] || [[Variety Club Celebrity Classic]]<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/j0btbf03/paper/1#/paper/5m2vqbg4/75 |title=Variety Club Ladies Classic |language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=10/1990 |date=October 1990 |page=75 |accessdate=2022-12-19}}</ref> (2) || −13 (68-68-68-71=275) || 1 stroke || {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Sofia Grönberg]]
|-
|align=center|10 || 10 May [[1992 Ladies European Tour|1992]] || [[AGF Ladies' Open de Paris]]<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/j0btbf03/paper/1#/paper/90s3pcrq/141 |title=Results AGF Ladies Open de Paris|language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=6/1992 |date=June 1992 |page=141 |accessdate=2022-12-20}}</ref> || −9 (66-68-73-68=275) || 1 stroke || {{flagicon|PER}} [[Alicia Dibos]]
|-
|align=center|11 || 6 Aug [[1995 Ladies European Tour|1995]] || [[Payne & Gunter Scottish Open]]<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/j0btbf03/paper/1#/paper/cq7s7d6f/79 |title=Results Scottish Open |language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=9/1995 |date=September 1995 |page=79 |accessdate=2022-12-20}}</ref> || −16 (66-67-70-69=272) || 1 stroke || {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Patricia Meunier]]
|-
|align=center|12 || 28 Jul [[1996 Ladies European Tour|1996]] || [[Guardian Irish Open]]<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/j0btbf03/paper/1#/paper/m7nv78zn/117 |title=Results Guardian Irish Holydays Open |language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=9/1996 |date=September 1996 |page=117 |accessdate=2022-12-20}}</ref> || −11 (69-73-65-70=277) || 8 strokes || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Trish Johnson]]
|}
'''Ladies European Tour Tour playoff record (0–1)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result
|-style="background:#F5DEB3;"
|1
|1990
|[[Laing Ladies Charity Classic]]<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/j0btbf03/paper/1#/paper/f2c2f6nj/75 |title=Results Laing Ladies Charity Classic |language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=8/1990 |date=August 1990 |page=75 |accessdate=2022-12-20}}</ref>
|{{flagicon|ZAF|1928}} [[Laurette Maritz]]
|Lost
|}
''Note: Nicholas won the [[Women's British Open]] once before it was co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour in 1994, and recognized as a [[Women's major golf championships|major championship]] on the LPGA Tour in 2001.''

Source:<ref>{{cite web |title=Alison Nicholas, Alla tävlingsresultat |language=Swedish |trans-title=Alison Nicholas, All Results |publisher=Golfdata.se |url=https://golfdata.se/sgfranking/Players_all_results?PlayerID=3324 |accessdate=2022-12-19 }}</ref>

===Other wins (2)===
*1992 Western Australian Open, [[Malaysia Ladies Open]]

==Major championships==
===Wins (1)===
{|class="wikitable"
!Year!!Championship!!Winning score!!Margin!!Runner-up
|-style="background:#FBCEB1;"
| [[1997 U.S. Women's Open|1997]] ||[[U.S. Women's Open]] ||−10 (70-66-67-71=274)||1 stroke||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Nancy Lopez]]
|}

==Team appearances==
'''Professional'''
*[[Solheim Cup]] (representing Europe): [[1990 Solheim Cup|1990]], [[1992 Solheim Cup|1992]] (winners), [[1994 Solheim Cup|1994]], [[1996 Solheim Cup|1996]], [[1998 Solheim Cup|1998]], [[2000 Solheim Cup|2000]] (winners), [[2009 Solheim Cup|2009]] (non-playing captain), [[2011 Solheim Cup|2011]] (non-playing captain) (winners)
*[[Handa Cup]] (representing World team): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 (tie), 2013 (winners), 2014

===Solheim Cup record===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;"
! Year !! Total<br>matches !! Total<br>W–L–H !! Singles<br>W–L–H !! Foursomes<br>W–L–H !! Fourballs<br>W–L–H !! Points<br>won !! Points<br>%
|-
|Career
|18
|'''''7–8–3'''''
|'''''1–3–2'''''
|'''''4–3–0'''''
|'''''2–2–1'''''
|8.5
|47.22%
|-
|[[1990 Solheim Cup|1990]]
|3
|'''''1–2–0'''''
|'''''0–1–0''''' lost to N. Lopez 6&4
|'''''1–0–0''''' won w/L. Davies 2&1
|'''''0–1–0''''' lost w/L. Davies 4&3
|1
|33.3%
|-
|[[1992 Solheim Cup|1992]]
|3
|'''''2–1–0'''''
|'''''0–1–0''''' lost to J. Inkster 3&2
|'''''1–0–0''''' won w/L. Davies 1up
|'''''1–0–0''''' won w/L. Davies 1up
|2
|66.7%
|-
|[[1994 Solheim Cup|1994]]
|3
|'''''2–1–0'''''
|'''''1–0–0''''' def P. Sheehan 3&2
|'''''1–0–0''''' won w/L.Davies 2&1
|'''''0–1–0''''' lost w/L.Davies 2&1
|2
|66.7%
|-
|[[1996 Solheim Cup|1996]]
|3
|'''''0–1–2'''''
|'''''0–0–1''''' halved w/ K. Robbins
|'''''0–1–0''''' lost w/L. Davies 1dn
|'''''0–0–1''''' halved w/H. Alfredsson
|1
|33.3%
|-
|[[1998 Solheim Cup|1998]]
|2
|'''''0–2–0'''''
|'''''0–1–0''''' lost to T. Green 1dn
|'''''0–1–0''''' lost w/H. Alfredsson 3&1
|
|0
|0%
|-
|[[2000 Solheim Cup|2000]]
|4
|'''''2–1–1'''''
|'''''0–0–1''''' halved w/S. Steinhauer
|'''''1–1–0''''' won w/L. Davies 4&3, lost w/L.Davies 6&5
|'''''1–0–0''''' won w/H. Alfredsson 3&2
|2.5
|62.5%
|}

==See also==
*[[List of golfers with most Ladies European Tour wins]]

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.alisonnicholas.co.uk}}
*{{Ladies European Tour player|010120}}
*{{Legends Tour player|old_id=154}}

{{U.S. Women's Open Champions}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Alison Nicholas at the [[Solheim Cup]]
|list=
{{1990 European Solheim Cup team}}
{{1992 European Solheim Cup team}}
{{1994 European Solheim Cup team}}
{{1996 European Solheim Cup team}}
{{1998 European Solheim Cup team}}
{{2000 European Solheim Cup team}}
{{2005 European Solheim Cup team}}
{{2009 European Solheim Cup team}}
{{2011 European Solheim Cup team}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicholas, Alison}}
[[Category:English female golfers]]
[[Category:Gibraltarian female golfers]]
[[Category:Ladies European Tour golfers]]
[[Category:LPGA Tour golfers]]
[[Category:Winners of LPGA major golf championships]]
[[Category:Solheim Cup competitors for Europe]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:The Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year winners]]
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportswomen]]