Stacy Lewis
An American golfer who battled scoliosis to reach world number one, winning majors with a trademark blend of grit and precision.
Born 1985 (age 41)·American professional golfer·Birthday: February 16·Millennials
Biography
Stacy Lewis's path to the top of women's golf was forged against physical adversity. Diagnosed with scoliosis at 11, she wore a back brace for 18 hours a day through her teenage years and later underwent spinal fusion surgery. This background defined her relentless, blue-collar approach to the game. She turned professional in 2008 and announced herself by winning the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship as a relative unknown, a victory that felt like a triumph of will. Lewis seized the world number one ranking in 2013, a year she also captured the Women's British Open at St. Andrews. Her game, built on superb ball-striking and a fierce competitive fire, yielded 13 LPGA wins. Beyond the course, she has been a vocal advocate for equality in golf, using her platform to push for better opportunities and recognition for female athletes.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Stacy was born in 1985, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Stacy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1985
#1 Movie
Back to the Future
Best Picture
Out of Africa
#1 TV Show
Dynasty
Stacy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1985Born
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1990Started school
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1998Became a teenager
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Could drive
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2003Could vote
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Turned 21
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2015Turned 30
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 40
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 41 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two major championships: the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship and the 2013 Women's British Open.
- Spent 25 total weeks as the number one player in the Women's World Golf Rankings.
- Represented the United States in four Solheim Cup teams (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), serving as captain in 2023.
- Won the LPGA Player of the Year and the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average in 2012 and 2014.
- Accumulated 13 victories on the LPGA Tour.
Did You Know?
She played college golf at the University of Arkansas, where she won the NCAA individual championship in 2007.
Lewis donated her entire winner's check from the 2013 Women's British Open to hurricane relief efforts in Texas.
She was the first player to win the LPGA's Player of the Year award after having back surgery.
Lewis and her husband, Gerrod Chadwell, both coached college golf simultaneously; he is the head women's coach at the University of Houston.
“I’ve always been the underdog. I’ve always had to prove people wrong.”
