Louise Suggs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louise Suggs |
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Suggs in 1958
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Personal information | |
Full name | Mae Louise Suggs |
Born | Atlanta, Georgia |
September 7, 1923
Died | August 7, 2015 Sarasota, Florida |
(aged 91)
Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
Nationality | ![]() |
Residence | Delray Beach, Florida, U.S. |
Career | |
Turned professional | 1948 |
Former tour(s) | LPGA Tour (co-founder) |
Professional wins | 61 |
Number of wins by tour | |
LPGA Tour | 61 (4th all time) |
Best results in LPGA Major Championships (Wins: 11) |
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Western Open | Won: 1946, 1947, 1949, 1953 |
Titleholders C'ship | Won: 1946, 1954, 1956, 1959 |
Kraft Nabisco C'ship | CUT: 1983 |
LPGA Championship | Won: 1957 |
U.S. Women's Open | Won: 1949, 1952 |
Achievements and awards | |
World Golf Hall of Fame | 1951 |
LPGA Tour Money Winner |
1953, 1960 |
LPGA Vare Trophy | 1957 |
Patty Berg Award | 2000 |
Bob Jones Award | 2007 |
Mae Louise Suggs (born September 7, 1923 – died August 7, 2015) was an American professional golfer. She was one of the important people who started the LPGA Tour. This tour helped create modern ladies' golf as we know it today.
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Becoming a Golf Star
Louise Suggs was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She started playing golf at a young age. She had a very successful career even before she became a professional golfer.
Early Wins as an Amateur
When she was just 16, Louise won the Georgia State Amateur tournament in 1940. She won it again in 1942. She also won the Southern Amateur Championship in 1941 and 1947.
She was very good at the North and South Women's Amateur, winning it three times. These wins were in 1942, 1946, and 1948. She also won the Women's Western Amateur twice, in 1946 and 1947.
Major Amateur Championships
Louise won the Women's Western Open in both 1946 and 1947. This tournament later became known as a "major championship" when the LPGA was created. She also won the Titleholders Championship in 1946, which also became a major.
In 1947, she won the U.S. Women's Amateur. The next year, she won the British Ladies Amateur. Her amazing amateur career ended when she played for the United States in the 1948 Curtis Cup team.
Professional Golf Career
After her many wins as an amateur, Louise Suggs became a professional golfer in 1948. She continued to win many more tournaments.
Joining the LPGA Tour
Louise won 58 professional tournaments. This included 11 major championships. From 1950 to 1960, she was almost always one of the top three golfers who earned the most money each season.
In 1957, Louise won the 1957 LPGA Championship. This made her the first LPGA player to achieve a career Grand Slam. This means she won all the major championships available to her during her career.
Founding the LPGA
Louise Suggs was one of the people who helped start the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) in 1950. Her two main rivals at the time, Patty Berg and Babe Zaharias, were also co-founders. Louise Suggs was the president of the LPGA from 1955 to 1957.
Golf Hall of Fame
Because of her incredible achievements, Louise Suggs was one of the first people to be put into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame in 1967. She was also added to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1979. In 1966, she was honored in the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
Awards and Recognition
Many awards and honors have been named after Louise Suggs.
The Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award is given every year. It goes to the best first-year player on the LPGA Tour. This award is named in her honor.
In 2006, Louise Suggs received the Bob Jones Award. This award is given by the United States Golf Association for showing great sportsmanship in golf. In 2015, she became one of the first female members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. This is a very old and famous golf club.
Major Championship Wins
Louise Suggs won 11 major championships during her career. These are some of the most important tournaments in golf.
- 1946 Titleholders Championship
- 1946 Women's Western Open
- 1947 Women's Western Open
- 1949 U.S. Women's Open
- 1949 Women's Western Open
- 1952 U.S. Women's Open
- 1953 Women's Western Open
- 1954 Titleholders Championship
- 1956 Titleholders Championship
- 1957 LPGA Championship
- 1959 Titleholders Championship
See also
In Spanish: Louise Suggs para niños
- Women’s Career Grand Slam Champion
- List of golfers with most LPGA Tour wins
- List of golfers with most LPGA major championship wins