DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Sept. 10, 2006 — LPGA Founder Patty Berg passed away today in Ft. Myers, Fla. She was 88.
"Patty was a wonderfully talented woman who was dedicated to golf, to growing the game and to making the sport fun for golfers of all ages," said LPGA Commissioner Carolyn F. Bivens. "She was a pioneer, an athlete, a mentor, a friend and an entertainer. She had a sense of humor that sparked a smile in all who met her. As a founder of the LPGA, Patty took the LPGA to new heights, and it was the work, passion and dedication that she and her fellow co-founders exhibited that has allowed the LPGA to grow and prosper for so many years. I, along with the entire LPGA family, mourn Patty’s passing, but we will forever celebrate her legacy."
Born on Feb. 13, 1918, in Minneapolis, Berg took up golf at age 13. She also played a bit of football as a youth, quarterbacking a Minneapolis sandlot squad named the "50th Street Tigers," which included legendary University of Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson.
In 1934, she won the Minneapolis City Championship for the first of 28 amateur titles in a seven-year span; among those victories was the
1938 U.S. Amateur Championship. Berg, an LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Fame member, won three majors during her amateur career – all three Titleholders Championships held from 1937 through 1939 – and was named as the Associated Press Athlete of the Year in 1938 (she would garner that honor again in 1943 and 1955).
Berg turned professional in 1940, but didn’t have much time to play before a car accident in 1941 put her out of action for 18 months.
Shortly after regaining her health, Berg began a three-year tour of duty as a lieutenant in the Marine Corps during World War II. She continued to play golf during that time, winning two events in 1943 and one in 1945.
From 1948 through 1962, Berg had a run that will endure as one of the best in the history of professional golf. She won 44 titles in that span, including nine majors. Perhaps more importantly, Berg was one of the founding members of the LPGA Tour in 1950. The 13 founders were involved in all aspects of professional golf – they played, organized tournaments, established rules and by-laws and supervised membership.
Berg served as the LPGA’s first president from 1950-52 and was the Tour money leader in 1954, 1955 and 1957. She ended her career with 60 overall victories and 15 majors, the latter of which is still a Tour record.
Berg has a seemingly endless collection of awards and honors to her credit.
The LPGA created the Patty Berg Award in 1978 for outstanding contributions to women’s golf – and Berg herself won the award in 1990. She is a member of numerous Halls of Fame, including the All-American Collegiate Hall of Fame and the University of Minnesota Women’s Athletic Department Hall of Fame. She was named as one of the "100 Heroes of Golf" and "Golfer of the Decade" for the period of 1938-47 by GOLF magazine during the 1988 Centennial of Golf in America celebrations and was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Golfers of All Time by Golf Digest in 2000.
Berg was inducted to the Hall of Fame of Women’s Golf in 1951 and became one of six inaugural members of the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame in 1967 (the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame chose to recognize 1951 as the retroactive date of her induction). In addition, she has been inducted into the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Hall of Fame, Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, PGA of America Golf Hall of Fame, University of Minnesota Hall of Fame, American, Minnesota and Florida Sports Halls of Fame, All- American Collegiate Hall of Fame, the University of Minnesota Women’s Athletics Department Hall of Fame and the United States Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame.
Berg and the 12 other LPGA Founders were honored in 2000 with the Commissioner’s Award in recognition of their role in furthering the cause of women’s golf.
Berg authored three books on golf, became the first woman to receive the Humanitarian Sports Award from the United Cerebral Palsy Foundation in 1976, and was honored by the Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center with the dedication of the Patty Berg Cancer Center in 1993. She was the honorary chairperson for the 2002 Solheim Cup tournament held at her home course, Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn., and raised the U.S. flag during the Opening Ceremony.
Funeral arrangements are not available at this time.
Contact:
Connie Wilson, LPGA
386-274-6271
Connie.Wilson@lpga.com