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Kathy Whitworth

Kathrynne Ann Whitworth (September 27, 1939 – December 24, 2022) was an American professional golfer. During her playing career she won 88 LPGA Tour tournaments, more than anyone else on the LPGA or PGA Tours. Whitworth was also a runner-up 93 times, giving her 181 top-two finishes.[1] In 1981, she became the first woman to reach career earnings of $1 million on the LPGA Tour. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Kathy Whitworth
Personal information
Full nameKathrynne Ann Whitworth
Born(1939-09-27)September 27, 1939
Monahans, Texas, U.S.
DiedDecember 24, 2022(2022-12-24) (aged 83)
Flower Mound, Texas, U.S.
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Sporting nationality United States
Career
CollegeOdessa College
Turned professional1958
Current tour(s)Legends Tour
Former tour(s)LPGA Tour (joined 1958)
Professional wins98
Number of wins by tour
LPGA Tour88 (1st all time)
Ladies European Tour1
Other9
Best results in LPGA major championships
(wins: 6)
Western OpenWon: 1967
Titleholders C'shipWon: 1965, 1966
Chevron ChampionshipT2: 1983
Women's PGA C'shipWon: 1967, 1971, 1975
U.S. Women's Open2nd: 1971
du Maurier ClassicT14: 1980
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame1975 (member page)
LPGA Tour
Money Winner		1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973
LPGA Tour
Player of the Year		1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973
LPGA Vare Trophy1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972
Associated Press
Female Athlete of the Year		1965, 1966
LPGA William and
Mousie Powell Award		1986
Patty Berg Award1987

Early life and amateur career

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Whitworth was born on September 27, 1939, in Monahans, Texas, the youngest of three daughters of Morris Whitworth, a hardware store owner and later mayor in Jal, New Mexico, where she grew up.[2][3][4] She attended Odessa College.[5]

Initially a tennis player, Whitworth began playing golf at 14. After working with Hardy Loudermilk, she won the 1957 and 1958 New Mexico State Amateur Championships. At 19, she changed coaches to Harvey Penick and turned pro, joining the LPGA in December 1958.[4][6]

Professional career

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In 1962, Whitworth won her first tournament, the Kelly Girls Open.[4][7] Between that and her victory in the United Virginia Bank Classic in 1985, she won 88 tournaments on the LPGA Tour, the highest number of any player in the history of professional golf, including on the men's PGA Tour. Six were major championships.[4] In 1974, she won the Orange Blossom Classic for the fifth time,[8] one of only four LPGA golfers to have won the same tournament five times. She was the U.S. team captain at the inaugural Solheim Cup match in 1990.[4][9] She was the first LPGA player to earn $1 million, in 1981.[10][11][5]

Whitworth was LPGA Player of the Year seven times between 1966 and 1973, won the Vare Trophy for best scoring average by an LPGA Tour player a record seven times between 1965 and 1972,[12] and was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame in 1975 and into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982.[4][13] She was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 1965 and 1967.[3] She was Named "Golfer of the Decade" by Golf Magazine for the years 1968 to 1977 during the 1988 Centennial of Golf in America celebration.[citation needed] She received the 1986 William Richardson Award from the Golf Writers Association of America for consistent outstanding contributions to golf.[14] She is also a member of the New Mexico Hall of Fame, Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Texas Golf Hall of Fame, and the Women's Sports Foundation Hall of Fame.[citation needed]

Later life and death

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Whitworth retired from competitive golf in 2005 after competing in the BJ's Charity Classic on the Women's Senior Golf Tour. In 2007, with Jay Golden, she published Kathy Whitworth's Little Book of Golf Wisdom.[5] At the time of her death she lived in Flower Mound, Texas with her partner, Bettye Odle.[5][4] She died in Flower Mound on December 24, 2022, at age 83, after collapsing while attending a neighbor's Christmas party.[4][11][5]

Professional wins

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LPGA Tour wins (88)

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Legend
LPGA Tour major championships (6)
Other LPGA Tour (82)
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory 		Runner(s)-up
1 Jul 8, 1962 Kelly Girls Open −7 (73-73-69=215) 1 stroke   Sandra Haynie
2 Oct 14, 1962 Phoenix Thunderbird Open −3 (72-71-70=213) 4 strokes   Mickey Wright
3 Jun 30, 1963 Carvel Ladies Open −2 (72-74-71=217) 1 stroke   Marilynn Smith
4 Jul 28, 1963 Wolverine Open −9 (72-64-62=198) 5 strokes   Betsy Rawls
5 Aug 4, 1963 Milwaukee Jaycee Open −2 (70-73-73-70=286) 7 strokes   Jackie Pung
  Louise Suggs
6 Aug 25, 1963 Ogden Ladies' Open −5 (69-75-71=215) 5 strokes   Mickey Wright
7 Sep 8, 1963 Spokane Women's Open −3 (67-70-73=210) 2 strokes   Marilynn Smith
8 Oct 20, 1963 Hillside Open Even (70-72-77=219) 4 strokes   Mickey Wright
9 Nov 10, 1963 San Antonio Civitan Open 7 (73-73-78-75=299) Playoff   Mickey Wright
10 Nov 17, 1963 Mary Mills Mississippi Gulf Coast Invitational Even (72-77-70=219) 4 strokes   Mickey Wright
11 Jul 5, 1964 San Antonio Civitan Open −5 (70-72-71-70=283) 3 strokes   Marlene Hagge
12 Mar 21, 1965 St. Petersburg Open −7 (70-66-71-74=281) 4 strokes   Sandra Haynie
13 May 2, 1965 Shreveport Kiwanis Invitational −6 (70-70-70=210) 6 strokes   Patty Berg
14 Jun 6, 1965 Blue Grass Invitational −3 (70-69-74=213) 4 strokes   Clifford Ann Creed
15 Aug 1, 1965 Lady Carling Midwest Open Even (72-77-70=219) 1 stroke   Sandra Haynie
16 Jul 18, 1965 Yankee Open −3 (73-68-72=213) 2 strokes   Carol Mann
17 Jul 25, 1965 Buckeye Savings Invitational −6 (70-67-70=207) 1 stroke   Susie Maxwell Berning
18 Oct 3, 1965 Mickey Wright Invitational −9 (68-73-71-71=283) 6 strokes   Donna Caponi
19 Nov 28, 1965 Titleholders Championship −1 (71-71-74-71=287) 10 strokes   Peggy Wilson
20 May 8, 1966 Tall City Open −5 (67-70-71=208) 1 stroke   Mickey Wright
21 Jun 5, 1966 Clayton Federal Invitational 1 (68-72-68=208) 4 strokes   Shirley Englehorn
22 Jun 19, 1966 Milwaukee Jaycee Open −7 (68-71-69-65=273) 12 strokes   Sandra Haynie
23 Jul 30, 1966 Supertest Ladies Open −3 (71-70-72=213) 3 strokes   Mickey Wright
24 Aug 7, 1966 Lady Carling Open (Massachusetts) −5 (74-73-70=217) 1 stroke   Carol Mann
25 Aug 13, 1966 Lady Carling Open (Maryland) −2 (70-71-73=214) 3 strokes   Peggy Wilson
26 Oct 30, 1966 Las Cruces Ladies Open −2 (69-71-74=214) 6 strokes   Marilynn Smith
27 Nov 6, 1966 Amarillo Ladies' Open 2 (76-71-68=215) Playoff   Mickey Wright
28 Nov 27, 1966 Titleholders Championship 3 (74-70-74-73=291) 2 strokes   Judy Kimball Simon
  Mary Mills
29 Mar 26, 1967 Venice Ladies Open 4 (70-71-76=217) 1 stroke   Clifford Ann Creed
  Gloria Ehret
30 Apr 23, 1967 Raleigh Ladies Invitational −1 (72-72-71=215) 5 strokes   Susie Maxwell Berning
31 Jun 7, 1967 St. Louis Women's Invitational 2 (68-70-71=209) 2 strokes   Carol Mann
32 Jul 16, 1967 LPGA Championship −8 (69-74-72-69=284) 1 stroke   Shirley Englehorn
33 Aug 6, 1967 Lady Carling Open (Ohio) −4 (71-70-71=212) 1 stroke   Susie Maxwell Berning
34 Aug 20, 1967 Women's Western Open −11 (71-74-73-71=289) 3 strokes   Sandra Haynie
35 Oct 1, 1967 Ladies' Los Angeles Open −4 (71-68-73=212) 4 strokes   Murle Breer
36 Oct 29, 1967 Alamo Ladies' Open −3 (71-71-71=213) 3 strokes   Sandra Haynie
37 Mar 17, 1968 St. Petersburg Orange Blossom Open Even (70-71-72=213) 1 stroke   Sandra Haynie
  Judy Kimball Simon
38 May 26, 1968 Dallas Civitan Open −4 (70-70-69=209) 1 stroke   Carol Mann
39 Jun 30, 1968 Lady Carling Open (Maryland) −2 (71-70-73=214) 1 stroke   Carol Mann
40 Aug 4, 1968 Gino Paoli Open −1 (69-72-74=215) Playoff   Marlene Hagge
41 Aug 18, 1968 Holiday Inn Classic −1 (74-70-62=206) 3 strokes   Judy Kimball Simon
  Carol Mann
42 Sep 22, 1968 Kings River Open −8 (68-71-69=208) 10 strokes   Sandra Haynie
43 Oct 22, 1968 River Plantation Invitational −8 (67-70-68=205) 8 strokes   Kathy Cornelius
44 Nov 3, 1968 Canyon Ladies Classic 2 (78-69-71=218) 2 strokes   Donna Caponi
  Shirley Englehorn
  Mary Mills
45 Nov 17, 1968 Pensacola Ladies Invitational −3 (71-71-74=216) 3 strokes   Jo Ann Prentice
46 Nov 24, 1968 Louise Suggs Invitational −8 (69-69-72=210) 7 strokes   Carol Mann
47 Mar 17, 1969 Orange Blossom Classic 3 (74-70-72=216) Playoff   Shirley Englehorn
  Marlene Hagge
48 Mar 23, 1969 Port Charlotte Invitational −1 (72-72-74=218) 1 stroke   Sandra Haynie
  Sandra Post
49 Mar 30, 1969 Port Malabar Invitational −3 (68-72-70=210) 4 strokes   Mickey Wright
50 Apr 20, 1969 Lady Carling Open (Georgia) −4 (70-72-70=212) Playoff   Mickey Wright
51 Jun 15, 1969 Patty Berg Classic −5 (69-73-72=214) 1 stroke   Sandra Haynie
52 Sep 14, 1969 Wendell-West Open −3 (69-72-72=213) 1 stroke   Judy Rankin
53 Nov 2, 1969 River Plantation Women's Open Even (70-71-72=213) 1 stroke   Betsy Rawls
54 Mar 22, 1970 Orange Blossom Classic 3 (73-72-71=216) 1 stroke   Carol Mann
55 Oct 18, 1970 Quality Chek'd Classic −11 (71-67-67=205) 3 strokes   JoAnne Carner
56 Apr 18, 1971 Raleigh Golf Classic −4 (71-72-69=212) 5 strokes   Pam Barnett
57 May 23, 1971 Suzuki Golf Internationale 1 (72-72-73=217) 2 strokes   Sandra Haynie
  Sandra Palmer
58 Jun 6, 1971 Lady Carling Open −9 (71-68-71=210) 6 strokes   Jane Blalock
59 Jun 13, 1971 Eve-LPGA Championship −4 (71-73-70-74=288) 4 strokes   Kathy Ahern
60 Apr 30, 1972 Alamo Ladies Open −10 (66-71-72=209) 3 strokes   Mickey Wright
61 Jul 23, 1972 Raleigh Golf Classic −4 (72-69-71=212) 2 strokes   Marilynn Smith
62 Aug 6, 1972 Knoxville Ladies Classic −4 (71-68-71=210) 4 strokes   Sandra Haynie
63 Aug 20, 1972 Southgate Ladies Open Even (69-71-76=216) Playoff   Jocelyne Bourassa
64 Oct 1, 1972 Portland Ladies Open −7 (75-69-68=212) 4 strokes   Sandra Haynie
65 Feb 11, 1973 Naples Lely Classic 3 (68-76-75=219) 2 strokes   JoAnne Carner
66 Mar 11, 1973 S&H Green Stamp Classic −2 (73-71-70=214) 2 strokes   Mary Mills
67 Sep 9, 1973 Dallas Civitan Open −3 (75-72-66=213) Playoff   Mary Mills
68 Sep 16, 1973 Southgate Ladies Open −2 (72-70=142) 1 stroke   Gerda Boykin
69 Sep 23, 1973 Portland Ladies Open −2 (71-73=144) 2 strokes   Sandra Palmer
70 Oct 21, 1973 Waco Tribune Herald Ladies Classic −7 (68-72-69=209) 4 strokes   Kathy Cornelius
  Pam Higgins
  Marilynn Smith
71 Nov 4, 1973 Lady Errol Classic −3 (68-75-70=213) 2 strokes   Gloria Ehret
  Shelley Hamlin
72 Mar 3, 1974 Orange Blossom Classic −7 (70-68-71=209) 1 stroke   Sandra Haynie
73 Jun 1, 1975 LPGA Championship −4 (70-70-75-73=288) 1 stroke   Sandra Haynie
74 Sep 14, 1975 Southgate Open Even (72-72-69=213) 4 strokes   Gerda Boykin
75 Feb 7, 1976 Bent Tree Classic −7 (69-69-71=209) 1 stroke   Hollis Stacy
76 Aug 22, 1976 Patty Berg Classic −7 (66-73-73=212) 2 strokes   Sandra Post
77 Apr 3, 1977 Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle 1 (76-70-72-71=289) 1 stroke   JoAnne Carner
  Sally Little
78 Apr 24, 1977 American Defender Classic −10 (69-68-69=206) 1 stroke   Pat Bradley
79 May 22, 1977 LPGA Coca-Cola Classic −11 (67-68-67=202) 3 strokes   Donna Caponi
80 Sep 10, 1978 National Jewish Hospital Open −5 (70-75-66-65=276) 3 strokes   Pat Bradley
  Gloria Ehret
  Jo Ann Washam
81 May 17, 1981 Coca-Cola Classic −8 (69-72-70=211) Playoff   Alice Ritzman
82 Apr 18, 1982 CPC Women's International −7 (73-68-73-67=281) 9 strokes   Patty Sheehan
83 May 16, 1982 Lady Michelob −9 (69-68-70=207) 4 strokes   Sharon Barrett
  Barbara Moxness
84 Mar 20, 1983 Women's Kemper Open −4 (72-77-70-69=288) 1 stroke   Dale Eggeling
85 Jul 22, 1984 Rochester International −7 (73-68-71-69=281) Playoff   Rosie Jones
86 Sep 16, 1984 Safeco Classic −9 (69-75-65-70=279) 2 strokes   Laura Baugh
  Marta Figueras-Dotti
87 Oct 14, 1984 Smirnoff Ladies Irish Open −3 (70-74-69-72=285) 2 strokes   Pat Bradley
  Becky Pearson
88 May 12, 1985 United Virginia Bank Classic −9 (69-66-72=207) 1 stroke   Amy Alcott

Note: Whitworth won the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle (now known as the ANA Inspiration) before it became a major championship.

LPGA Tour playoff record (8–20)

No. Year Tournament Opponent(s) Result
1 1960 Waterloo Open   Wiffi Smith Lost to birdie on first extra hole
2 1962 J.E. McAuliffe Memorial   Betsy Rawls Lost on second extra hole
3 1963 San Antonio Civitan Open   Mickey Wright Won with birdie on first extra hole
4 1966 Amarillo Ladies' Open   Mickey Wright Won with birdie on first extra hole
5 1966 Pensacola Ladies Invitational   Sandra Haynie Lost to par on first extra hole
6 1967 Shirley Englehorn Invitational   Shirley Englehorn Lost to par on second extra hole
7 1967 Mickey Wright Invitational   Sandra Haynie Lost to birdie on first extra hole
8 1968 LPGA Championship   Sandra Post Lost 18-hole playoff (Post:68, Whitworth:75)
9 1968 Gino Paoli Open   Marlene Hagge Won with birdie on first extra hole
10 1969 Lady Carling Open   Mickey Wright Won with par on first extra hole
11 1969 St. Louis Women's Invitational   Sandra Haynie
  Peggy Wilson 		Haynie won with par on third extra hole
Whitworth eliminated by birdie on first hole
12 1969 Lincoln-Mercury Open   Donna Caponi Lost to par on first extra hole
13 1969 Corpus Christi Civitan Open   Carol Mann Lost to par on third extra hole
14 1970 LPGA Championship   Shirley Englehorn Lost 18-hole playoff (Englehorn:74, Whitworth:78)
15 1972 Lady Eve Open   Judy Rankin Lost to eagle on first extra hole
16 1972 Southgate Ladies Open   Jocelyne Bourassa Won with par on fifth extra hole
17 1972 Dallas Civitan Open   Jane Blalock Lost to birdie on first extra hole
18 1972 Corpus Christi Civitan Open   JoAnn Prentice
  Sandra Palmer 		Prentice won with birdie on tenth extra hole
Whitworth eliminated by par on third hole
19 1972 Lady Errol Classic   Jane Blalock
  Sandra Palmer 		Blalock won with birdie on third extra hole
20 1973 Dallas Civitan Open   Mary Mills Won with par on second extra hole
21 1974 Burdine's Invitational   Sandra Palmer Palmer won with birdie on fifth extra hole
22 1974 Lady Tara Classic   Donna Caponi
  Sandra Spuzich 		Spuzich won with par on fifth extra hole
Whitworth eliminated by par on third hole
23 1978 Lady Stroh's Open   Pat Meyers
  Sandra Post 		Post won with birdie on second extra hole
24 1981 CPC Women's International   Sally Little
  Hollis Stacy 		Little won with birdie on first extra hole
25 1981 Coca-Cola Classic   Alice Ritzman Won with birdie on second extra hole
26 1982 United Virginia Bank Classic   Sally Little Lost to birdie on first extra hole
27 1983 Rochester International   Ayako Okamoto
  Donna White 		Okamoto won with birdie on third extra hole
28 1984 Rochester International   Rosie Jones Won with par on first extra hole

Ladies European Tour wins

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Other wins

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Major championships

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Wins (6)

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Year Championship Winning score Margin Runner(s)-up
1965 Titleholders Championship −1 (71-71-74-71=287) 10 strokes Peggy Wilson
1966 Titleholders Championship 3 (74-70-74-73=291) 2 strokes Judy Kimball-Simon, Mary Mills
1967 LPGA Championship −8 (69-74-72-69=284) 1 stroke Shirley Englehorn
1967 Women's Western Open −11 (71-74-73-71=289) 3 strokes Sandra Haynie
1971 Eve-LPGA Championship −4 (71-73-70-74=288) 3 strokes Kathy Ahern
1975 LPGA Championship −4 (70-70-75-73=288) 1 stroke Sandra Haynie

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kathy Whitworth - September 27, 1939 - December 24, 2022
  2. ^ Sirak, Ron (July 6, 2009). "A Legend Like No Other". Golf Digest. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Kathy Whitworth Named 'Female Athlete of the Year'". Eugene Register-Guard. AP. January 17, 1967. p. 3B.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Kathy Whitworth, the winningest player on the LPGA and PGA tours, dies at 83". Golf Channel. December 25, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e Goldstein, Richard (December 26, 2022). "Kathy Whitworth, Golfer With Record for Victories In the U.S., Is Dead at 83". The New York Times. p. A13. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  6. ^ Kalb, Elliott (2006). Who's Better, Who's Best in Golf?. McGraw-Hill. p. 121. ISBN 0-07-146977-X.
  7. ^ Kalb, p. 122.
  8. ^ "Kathy Whitworth wins Orange Blossom Classic". The Day. AP. March 4, 1974. p. 18. Retrieved February 8, 2010.
  9. ^ Garrity, John (November 26, 1990). "Side By Side By Solheim". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  10. ^ McGarr, Elizabeth (July 13, 2009). "Kathy Whitworth". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  11. ^ a b "Golfing great Kathy Whitworth dies at 83". BBC News. December 26, 2022.
  12. ^ Hickok, Ralph (1995). A Who's Who of Sports Champions. Houghton Mifflin. p. 838. ISBN 0-395-73312-X.
  13. ^ "World Golf Hall of Fame Profile: Kathy Whitworth". World Golf Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved April 15, 2007.
  14. ^ "William D. Richardson Award". Golf Writers Association of America. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
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