Bio

Given name: Elizabeth Earle Rawls...Did not take up golf until the age of 17 while living in Arlington, Texas...After retiring in 1975, Rawls began her six-year tenure as the LPGA’s tournament director…Serving in that capacity during the Tour’s dynamic growth period, Rawls can take much credit for the LPGA’s standing in the world of sports...Left her LPGA post in September 1981 to assume responsibilities as executive director for the McDonald’s Championship, the Tour’s leading contributor to charity...Serves as vice chairman for the McDonald’s LPGA Championship...Served as president of the LPGA’s Tournament Sponsors Association from 1990-92...Armed with a commanding knowledge of the Rules of Golf, Rawls was the first woman to serve on the Rules Committee for the men’s U.S. Open...Inducted into the Texas State Golf Hall of Fame in October 1983...Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in Pinehurst, N.C., in October 1987...Awarded the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association’s Gold Tee Award in 1987...Named among GOLF Magazine’s “100 Heroes” during 1988 Centennial of Golf in America celebration...Recipient of the 1980 Patty Berg Award…Won the 1995 Sprint Lifetime Achievement Award...Received the 1996 Bobby Jones Award from the USGA...In 2000, awarded the LPGA’s 50th Anniversary Commissioner’s Award for her contributions to the game...Recognized during the LPGA’s 50th Anniversary in 2000 as one of the LPGA’s top-50 players and teachers...Honoree of the 2001 Subaru Memorial of Naples...One of two honorees for the PGA Tour’s 2005 Memorial Tournament.

Career

Winner of 55 LPGA events, including eight major championships (four U.S. Women’s Open titles, two LPGA Championships and two Western Opens).

From 1991-95, competed in the Sprint Senior Challenge, an unofficial LPGA event.

In 1967, when the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame was created, was one of the six inaugural inductees; the LPGA recognized her induction year into the Hall of Fame of Women’s Golf (1960) as her official induction year into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame.

From 1961-62, served as president of the LPGA.

In 1960, won her fourth U.S. Women’s Open to become the first LPGA player to win the Open four times (Mickey Wright joined her in 1964).

In 1959, claimed 10 titles and captured her only Vare Trophy; finished the season as the leading money winner, earning almost $27,000 to break the single-season earnings record by almost $6,500 (Rawls’ record stood until 1963).

In 1952, 1957 and 1959, led the Tour in victories with eight, five and 10 wins, respectively.

From 1951-62, won multiple events each season; from 1951-66, won at least one event each season.

In 1951, joined the LPGA Tour and won two events, including the U.S. Women’s Open.

Amateur
Although a native of South Carolina, Rawls enjoyed amateur fame growing up in Texas. She won the 1949 Texas Amateur just four years after taking up the game and repeated that triumph in 1950. Her amateur win list also includes the 1949 Trans-National and 1950 Broadmoor Invitational. In 1950, prior to joining the LPGA Tour, she finished second at the U.S. Women’s Open as an amateur.