Movatterモバイル変換

World Golf Hall of Fame	1975(member page)
LPGA Tour Money Winner	1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973
LPGA Tour Player of the Year	1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973
LPGA Vare Trophy	1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972
Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year	1965, 1966
LPGA William and Mousie Powell Award	1986
Patty Berg Award	1987

Kathrynne Ann Whitworth (September 27, 1939 – December 24, 2022) was an Americanprofessional golfer. During her playing career she won 88LPGA Tour tournaments, more than anyone else on the LPGA orPGA Tours. Whitworth was also a runner-up 93 times, giving her 181 top-two finishes.^[1] In 1981, she became the first woman to reach career earnings of $1 million on the LPGA Tour. She is a member of theWorld Golf Hall of Fame.

Early life and amateur career

[edit]

Whitworth was born on September 27, 1939, inMonahans, Texas, the youngest of three daughters of Morris Whitworth, a hardware store owner and later mayor inJal, New Mexico, where she grew up.^[2]^[3]^[4] She attendedOdessa College.^[5]

Initially a tennis player, Whitworth began playing golf at 14. After working with Hardy Loudermilk, she won the 1957 and 1958 New Mexico State Amateur Championships. At 19, she changed coaches toHarvey Penick and turned pro, joining the LPGA in December 1958.^[4]^[6]

Professional career

[edit]

In 1962, Whitworth won her first tournament, theKelly Girls Open.^[4]^[7] Between that and her victory in theUnited Virginia Bank Classic in 1985, she won 88 tournaments on the LPGA Tour, the highest number of any player in the history of professional golf, including on the men's PGA Tour. Six weremajor championships.^[4] In 1974, she won the Orange Blossom Classic for the fifth time,^[8] one of only four LPGA golfers to have won the same tournament five times. She was the U.S. team captain at the inaugural Solheim Cup match in 1990.^[4]^[9] She was the first LPGA player to earn $1 million, in 1981.^[10]^[11]^[5]

Whitworth was LPGA Player of the Year seven times between1966 and1973, won theVare Trophy for best scoring average by an LPGA Tour player a record seven times between 1965 and 1972,^[12] and was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame in 1975 and into theWorld Golf Hall of Fame in1982.^[4]^[13] She was namedAssociated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 1965 and 1967.^[3] She was Named "Golfer of the Decade" byGolf Magazine for the years 1968 to 1977 during the 1988 Centennial of Golf in America celebration.^[14]^[15] She received the 1986 William Richardson Award from the Golf Writers Association of America for consistent outstanding contributions to golf.^[16] She is also a member of the New Mexico Hall of Fame,^[17]Texas Sports Hall of Fame,^[18] Texas Golf Hall of Fame,^[15] and theWomen's Sports Foundation Hall of Fame.^[19]^[20]

Later life and death

[edit]

Whitworth retired from competitive golf in 2005 after competing in the BJ's Charity Classic on the Women's Senior Golf Tour. In 2007, with Jay Golden, she publishedKathy Whitworth's Little Book of Golf Wisdom.^[5] At the time of her death she lived inFlower Mound, Texas with her partner, Bettye Odle.^[5]^[4] She died in Flower Mound on December 24, 2022, at age 83, after collapsing while attending a neighbor's Christmas party.^[4]^[11]^[5]

Professional wins

[edit]

LPGA Tour wins (88)

[edit]

Legend
LPGA Tour major championships (6)
Other LPGA Tour (82)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Jul 8,1962	Kelly Girls Open	−7 (73-73-69=215)	1 stroke	Sandra Haynie
2	Oct 14,1962	Phoenix Thunderbird Open	−3 (72-71-70=213)	4 strokes	Mickey Wright
3	Jun 30,1963	Carvel Ladies Open	−2 (72-74-71=217)	1 stroke	Marilynn Smith
4	Jul 28,1963	Wolverine Open	−9 (72-64-62=198)	5 strokes	Betsy Rawls
5	Aug 4,1963	Milwaukee Jaycee Open	−2 (70-73-73-70=286)	7 strokes	Jackie Pung Louise Suggs
6	Aug 25,1963	Ogden Ladies' Open	−5 (69-75-71=215)	5 strokes	Mickey Wright
7	Sep 8,1963	Spokane Women's Open	−3 (67-70-73=210)	2 strokes	Marilynn Smith
8	Oct 20,1963	Hillside Open	Even (70-72-77=219)	4 strokes	Mickey Wright
9	Nov 10,1963	San Antonio Civitan Open	+7 (73-73-78-75=299)	Playoff	Mickey Wright
10	Nov 17,1963	Mary Mills Mississippi Gulf Coast Invitational	Even (72-77-70=219)	4 strokes	Mickey Wright
11	Jul 5,1964	San Antonio Civitan Open	−5 (70-72-71-70=283)	3 strokes	Marlene Hagge
12	Mar 21,1965	St. Petersburg Open	−7 (70-66-71-74=281)	4 strokes	Sandra Haynie
13	May 2,1965	Shreveport Kiwanis Invitational	−6 (70-70-70=210)	6 strokes	Patty Berg
14	Jun 6,1965	Blue Grass Invitational	−3 (70-69-74=213)	4 strokes	Clifford Ann Creed
15	Aug 1,1965	Lady Carling Midwest Open	Even (72-77-70=219)	1 stroke	Sandra Haynie
16	Jul 18,1965	Yankee Open	−3 (73-68-72=213)	2 strokes	Carol Mann
17	Jul 25,1965	Buckeye Savings Invitational	−6 (70-67-70=207)	1 stroke	Susie Maxwell Berning
18	Oct 3,1965	Mickey Wright Invitational	−9 (68-73-71-71=283)	6 strokes	Donna Caponi
19	Nov 28,1965	Titleholders Championship	−1 (71-71-74-71=287)	10 strokes	Peggy Wilson
20	May 8,1966	Tall City Open	−5 (67-70-71=208)	1 stroke	Mickey Wright
21	Jun 5,1966	Clayton Federal Invitational	+1 (68-72-68=208)	4 strokes	Shirley Englehorn
22	Jun 19,1966	Milwaukee Jaycee Open	−7 (68-71-69-65=273)	12 strokes	Sandra Haynie
23	Jul 30,1966	Supertest Ladies Open	−3 (71-70-72=213)	3 strokes	Mickey Wright
24	Aug 7,1966	Lady Carling Open (Massachusetts)	−5 (74-73-70=217)	1 stroke	Carol Mann
25	Aug 13,1966	Lady Carling Open (Maryland)	−2 (70-71-73=214)	3 strokes	Peggy Wilson
26	Oct 30,1966	Las Cruces Ladies Open	−2 (69-71-74=214)	6 strokes	Marilynn Smith
27	Nov 6,1966	Amarillo Ladies' Open	+2 (76-71-68=215)	Playoff	Mickey Wright
28	Nov 27,1966	Titleholders Championship	+3 (74-70-74-73=291)	2 strokes	Judy Kimball Simon Mary Mills
29	Mar 26,1967	Venice Ladies Open	+4 (70-71-76=217)	1 stroke	Clifford Ann Creed Gloria Ehret
30	Apr 23,1967	Raleigh Ladies Invitational	−1 (72-72-71=215)	5 strokes	Susie Maxwell Berning
31	Jun 7,1967	St. Louis Women's Invitational	+2 (68-70-71=209)	2 strokes	Carol Mann
32	Jul 16,1967	LPGA Championship	−8 (69-74-72-69=284)	1 stroke	Shirley Englehorn
33	Aug 6,1967	Lady Carling Open (Ohio)	−4 (71-70-71=212)	1 stroke	Susie Maxwell Berning
34	Aug 20,1967	Women's Western Open	−11 (71-74-73-71=289)	3 strokes	Sandra Haynie
35	Oct 1,1967	Ladies' Los Angeles Open	−4 (71-68-73=212)	4 strokes	Murle Breer
36	Oct 29,1967	Alamo Ladies' Open	−3 (71-71-71=213)	3 strokes	Sandra Haynie
37	Mar 17,1968	St. Petersburg Orange Blossom Open	Even (70-71-72=213)	1 stroke	Sandra Haynie Judy Kimball Simon
38	May 26,1968	Dallas Civitan Open	−4 (70-70-69=209)	1 stroke	Carol Mann
39	Jun 30,1968	Lady Carling Open (Maryland)	−2 (71-70-73=214)	1 stroke	Carol Mann
40	Aug 4,1968	Gino Paoli Open	−1 (69-72-74=215)	Playoff	Marlene Hagge
41	Aug 18,1968	Holiday Inn Classic	−1 (74-70-62=206)	3 strokes	Judy Kimball Simon Carol Mann
42	Sep 22,1968	Kings River Open	−8 (68-71-69=208)	10 strokes	Sandra Haynie
43	Oct 22,1968	River Plantation Invitational	−8 (67-70-68=205)	8 strokes	Kathy Cornelius
44	Nov 3,1968	Canyon Ladies Classic	+2 (78-69-71=218)	2 strokes	Donna Caponi Shirley Englehorn Mary Mills
45	Nov 17,1968	Pensacola Ladies Invitational	−3 (71-71-74=216)	3 strokes	Jo Ann Prentice
46	Nov 24,1968	Louise Suggs Invitational	−8 (69-69-72=210)	7 strokes	Carol Mann
47	Mar 17,1969	Orange Blossom Classic	+3 (74-70-72=216)	Playoff	Shirley Englehorn Marlene Hagge
48	Mar 23,1969	Port Charlotte Invitational	−1 (72-72-74=218)	1 stroke	Sandra Haynie Sandra Post
49	Mar 30,1969	Port Malabar Invitational	−3 (68-72-70=210)	4 strokes	Mickey Wright
50	Apr 20,1969	Lady Carling Open (Georgia)	−4 (70-72-70=212)	Playoff	Mickey Wright
51	Jun 15,1969	Patty Berg Classic	−5 (69-73-72=214)	1 stroke	Sandra Haynie
52	Sep 14,1969	Wendell-West Open	−3 (69-72-72=213)	1 stroke	Judy Rankin
53	Nov 2,1969	River Plantation Women's Open	Even (70-71-72=213)	1 stroke	Betsy Rawls
54	Mar 22,1970	Orange Blossom Classic	+3 (73-72-71=216)	1 stroke	Carol Mann
55	Oct 18,1970	Quality Chek'd Classic	−11 (71-67-67=205)	3 strokes	JoAnne Carner
56	Apr 18,1971	Raleigh Golf Classic	−4 (71-72-69=212)	5 strokes	Pam Barnett
57	May 23,1971	Suzuki Golf Internationale	+1 (72-72-73=217)	2 strokes	Sandra Haynie Sandra Palmer
58	Jun 6,1971	Lady Carling Open	−9 (71-68-71=210)	6 strokes	Jane Blalock
59	Jun 13,1971	Eve-LPGA Championship	−4 (71-73-70-74=288)	4 strokes	Kathy Ahern
60	Apr 30,1972	Alamo Ladies Open	−10 (66-71-72=209)	3 strokes	Mickey Wright
61	Jul 23,1972	Raleigh Golf Classic	−4 (72-69-71=212)	2 strokes	Marilynn Smith
62	Aug 6,1972	Knoxville Ladies Classic	−4 (71-68-71=210)	4 strokes	Sandra Haynie
63	Aug 20,1972	Southgate Ladies Open	Even (69-71-76=216)	Playoff	Jocelyne Bourassa
64	Oct 1,1972	Portland Ladies Open	−7 (75-69-68=212)	4 strokes	Sandra Haynie
65	Feb 11,1973	Naples Lely Classic	+3 (68-76-75=219)	2 strokes	JoAnne Carner
66	Mar 11,1973	S&H Green Stamp Classic	−2 (73-71-70=214)	2 strokes	Mary Mills
67	Sep 9,1973	Dallas Civitan Open	−3 (75-72-66=213)	Playoff	Mary Mills
68	Sep 16,1973	Southgate Ladies Open	−2 (72-70=142)	1 stroke	Gerda Boykin
69	Sep 23,1973	Portland Ladies Open	−2 (71-73=144)	2 strokes	Sandra Palmer
70	Oct 21,1973	Waco Tribune Herald Ladies Classic	−7 (68-72-69=209)	4 strokes	Kathy Cornelius Pam Higgins Marilynn Smith
71	Nov 4,1973	Lady Errol Classic	−3 (68-75-70=213)	2 strokes	Gloria Ehret Shelley Hamlin
72	Mar 3,1974	Orange Blossom Classic	−7 (70-68-71=209)	1 stroke	Sandra Haynie
73	Jun 1,1975	LPGA Championship	−4 (70-70-75-73=288)	1 stroke	Sandra Haynie
74	Sep 14,1975	Southgate Open	Even (72-72-69=213)	4 strokes	Gerda Boykin
75	Feb 7,1976	Bent Tree Classic	−7 (69-69-71=209)	1 stroke	Hollis Stacy
76	Aug 22,1976	Patty Berg Classic	−7 (66-73-73=212)	2 strokes	Sandra Post
77	Apr 3,1977	Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle	+1 (76-70-72-71=289)	1 stroke	JoAnne Carner Sally Little
78	Apr 24,1977	American Defender Classic	−10 (69-68-69=206)	1 stroke	Pat Bradley
79	May 22,1977	LPGA Coca-Cola Classic	−11 (67-68-67=202)	3 strokes	Donna Caponi
80	Sep 10,1978	National Jewish Hospital Open	−5 (70-75-66-65=276)	3 strokes	Pat Bradley Gloria Ehret Jo Ann Washam
81	May 17,1981	Coca-Cola Classic	−8 (69-72-70=211)	Playoff	Alice Ritzman
82	Apr 18,1982	CPC Women's International	−7 (73-68-73-67=281)	9 strokes	Patty Sheehan
83	May 16,1982	Lady Michelob	−9 (69-68-70=207)	4 strokes	Sharon Barrett Barbara Moxness
84	Mar 20,1983	Women's Kemper Open	−4 (72-77-70-69=288)	1 stroke	Dale Eggeling
85	Jul 22,1984	Rochester International	−7 (73-68-71-69=281)	Playoff	Rosie Jones
86	Sep 16,1984	Safeco Classic	−9 (69-75-65-70=279)	2 strokes	Laura Baugh Marta Figueras-Dotti
87	Oct 14,1984	Smirnoff Ladies Irish Open	−3 (70-74-69-72=285)	2 strokes	Pat Bradley Becky Pearson
88	May 12,1985	United Virginia Bank Classic	−9 (69-66-72=207)	1 stroke	Amy Alcott

Note: Whitworth won the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle (now known as theANA Inspiration) before it became a major championship.

LPGA Tour playoff record (8–20)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent(s)	Result
1	1960	Waterloo Open	Wiffi Smith	Lost to birdie on first extra hole
2	1962	J.E. McAuliffe Memorial	Betsy Rawls	Lost on second extra hole
3	1963	San Antonio Civitan Open	Mickey Wright	Won with birdie on first extra hole
4	1966	Amarillo Ladies' Open	Mickey Wright	Won with birdie on first extra hole
5	1966	Pensacola Ladies Invitational	Sandra Haynie	Lost to par on first extra hole
6	1967	Shirley Englehorn Invitational	Shirley Englehorn	Lost to par on second extra hole
7	1967	Mickey Wright Invitational	Sandra Haynie	Lost to birdie on first extra hole
8	1968	LPGA Championship	Sandra Post	Lost 18-hole playoff (Post:68, Whitworth:75)
9	1968	Gino Paoli Open	Marlene Hagge	Won with birdie on first extra hole
10	1969	Lady Carling Open	Mickey Wright	Won with par on first extra hole
11	1969	St. Louis Women's Invitational	Sandra Haynie Peggy Wilson	Haynie won with par on third extra hole Whitworth eliminated by birdie on first hole
12	1969	Lincoln-Mercury Open	Donna Caponi	Lost to par on first extra hole
13	1969	Corpus Christi Civitan Open	Carol Mann	Lost to par on third extra hole
14	1970	LPGA Championship	Shirley Englehorn	Lost 18-hole playoff (Englehorn:74, Whitworth:78)
15	1972	Lady Eve Open	Judy Rankin	Lost to eagle on first extra hole
16	1972	Southgate Ladies Open	Jocelyne Bourassa	Won with par on fifth extra hole
17	1972	Dallas Civitan Open	Jane Blalock	Lost to birdie on first extra hole
18	1972	Corpus Christi Civitan Open	Jo Ann Prentice Sandra Palmer	Prentice won with birdie on tenth extra hole Whitworth eliminated by par on third hole
19	1972	Lady Errol Classic	Jane Blalock Sandra Palmer	Blalock won with birdie on third extra hole
20	1973	Dallas Civitan Open	Mary Mills	Won with par on second extra hole
21	1974	Burdine's Invitational	Sandra Palmer	Palmer won with birdie on fifth extra hole
22	1974	Lady Tara Classic	Donna Caponi Sandra Spuzich	Spuzich won with par on fifth extra hole Whitworth eliminated by par on third hole
23	1978	Lady Stroh's Open	Pat Meyers Sandra Post	Post won with birdie on second extra hole
24	1981	CPC Women's International	Sally Little Hollis Stacy	Little won with birdie on first extra hole
25	1981	Coca-Cola Classic	Alice Ritzman	Won with birdie on second extra hole
26	1982	United Virginia Bank Classic	Sally Little	Lost to birdie on first extra hole
27	1983	Rochester International	Ayako Okamoto Donna White	Okamoto won with birdie on third extra hole
28	1984	Rochester International	Rosie Jones	Won with par on first extra hole

Sources:^[21]^[22]^[23]

Ladies European Tour wins

[edit]

1984 Smirnoff Ladies Irish Open

Other wins

[edit]

1962Haig & Haig Scotch Foursome (withMason Rudolph)
1966 Lagunita Invitational
1967 Ladies World Series of Golf
1968 Ladies World Series of Golf
1971 LPGA Four-Ball Championship (withJudy Kimball)
1975 Colgate Triple Crown
1978Ping Classic Team Championship (withDonna Caponi)
1980Portland Ping Team Championship (withDonna Caponi)
1981Portland Ping Team Championship (withDonna Caponi)

Major championships

[edit]

Wins (6)

[edit]

Year	Championship	Winning score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
1965	Titleholders Championship	−1 (71-71-74-71=287)	10 strokes	Peggy Wilson
1966	Titleholders Championship	+3 (74-70-74-73=291)	2 strokes	Judy Kimball-Simon,Mary Mills
1967	LPGA Championship	−8 (69-74-72-69=284)	1 stroke	Shirley Englehorn
1967	Women's Western Open	−11 (71-74-73-71=289)	3 strokes	Sandra Haynie
1971	Eve-LPGA Championship	−4 (71-73-70-74=288)	3 strokes	Kathy Ahern
1975	LPGA Championship	−4 (70-70-75-73=288)	1 stroke	Sandra Haynie

Sources:^[21]^[22]

References

[edit]

^Sirak, Ron (December 25, 2002)."Kathy Whitworth - September 27, 1939 - December 24, 2022". LPGA.
^Sirak, Ron (July 6, 2009)."A Legend Like No Other".Golf Digest. RetrievedSeptember 24, 2011.
^^a ^b"Kathy Whitworth Named 'Female Athlete of the Year'".Eugene Register-Guard. AP. January 17, 1967. p. 3B – via Google News Archive.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h"Kathy Whitworth, the winningest player on the LPGA and PGA tours, dies at 83".Golf Channel. December 25, 2022.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^eGoldstein, Richard (December 26, 2022)."Kathy Whitworth, Golfer With Record for Victories In the U.S., Is Dead at 83".The New York Times. p. A13. RetrievedDecember 26, 2022.
^Kalb, Elliott (2006).Who's Better, Who's Best in Golf?. McGraw-Hill. p. 121.ISBN 0-07-146977-X.
^Kalb, p. 122.
^"Kathy Whitworth wins Orange Blossom Classic".The Day. AP. March 4, 1974. p. 18. RetrievedFebruary 8, 2010 – via Google News Archive.
^Garrity, John (November 26, 1990)."Side By Side By Solheim".Sports Illustrated. RetrievedDecember 26, 2022.
^McGarr, Elizabeth (July 13, 2009)."Kathy Whitworth".Sports Illustrated. Archived fromthe original on August 14, 2009. RetrievedSeptember 24, 2011.
^^a ^b"Golfing great Kathy Whitworth dies at 83".BBC News. December 26, 2022.
^Hickok, Ralph (1995).A Who's Who of Sports Champions. Houghton Mifflin. p. 838.ISBN 0-395-73312-X.
^"World Golf Hall of Fame Profile: Kathy Whitworth". World Golf Hall of Fame. Archived fromthe original on November 10, 2006. RetrievedApril 15, 2007.
^"Kathy Whitworth". LPGA. RetrievedDecember 8, 2024.
^^a ^b"Kathy Whitworth". Texas Golf Hall of Fame. RetrievedDecember 8, 2024.
^"William D. Richardson Award". Golf Writers Association of America. March 30, 2019. RetrievedDecember 26, 2022.
^"New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame | Kathy Whitworth". RetrievedDecember 8, 2024.
^"August 25, 1968". Texas Sports Hall of Fame. RetrievedDecember 8, 2024.
^"Kathy Whitworth".WWGA. RetrievedDecember 8, 2024.
^Loman, Dan (November 21, 2024)."Kathy Whitworth: The nature of a champion".Global Golf Post. RetrievedDecember 8, 2024.
^^a ^b"LPGA Tournament Chronology 1960-1969"(PDF). LPGA. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on June 29, 2011.
^^a ^b"LPGA Tournament Chronology 1970-1979"(PDF). LPGA. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on January 2, 2010.
^"LPGA Tournament Chronology 1980-1989"(PDF). LPGA. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on June 29, 2011.

External links

[edit]

Kathy Whitworth at theLPGA Tour official site (archived)
Kathy Whitworth at theLegends Tour official site (also atformer site)
Kathy Whitworth at golf.about.com at theWayback Machine (archived February 15, 2008)

Kathy Whitworth in themajor championships

Women's PGA Championship champions

† event won in a playoff; ‡ event won wire-to-wire

Titleholders Championship champions

† indicates the event was won in a playoff; # indicates the event was won by an amateur

v t e Women's Western Open champions
Match-play era	1930Lucia Mida 1931June Beebe 1932Jane Weiller 1933June Beebe 1934Marian McDougall 1935Opal Hill 1936Opal Hill 1937Helen Hicks 1938Bea Barrett 1939Helen Dettweiler 1940Babe Zaharias 1941Patty Berg 1942Betty Jameson 1943Patty Berg 1944Babe Zaharias 1945Babe Zaharias 1946Louise Suggs 1947Louise Suggs 1948Patty Berg 1949Louise Suggs 1950Babe Zaharias 1951Patty Berg 1952Betsy Rawls 1953Louise Suggs 1954Betty Jameson
Stroke-play era	1955Patty Berg 1956Beverly Hanson 1957Patty Berg 1958Patty Berg 1959Betsy Rawls 1960Joyce Ziske† 1961Mary Lena Faulk 1962Mickey Wright† 1963Mickey Wright 1964Carol Mann 1965Susie Maxwell 1966Mickey Wright 1967Kathy Whitworth
† indicates the event was won in a playoff

v t e United States Solheim Cup team –1990
Pat Bradley Beth Daniel Cathy Gerring Rosie Jones Betsy King Nancy Lopez Dottie Mochrie Patty Sheehan Kathy Whitworth (non-playing captain)
Won: 11.5 – 4.5

v t e United States Solheim Cup team –1992
Danielle Ammaccapane Pat Bradley Brandie Burton Beth Daniel Juli Inkster Betsy King Meg Mallon Dottie Mochrie Deb Richard Patty Sheehan Kathy Whitworth (non-playing captain)
Lost: 6.5 – 11.5

v t e AP Female Athlete of the Year winners
1931:Helene Madison 1932:Babe Didrikson Zaharias 1933:Helen Jacobs 1934:Virginia Van Wie 1935:Helen Wills 1936:Helen Stephens 1937:Katherine Rawls 1938:Patty Berg 1939:Alice Marble 1940:Alice Marble 1941:Betty Hicks 1942:Gloria Callen 1943:Patty Berg 1944:Ann Curtis 1945:Babe Didrikson Zaharias 1946:Babe Didrikson Zaharias 1947:Babe Didrikson Zaharias 1948:Fanny Blankers-Koen 1949:Marlene Hagge 1950:Babe Didrikson Zaharias 1951:Maureen Connolly 1952:Maureen Connolly 1953:Maureen Connolly 1954:Babe Didrikson Zaharias 1955:Patty Berg 1956:Pat McCormick 1957:Althea Gibson 1958:Althea Gibson 1959:Maria Bueno 1960:Wilma Rudolph 1961:Wilma Rudolph 1962:Dawn Fraser 1963:Mickey Wright 1964:Mickey Wright 1965:Kathy Whitworth 1966:Kathy Whitworth 1967:Billie Jean King 1968:Peggy Fleming 1969:Debbie Meyer 1970:Chi Cheng 1971:Evonne Goolagong 1972:Olga Korbut 1973:Billie Jean King 1974:Chris Evert 1975:Chris Evert 1976:Nadia Comăneci 1977:Chris Evert 1978:Nancy Lopez 1979:Tracy Austin 1980:Chris Evert 1981:Tracy Austin 1982:Mary Decker 1983:Martina Navratilova 1984:Mary Lou Retton 1985:Nancy Lopez 1986:Martina Navratilova 1987:Jackie Joyner-Kersee 1988:Florence Griffith Joyner 1989:Steffi Graf 1990:Beth Daniel 1991:Monica Seles 1992:Monica Seles 1993:Sheryl Swoopes 1994:Bonnie Blair 1995:Rebecca Lobo 1996:Amy Van Dyken 1997:Martina Hingis 1998:Pak Se-ri 1999:United States women's national soccer team 2000:Marion Jones 2001:Jennifer Capriati 2002:Serena Williams 2003:Annika Sörenstam 2004:Annika Sörenstam 2005:Annika Sörenstam 2006:Lorena Ochoa 2007:Lorena Ochoa 2008:Candace Parker 2009:Serena Williams 2010:Lindsey Vonn 2011:Abby Wambach 2012:Gabby Douglas 2013:Serena Williams 2014:Mo'ne Davis 2015:Serena Williams 2016:Simone Biles 2017:Katie Ledecky 2018:Serena Williams 2019:Simone Biles 2020:Naomi Osaka 2021:Candace Parker 2022:Katie Ledecky 2023:Simone Biles 2024:Caitlin Clark

AP Female Athlete of the Year winners