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The Ladies of the LakeByMulligan Stu
Posted on Wed Apr 02, 2008 at 09:00:46 PM EDT

That's what the golfers who've made the "Champion's Leap" after winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship are called. (Quick aside: Doesn't every city in America have a ghost story of some sort about a supposed 'Lady of the Lake' apparition?)

The Champion's Leap is so ingrained in the lore of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, and is such a recognizable part of women's golf, that it's surprising to realize just how recently this "tradition" was established. And how difficult it was to get it established. Essentially, it took a legend dying to make it a permanent part of the LPGA landscape.

The Kraft Nabisco Championship has a nifty table showing all the winners of the tournament since the first jump in the water was made, who made the leap, and whether anyone jumped with them.

Amy Alcott made the first jump in 1988. She also made the second jump in 1991. But the Champion's Leap didn't become established until 1994. Juli Inkster (1989) and Betsy King (1990) didn't do it. Dottie Pepper in 1992 didn't (she won a playoff that ended at the 10th hole), and Helen Alfredsson in 1993 didn't.

So the effervescent Alcott tried to get the party started, but nobody was joining in - except for tournament founder and host Dinah Shore, who went in with Alcott in 1991.

Then, in early 1994, the legend Ms. Shore passed away. An individual who was hugely important to the LPGA.

And when Donna Andrews won the KNC a little later, she took the plunge as a festive way to honor Dinah. And every year since, the KNC winner has jumped into the pond. Or at least tiptoed in (Pat Hurst - 1998 - can't swim!).