Are Gaby Lopez and Nancy Lopez related? Exploring the truth behind the golfers' identical family name

Gaby Lopez and Nancy Lopez share the same family name. This has led people to speculate whether they are related. In reality, there is no evidence that the two are related in any way.

Apart from having the same surname, the two are linked to Mexico, but there is no other circumstance that directly relates them.

The surname 'Lopez' is common in countries of Hispanic heritage, so those who bear it do not necessarily have a direct family relationship. The reasoning is similar for Mexican origins: direct for Gaby and more distant for Nancy.

Nancy Lopez (Image via Getty).

Although not family-related, Nancy and Gaby are well acquainted with each other:

"She's been very supportive since I started playing on tour. She's always been there for me whenever I need advice or just a friendly conversation," Gaby Lopez said to Golf Channel about Nancy.

"She's a great player. She has a lot of heart. She works hard at her game. I think she's going to be one of our future stars," Nancy Lopez said, also to Golf Channel, about the younger Lopez.

Nancy Marie Lopez Knight was born in California in 1957. Her father, Domingo, was Mexican by birth, while her mother, Marina, was Texan, but also of Latino descent.

Nancy Lopez grew up to become one of the greatest golf stars of all time. In her career, she won 12 tournaments as an amateur, 48 tournaments on the LPGA Tour, three of them majors, plus four other tournaments on other tours.

She won the Solheim Cup twice, as a player in 1990 and as a non-player captain in 2005. In addition to many other awards and recognitions, she received the Bob Jones Award, the highest award given by the USGA, in recognition of her 'distinguished sportsmanship.'

Maria Gabriela Lopez Butron, known in the golf world as Gaby Lopez, is Mexican by birth. She was born in Mexico City in 1993. She got her start in golf in her home country, although she played college golf in the United States.

Gaby Lopez's career

As an amateur, Gaby Lopez won three events and was a runner-up in the 2015 NCAA Division I Championship playing for the University of Arkansas. A year later, she began her professional career.

Her first LPGA Tour win came in 2018, at the Blue Bay LPGA. Her other two wins at this level have been the 2020 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions and the 2022 Dana Open presented by Marathon.

She has been an Olympian twice: at the Rio 2016 Games, where she finished T31, and at the Tokyo 2020 Games, where she finished T38.

Gaby Lopez finished her participation in the Amundi Evian Championship this Sunday, where she finished T3 with a score of -7. This is the best result of her career so far in majors.