Folquet’s Nancy Lopez Award

Here’s a photo provided by Desert Sun baseball columnist Pete Donovan featuring LPGA Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez with 2011 Nancy Lopez Golf Achievement Award winner and director of golf at Palm Valley Country Club Malia Folquet.

Folquet, a 24-year member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Teaching and Club Professionals (T&CP), earned the awards which recognizes an LPGA professional who gives back to the game in the spirit of Nancy Lopez.

In describing Folquet’s achievements, the LPGA said, “Folquet has held numerous leadership positions, including serving as both Secretary and Treasurer for the Western Section. The Nancy Lopez Golf Achievement Award was created in 2007 and is given to a LPGA professional who emulates qualities valued by Lopez: Leadership, Passion, Giving and Approachability. Lopez is a 48-time LPGA Tour winner and four-time Rolex Player of the Year. She was inducted into the LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Fame in 1987 and captained the victorious 2005 U.S. Solheim Cup Team.”

“Malia is the perfect example of a member who has gone above and beyond to help her fellow professionals,” said Nancy Henderson, Executive Director for the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Membership. “Malia certainly embodies the LPGA Values of Leadership, Passion, Giving and Approachability.”

For more than 18 years, Folquet has been the director of golf at Palm Valley Country Club in Palm Desert, CA, which is a 36-hole private facility. She oversees the activities of a very active member golfing “community,” managing both the day-to-day operations as well as planning and overseeing tournaments.

The Nancy Lopez Awards is just the latest in a string of awards for Folquet, including being recognized four times as Professional of the Year for the Western Section in 2011, 2008, 1996 and 1995. In 2010, she received the LPGA President’s Award honoring her for her service to the LPGA.