Mickey Wright facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mickey Wright |
|
|---|---|
Wright in 1965
|
|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Mary Kathryn Wright |
| Nickname | Mickey |
| Born | February 14, 1935 San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 17, 2020 (aged 85) Florida, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Residence | Port St. Lucie, Florida |
| Career | |
| College | Stanford University (one year) |
| Turned professional | 1954 |
| Former tour(s) | LPGA Tour (joined 1955) |
| Professional wins | 90 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| LPGA Tour | 82 (2nd all time) |
| Other | 8 |
| Best results in LPGA Major Championships (Wins: 13) |
|
| Western Open | Won: 1962, 1963, 1966 |
| Titleholders C'ship | Won: 1961, 1962 |
| Kraft Nabisco C'ship | T66: 1984 |
| LPGA Championship | Won: 1958, 1960, 1961, 1963 |
| U.S. Women's Open | Won: 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 1976 |
| LPGA Tour Money Winner |
1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 |
| LPGA Vare Trophy | 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 |
| Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year |
1963, 1964 |
| Bob Jones Award | 2010 |
| PGA of America Hall of Fame |
2017 |
Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright (February 14, 1935 – February 17, 2020) was an American professional golfer. She was one of the greatest golfers of all time. Mickey joined the LPGA Tour in 1955. She won an amazing 82 LPGA Tour events during her career. This includes 13 major championships, which are the biggest and most important tournaments in golf. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, which means she's recognized as one of the best golfers ever.
Contents
Early Life and Amateur Golf Career
Mickey Wright was born on February 14, 1935, in San Diego, California. She went to Herbert Hoover High School there. Her first big win in golf was the 1952 U.S. Girls' Junior championship. This was a major tournament for young female golfers.
She then went to Stanford University and played on their golf team. Even though she left before graduating, she continued to play golf at a high level. In 1954, she reached the final of the U.S. Women's Amateur tournament. The same year, she won the World Amateur Championship. After these successes, she decided to become a professional golfer later in 1954.
Professional Golf Career
Mickey Wright officially joined the LPGA Tour in 1955. She quickly became one of the top players. She won 82 events on the LPGA Tour. This incredible number places her second on the all-time win list. Only Kathy Whitworth has won more LPGA tournaments, with 88 victories.
Thirteen of Mickey's wins were in major championships. These are the most important tournaments in women's golf. This puts her second only to Patty Berg, who won fifteen majors. From 1961 to 1964, Mickey was the top earner on the LPGA Tour for four years in a row. She also finished in the top ten earners for 13 years between 1956 and 1969. She won at least one LPGA title every year for 14 straight seasons, from 1956 to 1969.
In 1964, at a tournament called the Tall City Open, Mickey shot an amazing score of 62 in the final round. This was the lowest score ever recorded in LPGA Tour history at that time! It was even lower than the men's record on that same course. Her win at the Tall City Open also holds a record for the biggest comeback in LPGA history, as she was 10 shots behind before the final round.
Mickey Wright was coached by Harry Pressler. Even the legendary golfer Ben Hogan said that Mickey's golf swing was the best he had ever seen.
Mickey stopped playing golf full-time in 1969 when she was 34 years old. This was because of problems with her feet. However, she still played in some tournaments after that. She won 13 major championships between 1958 and 1966. She is the only player in LPGA Tour history to hold all four major titles at the same time. She lived in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and enjoyed playing golf for fun sometimes. She was also a survivor of breast cancer.
Death
Mickey Wright passed away on February 17, 2020, at the age of 85. She died from a heart attack. She had been in the hospital for a few weeks before her death because of a fall.
Legacy and Impact
Mickey Wright's impact on golf is huge. In 2000, Golf Digest magazine ranked her as the ninth greatest golfer of all time. They also named her the top woman golfer ever. In 2009, a big survey of golf experts by Golf Magazine chose her as the eighth best player of all time. They also said she was the best woman player of all time. In 2017, she was honored by being inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame. Her amazing skills and many wins made her a true legend in the world of golf.
Notable Amateur Wins
- 1952 U.S. Girls' Junior
- 1954 World Amateur Championship
See also
- List of golfers with most LPGA major championship wins
- List of golfers with most LPGA Tour wins
- Women's Career Grand Slam Champion
