Profile: Laura Diaz, 2020 Ambassador
Veteran LPGA Tour standout and Dormie Network ambassador Laura Diaz grew up with a golf club in her hand. Her father, Ron Philo Sr., one of the country’s top golf instructors, ran a driving range and miniature golf course near Albany, New York. “I had no clue where it would lead me, but I loved being with my dad and watching him compete at the club pro level,” Laura said. “He won many events in our area when I was a kid.”
In the cold of upstate New York, Laura was limited to practicing during the warmer months of the year. It wasn’t until she moved south to attend Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, that Laura truly began making the short-game strides that turned her into a world-class competitor. “When I got to Wake Forest and I could actually spend 10 months a year working on my game I got better really fast, which surprised everybody,” she said. “I know it surprised me.”
Quickly pulling ahead
Laura with son Cooper, who caddied for her at the Dow Invitational
Known during her college career by her maiden name, Laura Philo, her sophomore campaign at Wake Forest proved to be Laura’s coming-out year, when she captured the ACC Tournament individual title and finished sixth at the NCAA Championships, then went on to win the prestigious North & South Amateur in Pinehurst after earning stroke-play qualifier medalist honors as well. The Wake Forest Hall-of-Famer became a two-time first team All-American and the 1996 – 97 Marge Crisp Award winner as the school’s Top Female Athlete.
Laura has gone on to become the most successful Demon Deacon in LPGA Tour history. The two-time LPGA champion has recorded 57 top-10 finishes and earned more than $5 million in career prize money. Laura enjoyed her best professional season during the summer of 2002 when she won both the Welch’s/Circle K Championship and the LPGA Corning Classic, and recorded a total of 10 top-10 finishes. She was a member of the victorious U.S. Solheim Cup Team, where she posted a 3-1 record, and later returned as a Solheim Cup participant in 2003, 2005, and 2007. She has also served as an LPGA Player Directors on the tour’s Board of Directors.
What’s keeping her busy during the downtime
Laura with husband Kevin and children Cooper and Lily at Dormie Club
Laura turned 45 years old in April and is now eligible for the LPGA’s Legends Tour. Her plan was to play a couple of LPGA and a couple of Legends Tour events, although she has recently battled tennis elbow in her left arm. “I don’t play a full schedule because my priority now are my kiddos,” she said. “My elbow kept me from being able to practice and prepare in the way I would prefer. This off season, my elbow was very bad. I’m feeling much better and looking forward to competing at some point this summer. COVID has changed things dramatically.”
With the country under quarantine, Laura and her husband, Kevin—a former college baseball player, golf instructor, and his wife’s caddie on tour—have been busy in their Winston-Salem home. She had been coaching the middle school golf team until the crisis began. Now she’s helping her two children, son Cooper, who is in eighth grade and daughter Lilly, who is in fifth, complete their online school work. “We're trying to do our best to conduct school at home,” she said. “It’s been interesting.”
Becoming an ambassador
Laura first learned about Dormie Network from her sister-in-law Susan Philo, who works for PGA Magazine. “A year ago, she reached out to me saying that one of their partners, which is Dormie Network, was looking to have an LPGA player join their staff to represent Dormie on the LPGA,” she said.
Laura said she and her family have visited Dormie Club and Ballyhack, and last summer they made a trip up to Hidden Creek. “I didn't get to play Hidden Creek, but our son, Cooper, did. He’s played all three of the courses and loved them all, but he said Hidden Creek is his favorite.”
How Laura is sharing the pure golf experience
Laura said those interested in Dormie Network should reach out to her. “If they wanted to experience Dormie, I'd love to take them and play a round with them. We can give them an experience, so they can basically give it a test run and see if becoming a member is right for them.”
“I think it's really exciting how Dormie Network wants to grow the game and their approach to it. I think the idea is perfect,” she said. “When you look at it from the side of being a member at one course—playing it day in and day out—and then having the opportunity to be a member of five more, or even more than that as they grow. The opportunity to travel around the country and experience so many different courses is such a unique opportunity. The product they’re selling, I think sells itself.”
