# 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. 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.

## 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. She attended Odessa College.
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.

## Professional career

In 1962, Whitworth won her first tournament, the Kelly Girls Open. 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. In 1974, she won the Orange Blossom Classic for the fifth time, 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. She was the first LPGA player to earn $1 million, in 1981.
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, and was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame in 1975 and into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982. She was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 1965 and 1967. 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. She received the 1986 William Richardson Award from the Golf Writers Association of America for consistent outstanding contributions to golf. 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.

## 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. At the time of her death she lived in Flower Mound, Texas with her partner, Bettye Odle. She died in Flower Mound on December 24, 2022, at age 83, after collapsing while attending a neighbor's Christmas party.

## 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 | +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 |
Sources:

### 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 | +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 |
Sources: