SENATE MEMORIAL 6

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Candy Spence Ezzell and James G. Townsend and Rex Wilson and Pat Boone and Pete Campos

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO CONSIDER NAMING THE ROSWELL BYPASS IN HONOR OF NANCY LOPEZ.

 

     WHEREAS, Nancy Lopez is an internationally renowned professional golfer and one of the city of Roswell's most distinguished natives; and

     WHEREAS, Nancy Lopez was born in Torrance, California, in 1957 and grew up in the city of Roswell, where she learned to golf on local courses and graduated from Goddard high school; and

     WHEREAS, in 1969, at the age of twelve, Nancy Lopez won the first of three consecutive New Mexico women's amateur titles and went on to win three consecutive United States girls' junior/western women's titles in 1972, 1973 and 1974; and

     WHEREAS, in 1974 and 1975, Nancy Lopez competed as an amateur in the United States women's open; and

     WHEREAS, in 1976, as a freshman at the university of Tulsa, Nancy Lopez won the association for intercollegiate athletics for women national intercollegiate golf championship and was a member of the United States Curtis cup and world amateur teams; and

     WHEREAS, in 1977, Nancy Lopez joined the ladies professional golf association; and

     WHEREAS, in 1978, during her first full season on the ladies professional golf association tour, Nancy Lopez won nine tournaments, including five consecutive tournaments, was named rookie of the year, player of the year and the associated press female athlete of the year and appeared on the cover of the July 1978 issue of Sports Illustrated; and

     WHEREAS, Nancy Lopez went on to dominate the sport and become one of the most iconic figures in women's professional golf, winning forty-eight ladies professional golf association tournaments and being named player of the year three more times in 1979, 1985 and 1988; and

     WHEREAS, Nancy Lopez was inducted into the world golf hall of fame in 1987, the ladies professional golf association hall of fame in 1989 and the New Mexico sports hall of fame in 2000; and

     WHEREAS, throughout her career, Nancy Lopez proudly represented the city of Roswell on a global stage, crediting her hometown roots for her success; and

     WHEREAS, naming the United States highway 285 bypass, also known as the Roswell bypass, in her honor will recognize Nancy Lopez for her exceptional career, her contributions to women's sports and her enduring connection to the city of Roswell and will inspire future generations to achieve excellence;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of transportation be requested to consider naming the United States highway 285 bypass in honor of Nancy Lopez; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of transportation.

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