Kathy Whitworth

The winningest professional golfer of all time, male or female — 88 LPGA Tour victories, the most wins by any professional golfer in the history of the sport, and seven major championships across a 30-year career.

Kathrynne Ann Whitworth was born in Monahans, Texas in 1939 and won 88 LPGA Tour titles — more victories than any professional golfer in history, male or female, including Sam Snead and Tiger Woods. She turned professional in 1959 and played competitively until 1991, winning 6 major championships: LPGA Championship (1967, 1971, 1975), Titleholders Championship (1965, 1966) and Western Open (1967). She won the LPGA Player of the Year award 7 times and the Vare Trophy (lowest scoring average) 7 times. She won at least once on tour in every season from 1962 to 1978 — 17 consecutive winning seasons. She never won the US Women's Open — the most notable gap in a record of otherwise extraordinary completeness. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982. She served as LPGA Tour president and commissioner. Her 88 victories surpassed Mickey Wright's mark of 82 in 1982. The fact that her record is less celebrated than Sam Snead's 82 — despite exceeding it — has been cited as an example of the historical undervaluation of women's sporting achievement. She died in December 2022 aged 83.

Consistent ball-striker with exceptional competitive temperament

All-time LPGA Tour wins leader, dominated women's golf in 1960s-70s

• LPGA Championship 1967, 1971, 1975
• Titleholders Championship 1965, 1966
• Western Open 1967
• LPGA Player of Year 7x
• Vare Trophy (scoring avg) 7x
• 88 LPGA wins — most in LPGA and PGA Tour combined history