Stacy Lewis donates $195k winnings to Houston flood victims

Last Wednesday, Stacy Lewis received plaudits by saying she would donate her entire winnings from the Cambia Portland Classic to the Hurricane Harvey relief effort to help her hometown of Houston.

Four days later, the maximum possible cheque of $195,000 was on its way after the American ended a three-year win drought to close with a three-under-par 69 and capture the title by one shot over South Korean In Gee Chun.

“When I said that I had the goal of winning the tournament – you’ve got to get a lot of things right, to go your way,” said Lewis. “Just what we’re going to be able to do, we’re going to be able to help rebuild houses and get their homes back. That’s more important than anything.”

Without a win since June 2014, the former world No.1 heralded her triumph – her 12th on the LPGA Tour – as one of the most important of her career and also praised her husband, Gerrod – the University of Houston’s women’s golf coach – for sticking by her during a tough period.

“I was fine until he showed up and then I started crying,” she added. “But just have to him here and have him support me, you know, the last two and a half three years has been really hard.

“It’s been really frustrating at times. You go through all the emotions of finishing second when sometimes it’s your fault and sometimes it’s not, and things just don’t have seem to ever go your way and you get really frustrated at times.

“He went
through all of that with me, and it was probably as hard on him as it
was on me. So just to have him here and get to share the win with him
was pretty special.”

As well as Lewis, the LPGA and event sponsor Cambia also donated some
money to the relief effort while, KPMG – one of Lewis’ main sponsors,
who also support Phil Mickelson – have matched the 32-year-old’s
winnings with a $195,000 donation.