| One
of the founding members of the LPGA, and one of the first
four inductees into the LPGA Hall of Fame, Mildred Ella Didrikson
was born on 26 June 1914 in Port Arthur, Texas. After excelling
in a number of sports, including basketball, tennis, baseball,
softball, diving, and bowling; and winning two gold medals
and one silver in the 1932 Olympics, Didrikson focused her
athletic talents on the game of golf, and instantly became
a dominant force in the women's game. One of the original
"big hitters" on the women's tour, Didrikson won
17 amateur tournaments in a row during 1946 and 1947, including
the U.S. Women's Amateur in 1946, and the British Amateur
in 1947.
Considered
by many to be one of the greatest all-around athletes of
all time, Zaharias was voted Woman Athlete of the First
Half of the 20th Century by AP, and was recognized as AP
Woman Athlete of the Year on six occasions. Inducted into
the LPGA Hall of Fame in 1951, Zaharias was also winner
of the Vare Trophy in 1954, and was awarded the USGA Bobby
Jones Award shortly after succumbing to cancer in 1956.
Major
Victories:
1948 - US Women's Open
1950 - US Women's Open, Titleholder's Championship
1952 - Titleholders Championship
1954 - US Women's Open
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Golf
