Betsy Rawls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Betsy Rawls |
|
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Elizabeth Earle Rawls |
| Nickname | Betsy |
| Born | May 4, 1928 Spartanburg, South Carolina |
| Died | October 21, 2023 (aged 95) Lewes, Delaware |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Career | |
| College | University of Texas |
| Turned professional | 1951 |
| Former tour(s) | LPGA Tour (joined 1951) |
| Professional wins | 58 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| LPGA Tour | 55 |
| Other | 3 |
| Best results in LPGA Major Championships (Wins: 8) |
|
| Western Open | Won: 1952, 1959 |
| Titleholders C'ship | 2nd: 1952, 1953, 1959 |
| LPGA Championship | Won: 1959, 1969 |
| U.S. Women's Open | Won: 1951, 1953, 1957, 1960 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 1960 |
| LPGA Tour Money Winner |
1952, 1959 |
| LPGA Vare Trophy | 1959 |
| Patty Berg Award | 1980 |
| Bob Jones Award | 1996 |
| LPGA 50th Anniversary Commissioner's Award |
2000 |
Elizabeth Earle Rawls (born May 4, 1928 – died October 21, 2023) was an American professional golfer. She was known as Betsy. She played on the LPGA Tour, which is the main professional golf tour for women in the United States. Betsy won a total of 55 tournaments on the LPGA Tour. This included eight major championships, which are the most important golf tournaments. She was also a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, a special place for the best golfers ever.
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Early Life and School
Betsy Rawls was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Her parents were Robert Miller and Mary Earle Rawls. In 1940, her family moved to Arlington, Texas. She finished high school at Lovelady High.
After high school, Betsy went to North Texas Agricultural College in 1946. She studied physics there. She was a very smart student and was even chosen for an honor society. The next year, she moved to the University of Texas at Austin. She earned her degree in physics in 1950.
Her Start in Golf
Betsy started playing golf when she was 17 years old. She was an amateur golfer at first. This means she played for fun and competition, not for money. She quickly became very good.
She won the Texas Amateur golf tournament in both 1949 and 1950. She also won the Trans-National tournament in 1949 and the Broadmoor Invitational in 1950. In 1950, while still an amateur, she came in second place at the U.S. Women's Open. This was a big achievement for someone who wasn't yet a professional.
Becoming a Professional Golfer
In 1951, Betsy Rawls became a professional golfer. This meant she could now play for prize money. She joined the LPGA Tour that same year. She won her first professional tournament, the Sacramento Women's Invitational Open, in her first year.
Betsy went on to win a total of 55 events on the LPGA Tour. This makes her one of the most successful golfers in LPGA history. Among her many wins, she won eight major championships. These are the most important tournaments in women's golf.
In 1959, she won the LPGA Vare Trophy. This award goes to the golfer with the lowest average score for the year. She was also the top money winner on the tour in 1952 and 1959. She finished in the top ten for money earned nine times. Betsy led the tour in wins three times: in 1952 (with eight wins), 1957 (with five wins), and 1959 (with ten wins).
Betsy Rawls was also a leader off the golf course. She was the president of the LPGA from 1961 to 1962. In 1967, when the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame was created, Betsy was one of the first six golfers to be included. Her official induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame is recognized as 1960.
After she stopped playing in tournaments in 1975, she became a tournament director for the LPGA Tour. This meant she helped organize and run the golf events. From 1987 to 2004, she was the tournament director for the McDonald's LPGA Championship. In 1996, she received the Bob Jones Award. This is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association for showing great sportsmanship in golf.
Major Championship Wins
Betsy Rawls won eight major championships during her career. These are some of the most important tournaments in golf.
| Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | U.S. Women's Open | +5 (73-71-74-75=293) | 5 strokes |  Louise Suggs |
| 1952 | Women's Western Open | 1 up | Betty Jameson |
|
| 1953 | U.S. Women's Open | +6 (75-78-74-75=302) | Playoff1 | Jackie Pung |
| 1957 | U.S. Women's Open | +7 (74-74-75-76=299) | 6 strokes | Patty Berg |
| 1959 | LPGA Championship | +8 (76-68-69-75=288) | 1 stroke | Patty Berg |
| 1959 | Women's Western Open | −1 (70-76-76-71=293) | 6 strokes | JoAnne Gunderson (a), Patty Berg |
| 1960 | U.S. Women's Open | +4 (76-73-68-75=292) | 1 stroke | Joyce Ziske |
| 1969 | LPGA Championship | +1 (71-72-79-71=293) | 4 strokes | Susie Berning, Carol Mann |
1 In an 18-hole playoff, Rawls scored 70, while Pung scored 77.
Death
Betsy Rawls passed away in Lewes, Delaware, on October 21, 2023. She was 95 years old.
See Also
- List of golfers with most LPGA Tour wins
- List of golfers with most LPGA major championship wins
