Judy Rankin - Part 2 (The Tour Life and Wins)

World Golf Hall of Fame member Judy Rankin looks back on her life on tour (starting at age 17) and her 28 professional wins beginning with her first at the 1968 Corpus Christi Civitan Open. Judy had two tremendous years in succession in 1977 and 1978 when she was the LPGA Player of the Year, the leading money winner and the Vare Trophy winner, amassing 11 victories and a team win with JoAnne Carner. She won two events which later became majors, the 1976 Colgate-Dinah Shore and the 1977 Peter Jackson. Judy recalls her joy in playing at Sunningdale in the 1977 Colgate European Women's Open, which she also won. As physical ailments began taking a toll, opportunities in broadcasting began to emerge as Judy was destined to excel in a related arena. Judy Rankin continues her life story, "FORE the Good of the Game."

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About

"FORE the Good of the Game” is a golf podcast featuring interviews with World Golf Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around the game of golf. Highlighting the positive aspects of the game, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by PGA Tour star Bruce Devlin, our podcast focuses on telling their life stories, in their voices. Join Bruce and Mike Gonzalez “FORE the Good of the Game.”

Thanks so much for listening!

Rankin, Judy

Golf Professional and Broadcaster

Thank goodness for a phone call from Sports Illustrated, otherwise women’s golf may never have been blessed with one of its most respected figures.

As Judy Rankin recounts the story, she quit golf at 16 after losing in the second round of the British Women’s Amateur. She had started playing golf at age six under the guidance of her father. Her prolific amateur career included winning the Missouri Amateur as a 14-year-old and being the youngest low amateur at the U.S. Women’s Open at the age of 15 in 1960.

Two weeks after putting away her clubs in exchange for a fishing rod, Rankin received a call from Sports Illustrated wondering if she planned on competing in the U.S. Women’s Open because they wanted to publish her picture on the magazine’s cover. A Hall of Fame career suddenly was re-ignited.

Rankin is the first LPGA player voted into the Hall of Fame via the Veterans Category, which was created in February 1999. Rankin received the necessary two-thirds vote of the LPGA tournament division to become the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame’s 18th member.

“I played all of my best years with severe back trouble. I would play a month and be a cripple a month. My goal was to stay on my feet.”
“When I’m off by myself and think about this, I guess I never really thought this would come to be. It’s been a long road to get here, but I am so happy to receive this honor,” said Rankin after being notified of the vote. “I am very pleased to join so many long-time friends who are already in the Hall, it makes it that much more special. It is particularly grati… Read More

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