Before Her 88 Victories, the All-Time Winningest Professional Golfer Kathy Whitworth Needed Help to Keep Going
FORT WORTH, Texas – “Tell us about a time when quitting would have been the easier choice. Why did you continue?”
That question is at the heart of the 2027 KW88 Gift Award, which will provide five recipients with $5,000 each to help them pursue professional golf careers. Applications are due October 26, 2026.
It is also a question Kathy Whitworth understood personally. Long before she became the winningest professional golfer in history, male or female, she faced a moment when financial hardship and disappointing results threatened to end her career.
After her first year on the LPGA Tour, Whitworth was struggling financially, with a scoring average a little above 80. She questioned whether she could continue.
Her parents encouraged her to come home to Jal, New Mexico, to talk it through. Around the family’s kitchen table, they gathered with several local business leaders who believed she deserved more time to develop her talent.
Together, they assembled a modest fund to help her remain on Tour for three years. Their encouragement and financial support gave Whitworth the opportunity to keep playing—and to discover just how far she could go.
She went on to win 88 LPGA Tour titles, a record unmatched by any player on the LPGA or PGA Tours.
Today, the KW88 Gift Award is a “legacy in motion” and carries that act of belief forward. Its application asks young women to share the experiences behind their competitive records: the setbacks, difficult decisions and people who helped them persevere.
In a section titled “Character and Champion Mindset,” applicants describe their biggest setback in golf, how they responded, what they learned and how the experience changed them. They also answer questions such as:
- “Tell us about a time your perseverance mattered more than your golf ability.”
- “Who has believed in you when you struggled to believe in yourself? How did they impact your journey?”
- “How do you define success if you never win on the LPGA Tour?”
Applicants must consider the personal qualities that distinguish great players from true champions—and identify which qualities they still need to develop.
The final questions turn toward legacy: How have applicants already helped others through golf? How would they one day “pay it forward” to another young golfer?
Those questions connect the award to the family and community support that helped Whitworth continue when her future was uncertain. The program offers another generation of women both practical assistance and encouragement to keep pursuing their goals.
Application Information and Selection Timeline
The KW88 Gift Award honors young women who have demonstrated a commitment to professional golf and a need for financial assistance. The award may be received only once; previous recipients are not eligible to apply again.
The selection schedule is:
- October 26, 2026: Applications due.
- November 16, 2026: Finalists determined.
- November 17–December 2, 2026: Finalist interviews conducted.
- December 21–22, 2026: Recipients scheduled to be notified.
Applicants should prepare their responses before beginning, as the online application must be completed in one sitting.
Website:
https://kathywhitworthfoundation.org/
Direct application:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KW88GiftAwardApplication2027
About the Kathy Whitworth Foundation
The Kathy Whitworth Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is committed to inspiring young women to embrace confidence, strong values and responsibility while developing leadership and sportsmanship skills for lifelong success.
Media Contact:
Barbara Griffith
Griffith.barbara@att.net
817-602-5011
