Betsy King facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Betsy King |
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|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | August 13, 1955 Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Residence | Limekiln, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Career | |
| College | Furman University |
| Turned professional | 1977 |
| Former tour(s) | LPGA Tour (1977–2005) |
| Professional wins | 39 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| LPGA Tour | 34 |
| Ladies European Tour | 1 |
| LPGA of Japan Tour | 3 |
| Other | 3 |
| Best results in LPGA Major Championships (Wins: 6) |
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| Kraft Nabisco C'ship | Won: 1987, 1990, 1997 |
| LPGA Championship | Won: 1992 |
| U.S. Women's Open | Won: 1989, 1990 |
| du Maurier Classic | 2nd/T2: 1989, 1993 |
| Women's British Open | 59th: 2002 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 1995 |
| LPGA Tour Money Winner |
1984, 1989, 1993 |
| LPGA Tour Player of the Year |
1984, 1989, 1993 |
| LPGA Vare Trophy | 1987, 1993 |
| GWAA Female Player of the Year |
1987, 1989 |
| Best Female Golfer ESPY Award |
1994 |
| LPGA William and Mousie Powell Award |
1996 |
| Silver Anniversary Awards (NCAA) |
2002 |
Betsy King (born August 13, 1955) is an American professional golfer. She was a top player on the LPGA Tour for many years. She won six major championships and 34 LPGA Tour events in total.
Contents
About Betsy King
Early Life and College Golf
Betsy King was born on August 13, 1955, in Reading, Pennsylvania. She finished high school in 1973.
She played college golf at Furman University. Her team won the national championship in 1976. Other future LPGA stars like Beth Daniel were on that team. In 1976, she was the best amateur player at the U.S. Women's Open.
Becoming a Professional Golfer
Betsy King became a professional golfer in 1977. She joined the LPGA Tour that same year. Her first big win was the 1984 Women's Kemper Open.
In 1984, she won three tournaments. She also had 21 top-10 finishes. This helped her earn the LPGA Tour Player of the Year award. From 1984 to 1989, Betsy won 20 LPGA events. This was more wins than any other golfer, male or female, during that time.
Amazing Achievements in Golf
After her first win in 1984, Betsy won at least one tournament every year for the next 10 years. In 1989, she had her best year with six victories. She was always near the top of the money list from 1985 to 1995. She also won the Player of the Year award three times. She earned two scoring titles and three money titles.
In 1993, she won a scoring title and the money title. She also won one tournament that year. She finished second five times, including at two major championships. She won a major championship almost every year from 1987 to 1992. Her sixth major win came in 1997. Her last of 34 LPGA wins was in 2001.
When she got her 30th win in 1995, she was invited into the World Golf Hall of Fame. This is a very special honor for golfers.
Helping Others and Team USA
Betsy King also used her fame to help others. From 1996 to 2004, she hosted a golf event called the Wachovia LPGA Classic. She also worked on charity projects. She helped build houses with Habitat for Humanity. She also worked with groups that helped orphans in former Soviet countries.
Betsy played for the United States in the Solheim Cup five times. This is a team competition against Europe. She was also the captain of the U.S. team in 2007. She led her team to a big win over Europe. In 2001, she was honored in the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.
Betsy King's Major Wins
Betsy King won six major championships during her career. These are the most important tournaments in women's golf.
- 1987 Nabisco Dinah Shore
- 1989 U.S. Women's Open
- 1990 Nabisco Dinah Shore
- 1990 U.S. Women's Open
- 1992 Mazda LPGA Championship
- 1997 Nabisco Dinah Shore
She also won the Burberry Women's British Open in 1985. At that time, it was not yet considered a major championship by the LPGA Tour.
Summary of Major Championship Performance
Betsy King played in many major championships.
- She started in 106 major tournaments.
- She won 6 of them.
- She finished second 4 times.
- She finished third 6 times.
- She had 35 finishes in the top 10.
- She made the cut (meaning she played all rounds) in 38 tournaments in a row at one point.
Team Play
Betsy King was a key player for the United States in team competitions.
- Solheim Cup: She played for the U.S. team five times (1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998). The U.S. team won in 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1998. She was also the non-playing captain in 2007 when the U.S. team won again.
- Handa Cup: She played for the U.S. team in 2012 and 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Betsy King para niños
- List of golfers with most LPGA Tour wins
- List of golfers with most LPGA major championship wins
