When she first got the email last December, Judy Rankin thought it might be a scam. Fair enough considering virtual communication can be doctored to look as real as ever in this modern digital age.

But after getting confirmation from a couple of friends of hers that the note and its origins were indeed authentic, Rankin started planning a summer trip to St Andrews, Scotland, a visit that saw the LPGA and World Golf Hall of Famer recognized with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of St Andrews.

Rankin never finished high school or attended college, turning pro and joining the LPGA Tour not long after she was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1961. And it was that fact that made receiving an honorary degree from such a prestigious institution even more of an incredible opportunity for a now 80-year-old Rankin, who called the June 30 ceremony one of the “great experiences” that she has ever had in all her life.

“I get a bit shocked because at this age, you'd think they'd have different people on their mind,” Rankin said. “The fact that I've received stuff in the last couple of years has been surprising and wonderful. This was really kind of a cherry on the top. I've had two or three things that were really a surprise and stunning to me, but this sure counts as one of them.”

The Midland, Texas resident has spent a substantial amount of time in St Andrews calling golf and witnessing some of the more incredible moments in the game’s history at the Old Course. She walked with Tiger in 2000 when he finished the Career Grand Slam at the Open Championship, what was also the second leg of what’s referred to as the Tiger Slam, when Woods held all four men’s major titles at once across the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

Rankin followed Jack Nicklaus during his final round at the Home of Golf in 2005, marveling at every standing ovation the Golden Bear received that day as he bid farewell to the Scottish locals and to major championship golf on the PGA Tour, tournaments of which he won a record 18 times.

She was even there to watch her fellow members of the LPGA Tour etch their names alongside the slew of storied champions who have won at the Old Course, commentating during Lorena Ochoa’s victory in 2007, the first year the AIG Women’s Open was played at the Old Course, and doing so again in 2013 when Stacy Lewis won her second career major title in St Andrews. Those moments, in particular, were significant for Rankin to witness as she had played professional golf at a time when women weren’t always able to tee it up at the game’s most iconic properties.

“It was a sea change. There was already a pretty good rotation of courses, but to come (to St Andrews) meant an awful lot,” Rankin said. “I remember months before coming to St Andrews, to the links, there were gals on the LPGA Tour who were playing St Andrews on their computer because they've never been there, never seen it. It was a special time for women's golf, and certainly for me.”

And now, this little town in Scotland that has meant so much to her professional career over the years has an even deeper significance for Rankin, a new, incredibly personal memory on which she can fondly reflect in the days and years to come.

“I love having it. I have some friends calling me Dr. Rankin, and it's pretty funny,” said Rankin. “It's hard for me to describe. I am a little bit of an Anglophile. I have loved Britain and Ireland and all that goes with these little islands. I'm a fan anyway, and to have had this happen here and then St Andrews, a place that is really dear to my heart, (it’s) amazing, absolutely amazing.

“I never thought about something like this happening, and I'm still in a little bit of awe that it did and how much I enjoyed it and what a really wonderful experience it was.”

The University of St Andrews has several graduation ceremonies throughout the course of their summer commencement, and Rankin was honored during the June 30 festivities. She was introduced by Academic Registrar Marie-Noel Earley, who recounted Rankin’s notable golf accomplishments from her playing days as both an amateur and professional, as well as the honors and accolades with which Judy has been recognized since stepping away from competitive golf in the early 1980s.

Earley also lauded Rankin’s commentary career and her work with her JTR Suitcase Fund, an organization Judy founded to give young golfers from West Texas financial backing to travel to national junior tournaments.

Judy knelt in front of Vice Chancellor Sally Mapstone and was hooded after Mapstone conferred her degree. Then, as is customary for honorary degree recipients, Rankin gave a short speech during the ceremony, imparting wisdom and advice to the young graduates as they embark on their own life journeys. The consummate television professional prepared a few notes before speaking to the crowd, delivering an eloquent and impactful message much like she would have described a well-struck golf shot or holed putt on a broadcast.

“I've tried to figure out how golf plays into all this, but of course, golf plays into St Andrews anyway,” Rankin said during the ceremony. “I want to tell you that oftentimes, much of the time, the name of the game in golf is perseverance. You win, you lose, you get knocked back, you can't quite get to where you're trying to get. There are those with extraordinary talent, and there are those with talent, and those who really persevere are the players whose names we know today, from the past and from today.

“I want to tell you that perseverance is a big part of life.”

She continued, “There's an American professor who has this to say on following your passion, ‘Work at what you are good at. Then, you'll be able to afford your passion.’ I love that. I have always thought that made complete sense. But from me, here's what I wish for you, what I hope you could take from me.

“Find joy in small things. As you age, they will stack up. It'll become a whole library of the small things that made you smile, and when you think back on them, they'll make you smile again. Help others when you can. You'll smile naturally. When you do that, it comes very easy.

“And I would say, be grateful. Find contentment, and you will have a good life.”

All of which are lessons that Rankin has learned from years of personal experience in servitude of others and that she’s gleaned from enjoying every second of her golf career, both on the course and in the booth, doing so with a resounding sense of empathy and gratitude, characteristics that make this steward of the game more than worthy of this latest recognition.

LPGA Hall of Famer Judy Rankin Receives Honorary Doctorate from University of St Andrews

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