Nancy Lopez: 1957—: Golfer

In the late 1990s Lopez began experiencing severe pain in her knees, partly as a result of overuse, and partly from arthritis. She underwent surgery, physical therapy, and began using a knee brace during play, According to Leonard Shapiro in the Washington Post, Lopez said her knees were often stiff in the morning, but after she walked for a while, they loosened up. She played in a limited number of events in 1990 after undergoing knee surgery.

In 2000 her play was limited because she underwent gall bladder surgery. Her season-best finish was a tie for ninth place. In recent months, Lopez has worked to promote public awareness of arthritis, as well as cardiovascular disease, which runs in her family. She, and other golfers, play against each other to raise money for the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association. In addition, through changes in her own diet and exercise habits, she has reduced her own risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In 2001 Lopez and Knight opened Ashbrook Quail Preserve, a 600-acre tract of land in southwest Georgia that offers hunting and fishing tours for eight guests at a time. The preserve has a lodge, cabin, three stocked fishing ponds, hunting dogs, horses, and vehicles; Lopez, who loves to cook, plans to assist in the kitchen of the lodge.