There’s a new name on the leaderboard at the Volunteers of America Classic. Ally Ewing, formerly McDonald, married Charlie Ewing on May 30 in Mississippi and officially changed her name at this week’s event in Dallas.
Ewing said she surprised her in-laws and brother-in-law, who are from Dallas, Thanksgiving week with two of her old staff bags with “Ally Ewing” stitched on the panels.
“Those are going to be featured in their offices, I think,” said Ewing, who opened with a 1-under 70 at Old American Golf Club.
Ewing, who won her first LPGA title last month on her 28th birthday at the LPGA Drive On Championship-Reynolds Lake Oconee, said she was going to wait until the end of the year to change her name, but thought the tour stop in Dallas seemed an appropriate debut.
It’s been a big year for the Ewings.
Earlier this week Charlie was promoted to head coach of the Mississippi State women’s golf team, a program his wife helped put on the map. Charlie played college golf at Vanderbilt and has worked as an assistant coach for the men’s program at Mississippi State since the 2017-18 season.
Charley Hull holds the clubhouse lead at a chilly and windswept VOA after carding a 3-under 68. McDonald has gone 1-2 in her last two starts on the LPGA, finishing runner-up two weeks ago at the Pelican Women’s Championship in Florida.
“I definitely think my putter saved me a lot today,” said Ewing. “With the tougher conditions, it’s really hard to judge the wind. On top of that, these are some really difficult greens to hit and we’re hitting sometimes some longer irons into the green where we might normally hit a mid-iron in. Just kind of staying patient out there and trying to keep my hands warm.”
