Kathy Cornelius
Kathy Cornelius (née McKinnon,[1] born October 27, 1932) is an American professional golfer.
| Kathy Cornelius | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Kathy McKinnon Cornelius |
| Born | October 27, 1932 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Nationality |  |
| Residence | Arizona |
| Spouse | Bill Cornelius (m. 1953) |
| Career | |
| College | Florida Southern College |
| Turned professional | 1953 |
| Former tour(s) | LPGA Tour (1956-1985) |
| Professional wins | 8 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| LPGA Tour | 6 |
| Other | 2 |
| Best results in LPGA major championships (wins: 1) | |
| Western Open | 6th: 1959, 1961 |
| Titleholders C'ship | 2nd: 1960 |
| ANA Inspiration | T62: 1983 |
| Women's PGA C'ship | T5: 1965 |
| U.S. Women's Open | Won: 1956 |
| du Maurier Classic | DNP |
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Cornelius attended Florida Southern College, where she played on the men's golf team, as the school did not have a women's team at the time. She turned pro in 1953 and married golf pro Bill Cornelius the same year. She joined the LPGA Tour in 1956 and won two events in her rookie season, including the U.S. Women's Open, which was to be her only major championship. She won six LPGA Tour titles in total and had her highest money list finish in 1973, when she came eighth. She made the top-20 of the money list twelve times in total (1957–65 and 1971–73).
In 1985, Kathy and her husband founded Magique Golf, a golf club company based in Arizona, which they ran until 1999. She later taught golf part-time at Rio Salado Golf Course in Tempe, Arizona. Her daughter, Kay, won the 1981 U.S. Girls' Junior, making them the only mother-daughter pair to win USGA championships.[2]
Professional wins (8)
LPGA Tour wins (6)
- 1956 (2) St. Petersburg Open, U.S. Women's Open
- 1959 (1) Cosmopolitan Open
- 1961 (1) Tippecanoe Open
- 1972 (1) Bluegrass Invitational
- 1973 (1) Sealy-Faberge Classic
Other wins (2)
- 1956 Hot Springs 4-Ball Invitational (with Beverly Hanson)
- 1962 Babe Zaharias Open (tie with Betsy Rawls)
Major championships
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | U.S. Women's Open | +7 (73-77-73-79=302) | Playoff1 | |
1 In an 18-hole playoff, Cornelius 75, McIntire 82.
References
- Foster, Jim (April 27, 1957). "Kathy Cornelius had fast rise to LPGA championship". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. p. 14. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
- "2012 United States Golf Association Championships Media Guide" (PDF). Retrieved July 10, 2012.
External links
- Kathy Cornelius at the LPGA Tour official site