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 name	Kathrynne Ann Whitworth
Born	(1939-09-27)September 27, 1939 Monahans, Texas, U.S.
Died	December 24, 2022(2022-12-24) (aged 83) Flower Mound, Texas, U.S.
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Sporting nationality	United States
Career
College	Odessa College
Turned professional	1958
Current tour(s)	Legends Tour
Former tour(s)	LPGA Tour (joined 1958)
Professional wins	98
Number of wins by tour
LPGA Tour	88 (1st all time)
Ladies European Tour	1
Other	9
Best results in LPGA major championships (wins: 6)
Western Open	Won: 1967
Titleholders C'ship	Won: 1965, 1966
Chevron Championship	T2: 1983
Women's PGA C'ship	Won: 1967, 1971, 1975
U.S. Women's Open	2nd: 1971
du Maurier Classic	T14: 1980
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame 1975 (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 Trophy 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year 1965, 1966 LPGA William and Mousie Powell Award 1986 Patty Berg Award 1987

Early life and amateur career

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

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.^[14][15] She received the 1986 William Richardson Award from the Golf Writers Association of America for consistent outstanding contributions to golf.^[16] She is also a member of the New Mexico Hall of Fame,^[17] Texas Sports Hall of Fame,^[18] Texas Golf Hall of Fame,^[15] and the Women's Sports Foundation Hall of Fame.^[19][20]

Later life and death

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

LPGA Tour wins (88)

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	[phone]=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	[phone]=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	[phone]=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

Sources:^[21][22][23]

Ladies European Tour wins

• 1984 Smirnoff Ladies Irish Open

Other wins

• 1962 Haig & Haig Scotch Foursome (with Mason Rudolph)
• 1966 Lagunita Invitational
• 1967 Ladies World Series of Golf
• 1968 Ladies World Series of Golf
• 1971 LPGA Four-Ball Championship (with Judy Kimball)
• 1975 Colgate Triple Crown
• 1978 Ping Classic Team Championship (with Donna Caponi)
• 1980 Portland Ping Team Championship (with Donna Caponi)
• 1981 Portland Ping Team Championship (with Donna Caponi)

Major championships

Wins (6)

Year	Championship	Winning score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
1965	Titleholders Championship	−1 (71-71-74-71=287)	10 strokes	Peggy Wilson
1966	Titleholders Championship	[phone]=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

Sources:^[21][22]

See also

• List of golfers with most LPGA Tour wins
• List of golfers with most LPGA major championship wins

References

1. Sirak, Ron (December 25, 2002). "Kathy Whitworth - September 27, 1939 - December 24, 2022". LPGA.
2. Sirak, Ron (July 6, 2009). "A Legend Like No Other". Golf Digest. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
3. "Kathy Whitworth Named 'Female Athlete of the Year'". Eugene Register-Guard. AP. January 17, 1967. p. 3B – via Google News Archive.
4. "Kathy Whitworth, the winningest player on the LPGA and PGA tours, dies at 83". Golf Channel. December 25, 2022.
5. 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 – via Google News Archive.
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. "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. "Kathy Whitworth". LPGA. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
15. "Kathy Whitworth". Texas Golf Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
16. "William D. Richardson Award". Golf Writers Association of America. March 30, 2019. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
17. "New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame | Kathy Whitworth". Retrieved December 8, 2024.
18. "August 25, 1968". Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
19. "Kathy Whitworth". WWGA. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
20. Loman, Dan (November 21, 2024). "Kathy Whitworth: The nature of a champion". Global Golf Post. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
21. "LPGA Tournament Chronology 1960-1969" (PDF). LPGA. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 29, 2011.
22. "LPGA Tournament Chronology 1970-1979" (PDF). LPGA. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 2, 2010.
23. "LPGA Tournament Chronology 1980-1989" (PDF). LPGA. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 29, 2011.

External links

• Kathy Whitworth at the LPGA Tour official site (archived)
• Kathy Whitworth at the Legends Tour official site (also at former site)
• Kathy Whitworth at golf.about.com at the Wayback Machine (archived February 15, 2008)