Golf is big on Amelia Island - home to many courses offering a variety of
challenges to golfers of all skill levels.
Many people do not know that Amelia Island is also the home of one of the LPGA's biggest
stars – Laura Diaz. Diaz is on her way to being one of the big names in the world of
women's professional golf.
Laura Diaz, 30, is a successful LPGA golfer currently on the tour. She is a talented
athlete and a beautiful young woman with dark hair and startling blue-green eyes. She
comes from a family of golf professionals - her grandfather, father, brother and husband
are all golf pros. There is no question she is comfortable on a golf course. Her husband
Kevin, father Ron, brother Ron Jr. run a successful golf school on the island - the Ron
Philo School of Golf.
Laura Diaz at the 2003 U.S. Women's Open
(Photo by Scott Halleran/ Getty Images)
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Amelia Island Plantation is the home of both Laura and her family's
golf school. The beautiful setting features three 18-hole courses offering seven
oceanfront holes, more than any Florida golf resort.
Laura Diaz has also benefited from a friendship with David Duval. Her dad and David's dad,
Bob Duval, grew up together in Schenectady, N.Y. When Ron Philo Sr., set up his golf
school in Florida, the elder Duval taught there for a few years as he prepared his game to
join the Senior PGA Tour. David and Laura were fixtures on the practice tee.
Laura Diaz is pictured here with husband Kevin (left) and
parents Cheryl and Ron Philo Sr. (right).
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"Golf has always been part of my life, but I did it for fun with
my family. I did not get really serious until I went to college." Diaz graduated from
Wake Forest, a school famous for its golf program, joining the likes of Arnold Palmer.
Diaz won the 1995 North-South Amateur Championship and 1996 Eastern Championship. In
addition, she made it to the quarterfinals of the 1996 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship,
was the 1995 ACC champion, a First-Team All-American from 1996-97 and 1997 Female Athlete
of the Year. After missing her first attempt at LPGA Qualifying School in 1997, Diaz
played in Asia and the European women's tour, where she was the top rookie that year. Diaz
earned her first LPGA Tour victory in 2002 at the Welch's/Circle K Championship.
Originally from Scotia, New York, Diaz began swinging clubs by age 2 and was competing at
age 9. Growing up, she was always around the game but never took it that seriously.
"We always played as youngsters, and it was just part of our life. My father never
pushed us."
Diaz even has her own version of "Arnie's Army", the group of fans that followed
the legendary golfer. It started as "Philo's Phanatics," a nickname that
originated with her father during her first three years on the LPGA Tour. It had to change
in 2003 when Laura married Kevin Diaz and changed her name.
Laura's husband Kevin, a talented athlete in his own right, fit into the family business
as an instructor and takes care of the Florida schools during the summer months when Philo
Sr. conducts golf schools in the Northeast.
Laura lines up a putt during her first LPGA Tour victory
at the 2002 Welch's Circle K Championship.
(Photo by Scott Halleran / Getty Images)
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Those that follow Laura now are called "Laura's Legions".
At the inaugural Asahi Ryokuken International Championship at Georgia's Mount Vintage
Plantation Golf Club friends and family followed her all wearing white T-shirts with
"Laura's Legions" in blue letters and the logo of her father's Amelia Island
golf school. She tied for third. Her followers are growing, and she has become an
inspiration for a new generation of young golfers.
Diaz is committed to developing young female golfers and has lent her name to a tour that
focuses on high school golfers and awards a college scholarship each year. The Laura Diaz
Tour hosts annual events around the country, including one held on Amelia Island scheduled
for February of 2006.
It is hard to believe this family-oriented young woman would stir a bit of controversy,
but she has. She is confident of her game and how she looks. She thinks being an
attractive woman is part of the game, and so do her sponsors which include Titleist and
FootJoy International, Tommy Hilfiger Golf, Kellogg, Ahead and the successful video game
– Golden Tee. She values these relationships and proudly represents the companies
that support her.
This Tommy Hilfiger sponsor photo of Laura is her favorite
choice when giving out autographed pictures to her fans.
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The seventh year-pro made headlines her third year on tour with four
runner-up finishes and nine top 10s while moving to ninth on the money list. She became a
sensation much like her valued mentor, Dottie Pepper who joined the tour in 1988. The two
are close and talk often.
With her busy travel schedule Laura is always happy to return to her family, all of whom
live on the island. "My family is everything to me, and we are proud to call Amelia
Island home."
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