Patty Berg
Patty Berg
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Berg was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and attended the University of Minnesota where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.
Berg took up golf in 1931 and began her amateur career in 1934, winning her first title that year - the Minneapolis City Championship. She came to national attention by reaching the final of the 1935 U.S. Women's Amateur, losing to Glenna Collett-Vare in Vare's final Amateur victory. Berg won the Titleholders in 1937 and won the Amateur in 1938 at Westmoreland.
After winning 29 amateur titles, she turned professional in 1940. During World War II she was a lieutenant in the Marines, 1942-45. In 1948, she helped establish, and became the first president of, the LPGA. She won the inaugural U.S. Women's Open in 1946. Berg won a total of 57 events on the LPGA and WPGA circuit, and was runner-up in the 1957 Open at Winged Foot. She was runner-up in the 1956 and 1959 LPGA Championships. In addition, Berg won the 1953, 1957, and 1958 Western Opens, the 1955 and 1957 Titleholders, both considered majors at the time. Her last victory came in 1962. She was voted the Associated Press Woman Athlete of the Year in 1938, 1942 and 1955.
In 1963, Berg was voted the recipient of the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. Berg received the 1986 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, GCSAA's highest honor. The LPGA established the Patty Berg Award in 1978. In her later years, Berg teamed-up with PGA Tour player and fellow Fort Myers, Florida resident Nolan Henke to establish the Nolan Henke/Patty Berg Junior Masters to promote the development of young players.
Berg was sponsored on the LPGA Tour her entire career by public golf patriarch Joe Jemsek, owner of the famous Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Illinois, site of the PGA Tour's Western Open from 1991 to 2006. Berg represented another of Jemsek's public facilities, St. Andrews Golf & Country Club in West Chicago, Illinois, on the women’s circuit for over 60 years.
Berg told Chicagoland Golf magazine she taught over 16,000 clinics in her lifetime – many of which were sponsored by Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods and were called “The Patty Berg Hit Parade.” In that interview, Berg figured she personally indoctrinated to the game of golf over a half-million new players. She was a member of Wilson's Advisory Staff for 66 years, until her death.
She announced in December 2004 that she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. She died in Fort Myers from complications of the disease 21 months later at the age of 88.
LPGA Majors are shown in bold.
Since 1979, the LPGA has given the Patty Berg Award to an individual who "exemplifies diplomacy, sportsmanship, goodwill and contributions to the game of golf."
1946 Patty Berg∞ · 1947 Betty Jameson · 1948 Babe Zaharias · 1949 Louise Suggs · 1950 Babe Zaharias · 1951 Betsy Rawls · 1952 Louise Suggs · 1953 Betsy Rawls† · 1954 Babe Zaharias · 1955 Fay Crocker · 1956 Kathy Cornelius† · 1957 Betsy Rawls 1958 Mickey Wright · 1959 Mickey Wright · 1960 Betsy Rawls · 1961 Mickey Wright · 1962 Murle Breer · 1963 Mary Mills · 1964 Mickey Wright† · 1965 Carol Mann · 1966 Sandra Spuzich · 1967 Catherine LaCoste# · 1968 Susie Berning · 1969 Donna Caponi · 1970 Donna Caponi · 1971 JoAnne Carner · 1972 Susie Berning · 1973 Susie Berning · 1974 Sandra Haynie · 1975 Sandra Palmer · 1976 JoAnne Carner† · 1977 Hollis Stacy · 1978 Hollis Stacy · 1979 Jerilyn Britz · 1980 Amy Alcott · 1981 Pat Bradley · 1982 Janet Anderson · 1983 Jan Stephenson · 1984 Hollis Stacy · 1985 Kathy Baker · 1986 Jane Geddes† · 1987 Laura Davies† · 1988 Liselotte Neumann · 1989 Betsy King · 1990 Betsy King · 1991 Meg Mallon · 1992 Patty Sheehan† · 1993 Lauri Merten · 1994 Patty Sheehan · 1995 Annika Sörenstam · 1996 Annika Sörenstam · 1997 Alison Nicholas · 1998 Se Ri Pak† · 1999 Juli Inkster · 2000 Karrie Webb · 2001 Karrie Webb · 2002 Juli Inkster · 2003 Hilary Lunke† · 2004 Meg Mallon · 2005 Birdie Kim · 2006 Annika Sörenstam† · 2007 Cristie Kerr · 2008 Inbee Park · 2009 Eun-Hee Ji · 2010 Paula Creamer
Berg took up golf in 1931 and began her amateur career in 1934, winning her first title that year - the Minneapolis City Championship. She came to national attention by reaching the final of the 1935 U.S. Women's Amateur, losing to Glenna Collett-Vare in Vare's final Amateur victory. Berg won the Titleholders in 1937 and won the Amateur in 1938 at Westmoreland.
After winning 29 amateur titles, she turned professional in 1940. During World War II she was a lieutenant in the Marines, 1942-45. In 1948, she helped establish, and became the first president of, the LPGA. She won the inaugural U.S. Women's Open in 1946. Berg won a total of 57 events on the LPGA and WPGA circuit, and was runner-up in the 1957 Open at Winged Foot. She was runner-up in the 1956 and 1959 LPGA Championships. In addition, Berg won the 1953, 1957, and 1958 Western Opens, the 1955 and 1957 Titleholders, both considered majors at the time. Her last victory came in 1962. She was voted the Associated Press Woman Athlete of the Year in 1938, 1942 and 1955.
In 1963, Berg was voted the recipient of the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. Berg received the 1986 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, GCSAA's highest honor. The LPGA established the Patty Berg Award in 1978. In her later years, Berg teamed-up with PGA Tour player and fellow Fort Myers, Florida resident Nolan Henke to establish the Nolan Henke/Patty Berg Junior Masters to promote the development of young players.
Berg was sponsored on the LPGA Tour her entire career by public golf patriarch Joe Jemsek, owner of the famous Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Illinois, site of the PGA Tour's Western Open from 1991 to 2006. Berg represented another of Jemsek's public facilities, St. Andrews Golf & Country Club in West Chicago, Illinois, on the women’s circuit for over 60 years.
Berg told Chicagoland Golf magazine she taught over 16,000 clinics in her lifetime – many of which were sponsored by Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods and were called “The Patty Berg Hit Parade.” In that interview, Berg figured she personally indoctrinated to the game of golf over a half-million new players. She was a member of Wilson's Advisory Staff for 66 years, until her death.
She announced in December 2004 that she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. She died in Fort Myers from complications of the disease 21 months later at the age of 88.
LPGA Majors are shown in bold.
Since 1979, the LPGA has given the Patty Berg Award to an individual who "exemplifies diplomacy, sportsmanship, goodwill and contributions to the game of golf."
1946 Patty Berg∞ · 1947 Betty Jameson · 1948 Babe Zaharias · 1949 Louise Suggs · 1950 Babe Zaharias · 1951 Betsy Rawls · 1952 Louise Suggs · 1953 Betsy Rawls† · 1954 Babe Zaharias · 1955 Fay Crocker · 1956 Kathy Cornelius† · 1957 Betsy Rawls 1958 Mickey Wright · 1959 Mickey Wright · 1960 Betsy Rawls · 1961 Mickey Wright · 1962 Murle Breer · 1963 Mary Mills · 1964 Mickey Wright† · 1965 Carol Mann · 1966 Sandra Spuzich · 1967 Catherine LaCoste# · 1968 Susie Berning · 1969 Donna Caponi · 1970 Donna Caponi · 1971 JoAnne Carner · 1972 Susie Berning · 1973 Susie Berning · 1974 Sandra Haynie · 1975 Sandra Palmer · 1976 JoAnne Carner† · 1977 Hollis Stacy · 1978 Hollis Stacy · 1979 Jerilyn Britz · 1980 Amy Alcott · 1981 Pat Bradley · 1982 Janet Anderson · 1983 Jan Stephenson · 1984 Hollis Stacy · 1985 Kathy Baker · 1986 Jane Geddes† · 1987 Laura Davies† · 1988 Liselotte Neumann · 1989 Betsy King · 1990 Betsy King · 1991 Meg Mallon · 1992 Patty Sheehan† · 1993 Lauri Merten · 1994 Patty Sheehan · 1995 Annika Sörenstam · 1996 Annika Sörenstam · 1997 Alison Nicholas · 1998 Se Ri Pak† · 1999 Juli Inkster · 2000 Karrie Webb · 2001 Karrie Webb · 2002 Juli Inkster · 2003 Hilary Lunke† · 2004 Meg Mallon · 2005 Birdie Kim · 2006 Annika Sörenstam† · 2007 Cristie Kerr · 2008 Inbee Park · 2009 Eun-Hee Ji · 2010 Paula Creamer
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