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{A38A45B1-C9E7-4D68-9EFE-48A0B865B4EE}
Kathy Whitworth
Rookie Year
1959
Age
83
Race to CME Points
0.000

Bio

5’9”...Given name: Kathrynne Ann Whitworth...Began playing golf at the age of 15...A member of the President’s Campaign Against Drug Abuse...Tutored by Harvey Penick and Hardy Loudermilk...Associated Press Athlete of the Year in 1965 and 1967...President of the LPGA Tour Player Executive Committee from 1967-68, 1971 and 1989...Served as player director during the 1986-87 seasons...Paired with Mickey Wright, made golf history as the first women’s team to compete in the PGA-sanctioned Legends of Golf...Received the Metropolitan Golf Writers and Golfcasters Gold Tee Award in 1984...Honored by the LPGA with the 1986 William and Mousie Powell Award and the 1987 Patty Berg Award…Named “Golfer of the Decade” by GOLF Magazine for the years 1968-77 during the 1988 Centennial of Golf in America celebration...Inducted into the LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Fame, New Mexico Hall of Fame, Texas Sports and Golf Hall of Fame and the Women’s Sports Foundation Hall of Fame...Received the 1985 William Richardson Award from the Golf Writers Association of America for consistent outstanding contributions to golf...Named an Honorary Member of the LPGA T&CP membership in 1993...Honoree of the 2000 Subaru Memorial of Naples...Recognized during the LPGA’s 50th Anniversary in 2000 as one of the LPGA’s top-50 players and teachers...In 2001, along with four-time British Open champion Bobby Locke, selected as honoree of the PGA Tour’s 2002 Memorial Tournament…Awarded the 2001 Legends of Women’s Golf Award by the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championships, an NCAA event...Honored with the 2004 Sports Legends Award…Named the 2006 PGA First Lady of Golf…Received the 2008 Linda Vollstedt Award for Service and Leadership in Women’s Sports…Is a member of the LPGA Commissioner’s Advisory Council...Represents Lady Fairway.

Career

  • In 2008, led the U.S. Handa Cup Team to their third-consecutive victory over the World Team in the annual team, match-play event on The Legends Tour.
  • Owns 88 tournament titles, more than any other professional golfer in history, male or female.
  • Was LPGA Tour’s leading money winner eight times (1965-68, 1970-73).
  • Is a seven-time LPGA Player of the Year (1966-69, 1971-73).
  • Is a seven-time winner of the Vare Trophy (1965-67, 1969-72), the most in LPGA history.
  • Competed in 26 sudden-death playoffs in her career.
  • In 2005, officially retired from competitive golf after competing in the BJ’s Charity Classic, an event on the Women’s Senior Golf Tour.
  • In 1985, recorded her last official victory and the 88th of her career at the United Virginia Bank Classic on May 12.
  • In 1983, tied Sam Snead’s record of 84 official professional golf victories at the Women’s Kemper Open with a 40-foot putt on the 72nd hole; recorded her 11th LPGA career hole-in-one at the Henredon Classic; holds the LPGA all-time record for most holes-in-one in a career.
  • Between 1962 and 1982, won 82 LPGA titles; her win at the CPC International in 1982, which was her 82nd victory, tied her with fellow LPGA Tour Hall of Fame member Mickey Wright for the most number of wins; won the Lady Michelob to surpass Wright.
  • In 1981, her third-place finish at the U.S. Women’s Open made her the first player in the history of the LPGA to surpass the $1 million mark in career earnings.
  • In 1975, became the seventh member of the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame.
  • In 1970, won the Orange Blossom Classic for the third year in a row, becoming the fourth player in LPGA history to win the same event three consecutive times (a total of eight players have now accomplished that feat).
  • In 1968, carded a career-low 62 (-7) in the third round of the Holiday Inn Classic, which she won; the 62 tied Mickey Wright’s 62 (-9) at the 1964 Tall City Open as the lowest third round in LPGA history (Grace Park shot 61 in the third round at the 2004 Welch’s/Fry’s Championship to break the record) and lowest final round by a winner in LPGA history (Juli Inkster and Annika Sorenstam tied the latter record in 2003 and 2006, respectively).
  • In 1967, won her 30th career LPGA title at the Raleigh Ladies Invitational at the age of 27 years, 6 months and 27 days; is the second-youngest player to reach the 30-win milestone (Mickey Wright is the youngest).
  • Won eight tournaments in 1965, nine in 1966, eight in 1967 and 10 in 1968.
  • In 1962, won her first tournament at the Kelly Girl Open.
  • In 1959, joined the LPGA Tour.

    Amateur
    Whitworth captured the New Mexico State Amateur title two consecutive years (1957-58) before turning professional in December 1958.

    • Leaderboard
    The Chevron Championship The Woodlands, TX
    Round 2 To Par Thru
    1 Lauren Coughlin -6 12:15 PM
    T2 Marina Alex -4 12:37 PM*
    T2 Minami Katsu -4 12:15 PM
    T2 Nelly Korda -4 8:10 AM
    T5 Jin Hee Im -3 1:32 PM*
    View Full Leaderboard
    Tournaments
    Apr 25
    JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro Los Angeles, CA
    May 09
    Cognizant Founders Cup Clifton, NJ
    May 16
    Mizuho Americas Open Jersey City, NJ
    May 30
    U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally Lancaster, PA
    Jun 07
    ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer Galloway, NJ
    Top Stories
    How To Watch

    Tune in to watch as the LPGA Tour tees it up for their first major championship of the 2024 season.  The Club at Carlton Woods plays host to The Chevron Championship. The 132-player field, highlighted by 10 of the top 10 in the Rolex Women’s World Rankings, will compete for a $7.9 million purse. 

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