Titleholders Championship

Last updated

The Titleholders Championship was a women's golf tournament played from in 1937 to 1966 and again in 1972. It was later designated a major championship by the LPGA Tour.

Contents

History

The Titleholders Championship was founded in 1937. Like the Masters Tournament for men, which began a few years earlier, it was played in Augusta, Georgia, but at Augusta Country Club, not at the adjacent Augusta National Golf Club. The winners of various amateur and professional events were invited to take part, although most of the competitors were amateurs. There were very few women professionals at the time and most earned their living as club or teaching professionals.

The Titleholders itself did not offer prize money until 1948, when a prize fund of $600 was introduced, with half of the money going to the professional placing highest in the event. The tournament was discontinued after November 1966, [1] but was revived for one year in 1972, when it was played in May at the Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina. [2] All of these stagings are now recognized as major championships by the LPGA, even though the organization was not founded until 1950.

Winners

YearWinnerCountryScoreRunner(s)-upWinners'
share ($)
Purse ($)Ref
1972 Sandra Palmer Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 283 Flag of the United States.svg Judy Rankin, Flag of the United States.svg Mickey Wright 3,00020,000 [2] [3]
1967–71No tournament
1966 Kathy Whitworth Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 291 Flag of the United States.svg Judy Kimball-Simon, Flag of the United States.svg Mary Mills 1,50010,000 [1] [4]
1965 Kathy Whitworth Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 287 Flag of the United States.svg Peggy Wilson 1,50010,000 [5] [4]
1964 Marilynn Smith Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 289 Flag of the United States.svg Mickey Wright 1,3007,500 [4]
1963 Marilynn Smith Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 292PO Flag of the United States.svg Mickey Wright 1,2357,500 [4]
1962 Mickey Wright Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 295PO Flag of the United States.svg Ruth Jessen 1,3307,500 [4]
1961 Mickey Wright Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 299 Flag of the United States.svg Patty Berg, Flag of the United States.svg Louise Suggs 1,2007,000 [4]
1960 Fay Crocker Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 303 Flag of the United States (1959-1960).svg Kathy Cornelius 1,1406,000 [4]
1959 Louise Suggs Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 297 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Betsy Rawls 1,0005,000 [6]
1958 Beverly Hanson Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 299 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Betty Dodd 1,0005,275 [6]
1957 Patty Berg Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 296 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Anne Quast (a)1,0005,000 [6]
1956 Louise Suggs Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 302 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Patty Berg 1,0005,000 [6]
1955 Patty Berg Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 291 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mary Lena Faulk 1,0005,000 [6]
1954 Louise Suggs Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 293 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Patty Berg 1,0003,000 [6]
1953 Patty Berg Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 294 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Betsy Rawls 1,0002,200 [6]
1952 Babe Zaharias Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 299 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Betsy Rawls 1,0002,100 [6]
1951 Pat O'Sullivan (a)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 301 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Beverly Hanson 1,500 [6]
1950 Babe Zaharias Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 298 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Claire Doran (a)7001,500 [6]
1949 Peggy Kirk (a)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 299 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Patty Berg, Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Dorothy Kirby (a) [7]
1948 Patty Berg Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 308 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Peggy Kirk (a), Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Babe Zaharias [8]
1947 Babe Zaharias (a)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 304 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Dorothy Kirby (a)300 [9]
1946 Louise Suggs (a)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 314 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Eileen Stulb (a) [10]
1943–45No tournament
1942 Dorothy Kirby (a)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 239^ Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Eileen Stulb (a) [11]
1941 Dorothy Kirby (a)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 224^ Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Helen Sigel [12]
1940 Helen Hicks (a)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 336 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Helen Dettweiler [13]
1939 Patty Berg (a)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 319 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Dorothy Kirby (a) [14]
1938 Patty Berg (a)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 311 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jane Cothran (a) [15]
1937 Patty Berg (a)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 240^ Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Dorothy Kirby (a) [16]

(a) - denotes amateur
PO - won in playoff
^ - 54 holes

Multiple winners

This table lists the golfers who have won more than one Titleholders Championship.

Deceased golfer †
Grand Slam winners ‡
Deceased Grand Slam winners ∞
CountryGolferTotalYears
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Patty Berg71937, 1938, 1939, 1948, 1953, 1955, 1957
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Louise Suggs41946, 1954, 1956, 1959
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Babe Zaharias31947, 1950, 1952
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Dorothy Kirby21941, 1942
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Mickey Wright21961, 1962
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Marilynn Smith21963, 1964
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Kathy Whitworth21965, 1966

Winners by nationality

This table lists the total number of titles won by golfers of each nationality as a major.

NationalityNumber
of wins
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 27
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 1

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LPGA</span> Association of US female professional golfers

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is an American organization for female golfers. The organization is headquartered at the LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida, and is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite women professional golfers from around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patty Berg</span> American professional golfer

Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer. She was a founding member and the first president of the LPGA. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am</span> Golf tournament in Pebble Beach, California, United States

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held annually at Pebble Beach, California, near Carmel. The tournament is usually held during the month of February on two different courses, currently Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course and previously, Monterey Peninsula Country Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louise Suggs</span> American golfer

Mae Louise Suggs was an American professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.

The Women's Western Open was an American professional golf tournament founded in 1930. The LPGA was established in 1950, and it recognized the Western Open as one of its major championships through 1967. All of the events back to 1930 have been designated as majors by the LPGA.

Elizabeth Earle Rawls was an American LPGA Tour professional golfer. She won eight major championships and 55 LPGA Tour career events. She was a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Beverly Hanson was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valero Texas Open</span> American golf tournament

The Texas Open, known as the Valero Texas Open for sponsorship reasons, is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played near San Antonio, Texas. It dates back 102 years to 1922, when it was first called the Texas Open; San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corporation took over naming rights in 2002. It is played at The Oaks Course at the TPC San Antonio, northeast of the city. The Valero Energy Foundation is the host organization for the Valero Texas Open.

The 1937 Masters Tournament was the fourth Masters Tournament, held April 1–4 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

The 1941 Masters Tournament was the eighth Masters Tournament, held April 3–6 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Craig Wood won his first major title, three strokes ahead of runner-up Byron Nelson.

Mary Ruth Jessen was an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1956 and won 11 LPGA Tour victories in all.

The Patty Berg Classic was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour, played in 1969 at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, Massachusetts, United States. Kathy Whitworth won the event by one stroke over Sandra Haynie.

The Triangle Round Robin was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1953 to 1962. It was played at several different courses on the East Coast of the United States.

The Tampa Women's Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1947 to 1960. It was played at the Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club in Tampa, Florida. The 1950 event was the first official event on the LPGA Tour. The events played before the LPGA was founded in 1950 are recognized as official wins.

The 1961 Titleholders Championship was the 22nd Titleholders Championship, held April 27–30 at Augusta Country Club in Augusta, Georgia. Mickey Wright won the first of two consecutive Titleholders, one stroke ahead of runners-up Patty Berg and Louise Suggs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fay Crocker</span> Uruguayan professional golfer

Fay Crocker was a Uruguayan professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. In her career, she won 11 LPGA tournaments, including two major championships, the 1955 U.S. Women's Open and 1960 Titleholders Championship. Crocker was the oldest player to win her first LPGA event, the first U.S. Women's Open champion from outside the United States, and the oldest women's major champion.

Pleasant Valley Country Club is a golf course and country club in the northeastern United States, located in Sutton, Massachusetts. The course is a 72 par that measures 7,020 yards (6,419 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marion Miley</span> American amateur golfer

Marion Miley was an American amateur golfer. Active in the 1930s, she won dozens of amateur tournaments and was ranked as high as #1 in the United States. She was noted by the press as being one of the most photogenic golfers in the world and received international acclaim from her successes both nationally and abroad, bringing attention to the sport of women's golf in the era prior to the establishment of the LPGA. She was murdered in 1941 during a robbery of the country club where she and her mother lived, dying at the age of 27; her mother also died as a result of the crime.

References

  1. 1 2 "Whitworth rules Titleholders". St. Petersburg Times. (Florida). Associated Press. November 28, 1966. p. 4C.
  2. 1 2 "Palmer shreds Titleholders with 283 win". St. Petersburg Times. (Florida). Associated Press. May 30, 1972. p. 7C.
  3. LPGA Tournament Chronology - 1970-79
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 LPGA Tournament Chronology - 1960-69
  5. "Women's Golf". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 29, 1965. p. 16.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 LPGA Tournament Chronology - 1950-59
  7. "Peggy Kirk Wins Augusta Tourney". The Evening Independent . St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. March 21, 1949. p. 10. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  8. "Berg Captures Titleholders Golf Tourney". The Spartanburg Herald . Spartanburg, South Carolina. Associated Press. March 22, 1948. p. 7. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  9. "Zaharias Cops Golf Crown". The Milwaukee Sentinel . Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Associated Press. March 31, 1947. pp. 2–4. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  10. "Suggs Wins Titleholders Golf Event". St. Petersburg Times . St. Petersburg, Florida. United Press. April 13, 1946. p. 12. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  11. "Miss Kirby Keeps Title". Reading Eagle . Reading, Pennsylvania. April 3, 1942. p. 20. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  12. "Dorothy Kirby Ties Own Golf Record". The Pittsburgh Press . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. April 10, 1941. p. 35. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  13. "Augusta Golf to Mrs. Harb". San Antonio Light . San Antonio, Texas. Associated Press. January 19, 1940. p. 11A.
  14. "Patty Berg Again Is Augusta Winner". Ellensburg Daily Record . Ellensburg, Washington. Associated Press. January 20, 1939. p. 6. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  15. "Patty Berg Races Ahead Of Golfers In Augusta Event". The Spartanburg Herald . Spartanburg, South Carolina. Associated Press. January 17, 1938. p. 7. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  16. "Patty Berg Triumphs". The Montreal Gazette . Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Associated Press. January 18, 1937. p. 16. Retrieved May 14, 2010.