Pat Bradley (golfer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pat Bradley
Personal information
Born	(1951-03-24) March 24, 1951 (age 74) Westford, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Nationality	United States
Residence	Hyannis, Massachusetts, U.S.
Career
College	Florida International
Turned professional	1974
Former tour(s)	LPGA Tour
Professional wins	36
Number of wins by tour
LPGA Tour	31
LPGA of Japan Tour	1
Other	5
Best results in LPGA Major Championships (Wins: 6)
Kraft Nabisco C'ship	Won: 1986
LPGA Championship	Won: 1986
U.S. Women's Open	Won: 1981
du Maurier Classic	Won: 1980, 1985, 1986
Women's British Open	DNP
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame	1991
LPGA Tour Money Winner	1986, 1991
LPGA Tour Player of the Year	1986, 1991
LPGA Tour Vare Trophy	1986, 1991
GWAA Female Player of the Year	1986
LPGA William and Mousie Powell Award	1991
LPGA Patty Berg Award	2001
NH Golf Hall of Fame	2018

Pat Bradley is a famous American professional golfer. She was born on March 24, 1951. Pat joined the LPGA Tour in 1974. She won 31 tournaments on the tour, including six major championships. Pat Bradley is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Family Fun

Pat Bradley was born in Westford, Massachusetts. She was the only girl in a family of six children. Her dad, Richard, loved golf. Her brothers also played golf. One of her brothers, Mark, is a golf professional. His son, Keegan Bradley, won a major golf tournament in 2011. In 1989, the Bradley family was named "Golf Family of the Year." When Pat was a teenager, she was also a great ski racer.

Starting Out in Golf

Pat Bradley showed her golf talent early. She won the New Hampshire Amateur golf tournament in 1967 and 1969. She also won the New England Amateur in 1972 and 1973. While studying at Florida International University, she was named an All-American golfer in 1970. Even before turning professional, she played well in a big LPGA Tour event in 1973.

Becoming a Golf Star

Pat Bradley became a professional golfer in 1974. Her first big win on the LPGA Tour was in 1976. She won three times in 1978, which was a great year for her. The early to mid-1980s were her best years. She won the most tournaments on the LPGA Tour in 1983 (four wins) and 1986 (five wins).

Major Wins and Near Grand Slam

Pat won her first major championship in 1980. She then won the U.S. Women's Open in 1981. In 1985, she won another major, the du Maurier Classic.

The year 1986 was amazing for Pat. She won three of the four major LPGA tournaments:

• The du Maurier Classic
• The Nabisco Dinah Shore
• The LPGA Championship

She almost won all four majors in one year, which is called a "Grand Slam" in golf. She finished fifth in the U.S. Women's Open that year, just missing the Grand Slam. In 1986, she also won the most money and had the best scoring average on the LPGA Tour.

Overcoming Challenges

In 1988, Pat was diagnosed with Graves' disease, a health condition. This made it hard for her to play golf as well as before. But she worked hard and came back strong in 1989, winning another tournament. She won three more times in 1990.

Hall of Fame and Legacy

In 1991, Pat Bradley won four more tournaments. She again won the money title and scoring title. She was also named LPGA Tour Player of the Year for the second time. In the same year, she was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Other golfers on the LPGA Tour thought she was the best at long putts and managing her game.

Her last LPGA win was in 1995. Pat won a total of 31 tournaments on the LPGA Tour. She was one of the first women to complete the "Career Grand Slam." This means she won all the major championships during her career. Pat also played for the U.S. team in the Solheim Cup three times. She was even the team captain in 2000. In 2018, she was inducted into the New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame.

Major Championship Wins

Pat Bradley won six major championships during her career:

Year	Championship	Winning score	Margin	Runner-up
1980	Peter Jackson Classic	−15 (277)	1 stroke	JoAnne Carner
1981	U.S. Women's Open	−9 (279)	1 stroke	Beth Daniel
1985	du Maurier Classic	−10 (278)	1 stroke	Jane Geddes
1986	Nabisco Dinah Shore	−8 (280)	2 strokes	Val Skinner
1986	LPGA Championship	−11 (277)	1 stroke	Patty Sheehan
1986	du Maurier Classic	−12 (276)	Playoff1	Ayako Okamoto

¹Won in a sudden-death playoff on the first playoff hole with a birdie.

Major Championship Highlights

Here's a quick look at Pat Bradley's performance in major championships:

Team Golf

Pat Bradley also represented the United States in team golf events.

Solheim Cup

She played in the Solheim Cup for the United States in:

• 1990 (USA won!)
• 1992
• 1996 (USA won!)

She was also the non-playing captain for the U.S. team in the 2000 Solheim Cup.

Here's her record in the Solheim Cup matches:

Handa Cup

Pat also played for the United States in the Handa Cup many times, helping her team win several championships:

• 2006 (winners)
• 2007 (winners)
• 2008 (winners)
• 2009 (winners)
• 2010 (winners)
• 2011 (winners)
• 2012 (tie, Cup retained)
• 2014 (winners)
• 2015 (winners)

See also

In Spanish: Pat Bradley para niños