LPGA legend Kathy Whitworth passes away at the age of 83 08:00, 26/12/2022

Kathy Whitworth (Kathrynne Ann Whitworth) was born on September 27, 1939 in Monahans, Texas in a family of three sisters and a father who is a hardware store owner. When she was young, she was oriented with tennis, at the age of 14, she fell in love with golf and started her serious pursuit of golf from here.

Whitworth died suddenly on Christmas Eve 24/12 in the arms of her family and friends.

“Kathy was a champion in the truest sense of the word, both on the golf course and off. In the short time I spent with Kathy, I was truly blown away by her and her approach to the game and to life," Mollie Marcoux Samaan, LPGA Commissioner said.

With outstanding talent, Wright has won a total of 88 tournaments on the LPGA Tour and 6 major championships. In the early years of her career, she won her first championships at the New Mexico State Amateur Championship in 1957 and 1958. At the age of 19, she turned professional and joined the LPGA in December 1958. Whitworth has shared many times about the time when she almost gave up the game after the first year of struggling to find a place in the professional tournament.

But the following years were the most shining time in the life of the female golf legend. During a decade from 1963-1973, Whitworth dominated the golf world with 82 times crowned at events on the Professional Tour as well as at professional tournaments. At that time, Kathy Whitworth's name took over the spotlight when her "rival", the late legendary golfer Mickey Wright announced his retirement from playing in 1969.

Her dominance is also evidenced by the fact that she has kept a streak of at least 1 win in 17 consecutive seasons, a record the LPGA Tour may never be broken. Her first LPGA victory was at the Kelly Girls Open in 1962 when she defeated Sandra Haynie - a senior with 4 major titles; and overcame 5-time major champion Amy Alcott to win the last title of her career at the United Virginia Bank Classic 1985. During her career, she also finished 93 times as runner-up. In 1981, Whitworth became the first LPGA golfer to hit the $1 million mark in prize money, and in 1990 she was selected to be the first United States' Solheim Cup captain.

By 1985, Whitworth had made many people admire when he had 98 championship titles in his hand, an impressive record that is now hard to surpass, when the world's top female golfer at the time. Currently, Lydia Ko has just reached 25 victories.

Whitworth retired in 2005 at the age of 66 after competing in the final BJ's Charity Classic, a Women's Senior Golf Tour event.

LPGA founder Louise Suggs once said, “Mickey is the greatest golfer, but Kathy is the greatest winner.”

And although Kathy Whitworth has passed away, it can be affirmed that the golf world will never stop honoring her, honoring her lifelong contributions, and will forever remember her - a pioneer, a legend. The legend lives on with the history of golf.