Class of 1987
Judy Rankin
Professional Player
This exhibit has more content coming soon thanks to generous contributions from Texas Golf Association, First Tee West Texas, and PGA of America.
Biography
Judy Rankin stood the golf world on its ear when she won the 1959 Missouri Amateur as a 14-year-old. The following year, she was low amateur in the U.S. Women’s Open and was still young enough to also be a semi-finalist in the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship in both 1960 and 1961.
In 1962, as a 17-year-old, Rankin joined the LPGA Tour and between 1968 and 1979, she won 26 titles. In 1976, Judy won seven events and set a single-seasons earnings mark of $150,743. She was the first woman to pass $100,000 in a season and was named Player of the Year and also winner of the Vare Trophy for a second time. In all, Rankin won the Vare three times. In 1967, Judy met and married former Texas Tech football player “Yippy” Rankin and became a Texan.
A long-time Texas resident and former LPGA Board of Directors member, Rankin’s last full season on the LPGA Tour was in 1983, after which she underwent back surgery and hence retired from competitive golf.
Judy was hired by ABC Sports in 1984 and became the first woman to work full-time broadcasting men's golf events.
Rankin captained the victorious Solheim Cup teams in 1996 and 1998 and became the first player voted into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame in 2000 under the veteran’s category. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2000.
In 2002, she was voted the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.
She recently retired as a golf analyst on network television and is endeared by the golf world.
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri
Born: February 18, 1945
Legacy Video
Inductee Highlights
- 2007, received the Ben Hogan Award and the LPGA Komen Award
- 2000 Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and the First player voted into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame under the Veteran’s Category.
- Hired in 1984 by ABC and became the first woman to commentate full-time covering the PGA Tour.
- Captained the victorious 1996 and 1998 U.S. Solheim Cup Teams.
- 1977, won five tournaments, Player of the Year, and Vare Trophy
- 1976, won six tournaments and set a single-season earnings record of $150,734, becoming the first LPGA player ever to cross $100,000 in a season; named Player of the Year and earned her second Vare Trophy.
- 1973, won four tournaments and recorded a total of 25 top-10 finishes; earned her first of three Vare Trophies.
- 1968-79, accumulated 26 victories.
- Age 14, 1959 Missouri Amateur Champion
- At age 15, she became the youngest player to finish as low amateur at the U.S. Women’s Open in 1960 (that record has since been broken).
- Semifinalist U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship 1960-61 and won the Missouri Amateur again in 1961.
National Pee Wee Champion
Just 8 years old, Judy kick-started her competitive career playing in the National Pee Wee Golf Tournament in Orlando, Florida. The first year she played the members of her golf club pitched in and filled a suitcase with $400 so she could make the first trip!
Solheim Cup Captain 1996 and 1999
2024 PGA of America Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism
Keepsake - Low Amateur Gold Medal
Only 15 years old, Judy won the Low Amateur Gold Medal at the 1960 U.S. Women's Open Championship!
Keepsake - Treasured Times in Broadcast Career
Keepsake - This is Your Life!
Memorable gift from the PGA TOUR to Judy Rankin when she was named 2015 Ambassador of Golf.
Quick 9
Deep Dive Interviews
Judy Rankin - Childhood & Mother‘s Illness
Related Links & Media
FORE the Good of the Game
Judy Rankin Named Recipient of 2024 PGA of America Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism