Mickey Wright


Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. She became a member of the tour in 1955 and won 82 LPGA Tour career events including 13 major championships. She was a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Early life

Wright was born in San Diego, California, where she attended Herbert Hoover High School. Her first important title was the 1952 U.S. Girls' Junior. She attended Stanford University and played for its golf team, but left before graduation. She lost in the final of the 1954 U.S. Women's Amateur, won the 1954 World Amateur Championship, and turned professional later in 1954.

Joins LPGA Tour

Wright joined the LPGA Tour in 1955. She won 82 events on the LPGA Tour, which puts her second on the all-time win list behind Kathy Whitworth, who won 88 times. Thirteen of her victories were in major championships, which places her second to Patty Berg, who won fifteen majors. Wright topped the LPGA money list for four consecutive seasons from 1961–1964 and made the top ten on the list thirteen times in total between 1956 and 1969. Wright won at least one LPGA title for 14 straight seasons, from 1956 to 1969.
At the inaugural Tall City Open in 1964, Wright shot a 62 in the third and final round. It was the lowest score in LPGA Tour history at that time, at a course on which the men's record, at the time, was 66. Wright's Tall City Open win is also tied for the largest final round comeback in LPGA history.
Wright was coached by Harry Pressler. Ben Hogan said Wright's swing was the best he had ever seen.
She retired from full-time golf at age 34 in 1969, because of problems with her feet, but did compete occasionally after that. She won 13 majors between 1958 and 1966, and 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 played recreational golf occasionally. She was a breast cancer survivor.

Death

Wright died on February 17, 2020, three days after turning 85, from a heart attack. At the time, she had been hospitalized following a fall a few weeks prior.

Legacy

In 2000, Wright was ranked as the ninth greatest golfer of all time, and the top woman golfer, by Golf Digest magazine. In a major 2009 survey of experts, published by Golf Magazine, Wright was chosen as the eighth best player of all time, and the top woman player of all time. She was inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame in 2017.

Notable amateur wins

LPGA Tour (82)

LPGA majors are shown in bold.

Other wins (8)

Wins (13)

1 In an 18-hole playoff, Wright 69, Jessen 72.

2 Wright won on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff.

3 In an 18-hole playoff, Wright 70, Jessen 72.