Kathy Whitworth - Part 2 (The Early Majors and the 1960's)

Kathy Whitworth, World Golf Hall of Fame member and winner of six major championships, looks back on her early years on tour in the 1960's, a decade that featured  56 of her 88 LPGA victories and four majors. Kathy fondly recalls winning the final two regular editions of the Titleholders event held at Augusta C.C. and the last Western Open after which, in 1968, there were only two majors to compete for over the next nine years. Listen in as she talks about playing in her first major, the other great players of that era, Olympian-turned golfer Althea Gibson, her love of competition, and how the tour grind was starting to get to her as the decade wound down. Kathy Whitworth continues her life story, "FORE the Good of the Game."

Transcript

Mike Gonzalez 0:55

Of the old time circuits. And these barnstorming groups of performers, and that's what you guys were performers, going from town to town to town, and you had to promote it, you had to set it up, and you had to tear it down, you had to do the performance. And I think that's a lot like what you guys probably went through.

Kathy Whitworth 1:12

Well, I I hadn't I hadn't really made that correlation, but I guess that's right. Uh yeah, it was in at that time the men were in the same, you know, we all drove to each tournament and uh caravan. Uh and uh and yes, we did have to uh uh uh set the courses up uh when we got there. Um we had a tournament committee, I served on it for a uh a few years, and and we'd mark the golf course and ground and repair if we had to, and and um the pin placements, and uh yeah, it was uh but that was just something you'd have to do, and we would do whatever it took uh to make the event uh happen, and uh pairings and uh um uh and so but the president was pretty much the commissioner uh back in those early years, and we were fortunate uh to have, of course, Patty the first, and then Marilyn Smith, who was just terrific. Uh she was president when I first came on the tour and um and did a great job. And but then um uh each time the president would take over, and Mickey went and Betsy were involved in this. Uh not sure if Mickey was president, she probably was, but uh anyway, they hired, we did hire a um uh Lenny Wirtz was his name, and um um he really did a he did a great job for us. He he was we called him the executive director. We didn't know about commissioners back then. And uh uh anyway, he he uh he became the you know uh person that would try to uh get sponsors and and things like that for us, and and we we started to really grow and do a better job, still had to set up the course, we still had to perform, we had to be uh, like I said, the rules committee, tournament committee, and oh that was sticky uh to have a rule on another player. But um uh yeah, we we traveled, like I said, we traveled by car and and uh and you know I I really enjoyed that. And then we got to see a lot of the country that way. And um, but nobody really, I don't think anybody really thought it was a a hardship, you know, it was just something you had to do, and you did the best you could with it, and uh, but everybody did the same thing. So um and the men really they started to they started really um they really just left us in the dust, so to speak, when when R came out and uh started um making um and and doing so well, and then they got on television, of course, and and as they say, the rest is history, but but what but but they took us along with them, you know, when the men's tour really started to to um uh take off, uh it brought golf all of us up. It elevated all of us. So uh that wasn't a you know, uh I didn't at least I didn't. I never thought of it as a you know, well, why can't we? Well we didn't have an Arnold Bummer, but uh but it just it'll elevated golf uh a lot and brought golf to television and of course Arnie and being who he was and great competitor, and but it it brought a lot of attention to our tour as well. So uh we started doing better and and you know each year and we got more players, and of course, more players um um made it uh well it was kind of a catch-22. More players, you had to have more money to you know have a a bigger purse and and more uh payout to support the new players. So um, you know, it was it was just something that you just had uh you had to uh adjust and had to make that happen as best we could. And so I applaud our sponsors. I mean they they hung in there with us uh a lot of times, and and I guess the big change for us came when David Foster, the uh CEO of CoGate, um in the early 70s, um I wasn't I wasn't involved with the LPG that much at the time, so I don't know exactly how they got to him or he got to us. But um he wanted to put uh put on the golf tournament, and and he was a big golfer, of course, so that helped. And uh and he uh and he he was also his company was a supporter of the Dinosaur show. And back in that day, that's when Bob Holt uh tournament was still going on, uh Andy Williams, Gen Campbell, there were all these um celebrity-named events, and so uh he decided, yeah, or I guess uh like I said, I wasn't privy to that, but anyway, he convinced Dinah, and Dinah didn't even play golf at the time, but she she agreed to let the uh you know let her name be used as the um name of the event, and so that's how we got to Dinah Shore. And uh thanks to David Foster, and I always said if if there was any man that was gonna be elected into the LPGA Hall of Fame, it had to be David Foster. Because he elevated, I mean, I can't tell you, because we the television, he brought in the big time television, and and the the girls did uh commercials, you know, uh for Colgate. I mean, so it it just really raised uh the standard of uh and then we we started and and with that with Colgate, then we began to get uh more uh name sponsors like Sears, that was one, and um oh gosh, there were others. But anyway, they the big companies then began to uh recognize you know our we had a we had a product to sell and and the and uh to be involved with uh the LPGA. So uh David brought us into the well at the time 20th century. But yeah, he he he really he really elevated uh and then and then you know we we never went backwards after that. So we just tour just kept continuing to grow even when we lost the support of Colgate, uh late 70s. Um uh we can we began to get other sponsors though that would step in and sponsor the dinosaur. So it uh that was probably the biggest uh transformation that I can think of uh was when Colgate and David Foster got interested because he took us around the world. He took us to England, he took us to the Far East, we went to um Hong Kong and Manila and Australia. He of course he loved Australia and um uh Guadalumpur. I mean we we Singapore, we traveled the world because of Colcaine. And so I think I think also he was one of the ones that kind of probably got the interest in the Asian. I mean, Japan uh was beginning to, I mean, they had a uh women's tour uh thanks to Chaco. Uh that's another you know great story. And um uh and she was like she was the instrumental go-to person to start the Japanese ladies tour. And um and what a great, great uh influence, and what a great lady and a great player. She played over here uh when she first started, and yeah, it was it was terrific to watch her play and terrific player. But um so the Japanese, and then of course now we've got the Koreans, but we've got them from all over the world now. And I think the European tour, uh, ladies' tour is doing pretty well, and so yeah, so it's um um it's a worldwide, truly a world worldwide wide tour. We I don't think we have that many. We have some from South America, uh, but not like the men. But um anyway, we've it's um you know, we've got them from everywhere now, and it's just great on to watch, yeah.

Mike Gonzalez 10:16

You you got your career as as we know started primarily back in the 60s. And of course, then uh you and Mickey Wright were certainly the dominant players of the decade, but there were others uh quite capable as well that uh sort of were shining at that time. Carol Mann, World Golf Hall of Famer, as was Sandra Haney uh in 1963. Althea Gibson uh sort of broke the card barrier on the LPT.

Kathy Whitworth 10:39

Althea, what a great lady, yes. She was she was let me tell you that that because um you know she was a Willing Wilmington champion and uh a great athlete, but uh and so she turned to cough and she came out on tour, and uh and we had some issues, I have to say, we had some issues in the in some of our events, not a lot, but we did have some. But we talked to her about it, and um and we you know we said if you we'll do whatever you want, I mean, and because we want to stand behind you, and but some of our sponsors had kind of um you know threatened us, but basically, but and that wasn't fair, but anyway, we said we could we could we could stand with you and but the uh thing might be is that we might start to lose a lot of sponsors, and then the LPG, if the LPJ goes away, so do we, so do you. So she said uh yeah, she wouldn't, you know, she wouldn't make a fuss or or make any uh um issue about it, and and uh and eventually we we got the sponsors to uh eventually uh do away with that uh color barrier. And uh and that was uh and so and but Al Theo was she she had every right and she could she understood that uh it wasn't gonna be uh successful uh in a sense. Um she might make a statement, but that it wasn't gonna uh uh help anything. So she agreed to to um just step aside and and and then uh we eventually and Lenny uh did a a good job with that too. He he uh uh convinced the sponsors and uh and then when she did play, of course, she was she did a really good job. She wasn't a great player. I think if she had turned the golf earlier, yeah, she would have probably been a uh really good player. But uh she just got into the game too late, and and it was and it was difficult for her. But I got to be good friends with Althea, and I and I'm really thankful for that. She was uh she was a terrific individual.

Mike Gonzalez 13:15

We don't want to we don't want to jump forward uh into the 70s, Bruce, until we talk about this decade that uh Kathy Whitworth had. Uh she really came in her prop, I think at 63 with eight wins, eight wins in 65, nine wins in 66, 8 wins in 67, 10 wins in 68, another seven and sixty-nine. And oh, by the way, four majors. Yeah, that's right.

SPEAKER_03 13:40

Quite a run, quite a run there, Kathy.

Kathy Whitworth 13:43

Yeah, I was, and and um, and like I said, but I was doing what I really love to do, and uh um and would just feel you know blessed and fortunate that I had that opportunity to do that and we had a place to play and and uh and great competitors. I mean, yeah, like you've mentioned, you know, Carol and Sandra Haney and Donna, Judy Rankin, uh and others, you know, they were uh terrific players. And so um we had some and I had some good competition for sure. Uh and well, I'm kind of trying to remember, I think I Mickey left pretty much the end of the 60s, I think, the middle of the 60s. But anyway, we had we had some good tournaments and we had some good competition, and I played a lot or a lot against uh, of course, Sandra and and Carol and Donna and Judy. And uh uh, but it was you know that's the fun part is to get to play against these great players or involved with them. But I didn't, you know, it was never personal anyway. I never sat out to say I'm gonna beat so-and-so. It was just uh that is what my goal was to win. Yeah, not always I win, but I was that was my goal. That was my uh objective, and so uh sometimes I won, sometimes I didn't. And um, but it was it was still the fun of trying. And I tell the young players, I said that's uh when I think about it, it was the uh the winning was terrific, of course, but that was my always the goal. But it was the trying that was the fun, was being there at the end to have a chance to win, and um testing your own uh um ability and and um uh and I'm like Harvey, you learn something new every day, and I learned something new about myself every time I played. Well, Amy Alcott was a good player. I mean, gosh, Daniel, and then Nancy came along in the late 70s and uh uh didn't play a lot too much against her. I mean I did, but I mean uh my career was sort of on the on the other side. But um uh but yeah, I got to play with Beth and uh Betsy King and uh but the 60sville, that was that was uh, you know, I just I don't know what to say about it, but I just I was really in my element during the 60s, so um but I you know I and people say well but you sometimes say uh sports writers would say, well, but yeah, but who was your competition? And I thought, well, let's see. Girl man's and you know, a lot of people, yeah. A lot of people, yeah, and they won their share. I mean, they won a lot of tournaments. I mean, so yeah. Uh but anyway, I have to also go back to another um turning point. Uh again, this was uh credit to Hardy Loudermilk, who I just loved, and he he and his wife were just so fun. And he became uh uh the head uh director of golf at Oak Hill Country Club in San Antonio, and uh and so he and he was secretary and man of the year of the PGA uh one year. So he was he had his own career and he was he was quite well known in the PGA, and uh but anyway he was just such a great guy. So, okay, so I I had won eight tournaments in '63. And in 64, I wasn't playing bad, but I just wouldn't, I couldn't win for some reason. And uh and my last tournament of the year was going to be in San Antonio, and so my mom was there, and we went out to dinner with Hardy and Norma when I got into town, and and I was crying the blues kind of thing. And Hardy, and I knew he loved me, I knew he cared for me, but anyway, he said, Well, he said, It sounds like you have the big head to me. I want you to know that hit me right between the eyes. I was just so taken back, and then I then I remember that so clearly because I thought, oh my, you know, I wouldn't, I was, I was first, if it's true, I was just so ashamed of myself. But um I went back to the hotel. This was Monday night, and I went back to the hotel, and I I thought about it, I really I did, I thought about that all night long. Went out to play a practice round, and the ball wasn't going just like I thought it should, and I was getting this attitude, and I thought, oh, he's right, and I thought, oh man, I was just so mortified. Well, as it turned out, I mean, and I'd done that all year, so this was became a habit. And so I've uh uh really fought it that week, and and then we played the ProM and then we started the tournament, but and and um and I really I had to bear down because I I was still in this attitude thing, and I thought, oh geez. And I tied uh Mickey and uh I won in the playoff over Mickey that week, and that was my only win that year, but it was it was a huge, huge turnaround. And I thought, man, I'm not ever gonna do that again. Um and I I never took winning for granted ever again, and I think from that moment on, uh that's when you say 65 and on, uh, that's when I began to win. Uh yeah. I just it was just such a major, a major and I just I think about young players today, and then and hopes that if this happens to them, that they've got somebody that'll grab them by the collar and say, you know, straight. Because they get nowadays, you get you know, television and you're a big star if you just win one tournament. And uh and people look at you different, you know, and you get to thinking of yourself in a different way. And uh boy, I I just boy, that's just such a was a great lesson and a great and like again, Hardy was the um helped me out again. And so I just can't emphasize how uh much I of course now can appreciate what they did and um and looking back on my on my career.

Mike Gonzalez 20:42

Yeah, tell us about your first major win and tell us about the event because a lot of our younger listeners would not be familiar with the title holders championship, which for many years uh was was contested at Augusta Country Club, and uh you happened to win it the last two times it was played there.

Kathy Whitworth 21:00

Yeah. Uh that was such a deer tournament for me. Another story.

Mike Gonzalez 21:05

Um that's what we're here for.

Kathy Whitworth 21:09

Well, I know it and I get to talk about it. And uh uh when I won the New Mexico State amateur um that year, I um you know I was a title holder. That was what the title holders is all about. So I get an invitation to come play in the title holders tournament. And well, I was just um I didn't my mother and I both were just uh mmm, you know. Anyway, we thought we needed to go, and so uh we rode the Grey Handbus to Augusta, Georgia. And um and like I said, I'd played in some exhibitions with Mickey and Betsy prior to that, so I kind of knew them or they knew me.

Mike Gonzalez 21:55

And was this nineteen fifty seven?

Kathy Whitworth 21:59

No. Yeah, I think it was. Yeah, I think it was, yes. Uh-huh. 1957. And um, as and I don't know, I mean, this is just a something I heard later, but um, I had just a little little green plaid bag and uh just um uh some uh some Wilson clubs because Hardy was on the Wilson staff, so I did have some Wilson clubs, but I had this little green plaid bag. And of course back then you had to bring your own um practice balls, which I had none of. And I just but anyway, as the story goes, somebody told me later, they said that yes, um they had to the club had to pay a caddy to carry your bag because they didn't want that, you know, no one's gonna carry that bag. So is that I didn't know that at the time. But anyway, Betsy and Mickey were just finishing their round. Um and I we were mom and I were had checked in and we were standing up over the 18th hole, and and Mickey and Betsy were just finishing their round, and and you know how they you just sort of glance up at something and then you do a double take. Well, they just sort of glanced up and saw mom and I, and then they were went back to talking, and then all of a sudden they both looked up. They thought, oh my god, this kid is here again.

SPEAKER_03 23:27

And uh kid again.

Kathy Whitworth 23:30

Well, they were really sweet about it, and I didn't finish last, but I have to say, uh that that was just an incredible uh experience. And um mom was just about as scared as I was, and um I said, Well, if I'd have known that, we'd have we'd have got on the bus and went right back home. We wouldn't have hung around, but Bessie uh invited us out to dinner with her and her mother uh one night, and um I mean they were just they really were just because they knew I must have been mortified out of my skin, and uh but I did play the event, but that that was just such a great experience. And then when I turned pro, um I still had a title. So they they uh I was still invited to play in the title holders, and I don't know how that there how that worked with them, but but that's how I got to play, where some players uh that were pros never got to play in the title because they didn't have a title. So anyway, I interesting and but uh as it was, they did change their criteria a little bit so that some of the players could still uh play. And um uh and so to win that event uh later on uh was just so wonderful for me uh because of how I got there the very first time. And uh and then to come back and win the tournament was just really special.

SPEAKER_03 25:00

And by 10 shots over Peggy Wilson, the first victory with 10 shots. You don't need a scoreboard, do you?

Kathy Whitworth 25:06

No, well, I like I said, I didn't who knew, you know, you just play in and uh you get a feeling, but I think it was really just the caddies had a had a uh must have had some kind of a you know lifeline or line to each other or something of her signals because they could tell, I mean you could just sort of tell by the no atmosphere and the crowd, and you know, you you knew you were in maybe in contention, but you just uh no, I did have no clue. Uh I was just playing as hard as I could, and uh I felt bad for Peggy. But anyway, but that was that was really special, and then to win it again was even more special, but because I'd love back to back. I love that golf course, and uh uh and we could see Augusta National, you know, from some of the holes from Augusta Country Club. So we did get a chance to glance over at it.

Mike Gonzalez 26:05

Well, Augusta Country Club is a nice Donald Ross course. You set the 72 holes scoring record for this event uh by two shots, uh played it on Thanksgiving weekend that first time, which was uh after years of having it uh contested in the month of April. Yeah, Patty Berg won this event seven times. Her last win was your first time there in 1957.

Kathy Whitworth 26:28

Yeah, I didn't know that. But uh yeah, Patty, well, Patty won a lot of tournaments, and um and and she was and that's I mean the and the title holder, the ladies' committee at the title holders were the really the, as I understand it, the instigator of of the title holders. Um and they had them, you know, they had uh all the founders pretty much uh played in that event. Um, you know, Patty and Betty Jameson and Kurse Babe and Pav uh Mickey and Betsy and well, I mean, you know, they had some great great uh tournaments there, so uh I mean great great players, I should say. But it was uh it was a special event for me.

Mike Gonzalez 27:13

What'd you do with that big fifteen hundred dollar check you made?

Kathy Whitworth 27:18

I spent it. Well, you know, that was pretty good money for us back then, and yeah and I got tickled when I um when I did go over the million dollar mark. Um I I had no clue that that that was gonna happen. I mean I wasn't I wasn't paying attention. But anyway, and then they you know made a big deal out of it. And this guy comes up and says, What are you gonna do with all that money? And I said, I said, I've already spent it. I didn't you know I didn't keep it all a million dollars. Um yeah, it was um the and it really like I said the money was important uh because it kept you out on the tour, but uh it w if that wasn't what I why I played. Uh I played because I wanna and you know I didn't really under really realize it. And nobody we just didn't you know never came into the conversation. But um uh I liked and enjoyed competing.

Bruce Devlin 28:26

Yeah.

Kathy Whitworth 28:26

And um, you know, uh uh so I never I mean I didn't think of anything about it. I thought everybody, you know, enjoyed if you're playing in a a competitive event, you it's cause you enjoy playing.

Bruce Devlin 28:40

Yeah.

Kathy Whitworth 28:41

And so but I uh there were times when I found out about other players, it was hard for them to compete. And um it just wasn't in their nature or whatever, and of course they didn't last very long. But I never thought of it. But I competition was never scary to me, and um I was ready to try and put myself out there, I guess, and see how I'd do. And it was never um I never like I said, I just never thought about it. But I in later years and talking with other people and beginning to understand where they're coming from, I thought, you know, I I have it, and you can't teach that, uh, unfortunately.

Bruce Devlin 29:27

Yep.

Kathy Whitworth 29:28

And um uh you either have it or you don't. And so uh and I had it, and I'm so happy about it, but I didn't know I had it and until later on, and it was we were I don't know how finally dawned on me about it, but uh came up in a conversation or something uh about competition, and and um I just you know I just took it for granted because I didn't bother me to compete. And uh and certainly as a I said I lost a lot more than I won, but it was the it was the trying and trying to get better and playing against better players, and and like I said, I I I think I played against some of the best, uh with uh uh for sure Mickey and Betsy and Louise. Gosh, what a great player. And uh Betty Jameson don't talk a lot about her, but she was a great competitor and a great swing.

Mike Gonzalez 30:24

Uh another Harvey uh lady, but um um a common thread that Bruce and I have heard you are the 19th World Golf Hall of Famer we've spoken to. And if there's some common themes, it's one. I don't think any of those folks were out there to play for money. They're out there to play for championships, they're out there to win, they're out there to compete. It was the love of the hunt and being in the competition.

Kathy Whitworth 30:53

That's right. I agree. And uh it uh and I know some players say, well, they're you know, they're they like to play for money, or the money is a is it gauges uh how good they are or whatever. I said, Well, it's okay if if that's what motivates you. Yeah, yeah. Uh it's to play for money.

SPEAKER_02 31:15

Uh oh the championship. Yeah.

Kathy Whitworth 31:18

Yeah. I said, but to me it was the winning the tournament, and uh the money was great, uh, of course, but uh that wasn't like you say, the that was never the motivation.

Mike Gonzalez 31:28

Yeah.

Kathy Whitworth 31:29

And it was just it's just a competition, yeah.

Mike Gonzalez 31:33

Speaking of winning tournaments, uh having repeated in 66 at the title holders to back to back, you go on in 67 to win the LPGA championship at Pleasant Valley, which is a golf course that I think you probably came to l came to love over the years. And uh uh I did. You made a pretty nice pretty nice putt at the at the last, didn't you, on that event?

Kathy Whitworth 31:55

I did. I remember that thought. Oh God. Oh yeah, I was really so unhappy with myself because I've misjudged a third shot into that hole. It was a part five elevated and uh uh I got on the green, but oh man, I was a way, a long way away from the hole. So uh I remember the putt because I I consciously, when I had to have a long putt, it seemed like every time I had made a long putt or had to have a long putt or a stroke, I tend to pull the longer putts. And so I thought, well, because I had to hit it so hard, uh because back then you know the greens were not a little slower.

Mike Gonzalez 32:42

And this was a 50-footer up the hill.

Kathy Whitworth 32:45

Oh man. If you had grass at all. And uh but anyway, so I knew this was a slow point, it was uphill, but it was slow, and I consciously aimed to the right of the hole, and there really wasn't much break in it because it was gonna be going so fast. Uh so I played to the right of the hole, and sure enough, and it was going pretty good because I think it popped up and came back down, but it went in the hole, and I have a a photograph uh of mine leaping up in the because it surprised me as much as anybody. But we had quite a bit of gallery in in Pleasant Valley. We uh I the the sponsor of that tournament, I can't think of his last name, but I can tell you who it was, Kathy. Who?

SPEAKER_02 33:35

Cosmingola. Yes, wonderful man. What a great guy.

Kathy Whitworth 33:43

Oh, I mean to tell you everybody loved him, and he and the press, he romanced those guys, and we had great press. Uh he was probably one of the first ones that had a press room uh for the guys, and so but anyway, oh gosh, yeah, thank you, Bruce. Cuz man go. But um we always and I love the golf course, uh, and the reason I think uh that I really liked it pretty much is that um it had a lot of variety. You weren't just looking at the the same hole all the time, and so it kept your to me easier to concentrate because you had to you know you maybe finish this hole, but now you got to look at another hole that's completely different, and uh so you had to really pay attention to what you were doing, and so uh and I love the atmosphere, and I I'm I'm not kidding, we had a lot of people at that tournament, and Rochester needs the same way. Uh every time we came we had thousands and thousands of people, and um so it was always fun to play there, and um uh but I I think that's why I really enjoyed it, but I could be playing like a dog, I mean just really playing terrible, and I'd get to Pleasant Valley, and my game would just like magic. It was just the funniest thing. I think it was just the atmosphere and uh like I said, I like the golf course and and cousin was just such a sweet man, and he made us feel so welcome and uh yeah, it was just a great atmosphere. So but uh Rochester, New York was the same way. Um we had thousands of people. It wasn't the maybe the greatest golf course in the world, but it was it was a tough little golf course. It had small greens and uh and it had a lot of variety to it too. And but it was another one of those. The city just loved the LPGA and um opened its doors, and of course, like I say, we had thousands of people that they would go go put their chair out there by the 18th hole at sunup, yeah, you know, and save their spot. And I mean, you know, I never thought that I'd see that. But uh but yeah, I and I tell you another thing that I I really I don't really talk about that it was was such a great surprise was winning the AP Athlete of the Year Award twice. And uh just uh uh I was just uh the first time was really a shock. I mean I never even I just never it just never crossed my mind about never winning that. And uh anyway, I got the phone call, I was at home and I just about dropped the phone. Anyway, then the second time was I was a little more calm. But um, yeah, but that was that was really I got to meet um Casey Stinkle and Sandy Koufax and uh yeah, and uh you know that's one of the great things about my career was getting to meet all these other athletes and and um other players, of course, but uh getting to play with them and or and Joe DiMaggio, you know, and people talking and he's the great Joe DiMaggio, and I think, gosh, I got to play with him several times. And uh he got to call him Joe, you know, and like Joe Namath and uh oh gosh, it just goes on and on. But um so those are you know they're great experiences, but the Athlete of the Year award was that was pretty mind-boggling for me.

Mike Gonzalez 37:38

Yeah, that was 65 and and 66 back to back, and and you know, you start looking back on that and and and read about some of the contenders during those two years. So you beat out some pretty serious athletes.

Kathy Whitworth 37:51

Uh well, I you know, I don't know. I just know uh a guy I got to meet Casey Steingle, he was there for whatever reason, I'm not sure why. But uh Sandy Koufax was one of the others. And I'm sorry to say I can't come up with a gentleman's name on the first one I want. But uh, but it puts you in the company of a lot of different athletes, you know, and uh and uh great athletes have their own uh um career and and uh highlights and stuff. So to be involved in that was uh that was fun.

Mike Gonzalez 38:27

Yeah, yeah. Well uh uh going back to 1967, winning the LPGA, uh, and then following that up with a win uh in my old near my old stomping grounds, Peak in Illinois, I think. Uh Peak in Chicago. Oh my gosh, yes. It was the Western Open, and uh you won that one by three over Sandra Haney.

Kathy Whitworth 38:47

Yeah, I I remember that. I mean another thing I was gonna tell you, you mentioned majors. Uh, you know, we lost the title holders and we lost the Western Oaklands for so for a number of years. We only had two majors uh to play for, and now I think they have five. So uh and then they made the Dinosaur a major. Uh but I I don't know what they're gonna do with it now that moved to Houston. But um so it's it's kind of hard for our girls uh in that era, um not just me, but uh the other ladies too, that we only had two majors to play for. So when they say, well, they were they only won X amount of majors, but we only had two for a long time.

Bruce Devlin 39:33

Yeah.

Kathy Whitworth 39:34

So and when I won uh you know, I won the title of Lord in the LPGA, and of course I never won the open. And uh I come close once, but I never never could win the open. I'm I'm not sure why. I think it's because I I wanted to so badly, I guess, and I just just could not get it across the finish line. But um, but uh you know I'm not I'm not sorry about it. I I tried and it just didn't make it. So but um that would be you know uh only major I would like to have won.

Mike Gonzalez 40:10

Yeah, yeah. Uh so if we go forward to the 70s, then uh as you mentioned uh earlier on, uh you talked about corporate support starting to come in with Palm Olive, which uh evolved into the dinosaur. Uh first as the 1970, we're now up to 435,000 uh dollars ahead of some of the top players that some of the of whom you had mentioned, but uh that came on the Dane Hall of Famers, Judy Rankin, Amy Alcott, Joanne Carner, yeah, Tuesday Maxwell Burning, Jan Stevenson, as well as Jane Blaylock and Sandra Palmer. So some more good competition coming your way there during the during the 70s.

Kathy Whitworth 40:47

Yeah, yeah. And you know, but that was the fun part. I mean, we began to get uh a lot of players and and good players, and the and the game of golf uh for women uh began to grow, and so opportunities for these young players to uh uh you know uh compete and and and get where they wanted to maybe come on tour. And so uh yeah, I thought you know, uh but the 70s uh was another turnaround for me. Um after 10 years in the 60s and 70s, I I began to I it was beginning to wear on me. Uh and I remember in 73, um I think I finished leading money winner that year, but I it was a it was a grind. And um I really wasn't as the first time I really wasn't looking forward to going back out uh in 74. But anyway, I get it got to a point where I was I if I played a good round and got in kind of competition, I'd I'd I'd shoot a bad round, and then I wouldn't, you know, I'd um just play terrible. And a friend, uh unfortunately another good friend, said that, well, she thought that it was uh when you got in contingent, you were trying to find some way to to uh get out of it, just you know because I was just so tired and it just was wearing on me. So that started, I decided from then on, uh number one was not an issue anymore. I still wanted to win when I played, yeah, but I wasn't gonna play every week or I'd take some time off. So I started to pull back, and um uh 74 was not too great, but uh but then in 75 I started to play a little bit and 76, but then I got to the dinosaur in 77 and I won the tournament, and it put me right back to leading money winner. And I just I thought, oh no, you know, I just can't I can't take this. So the very next week or the next tournament, I may I I managed to miss the cut. So I just I was just exhausted. I thought I just can't can't go there. But and I still wanted to play, but I couldn't, I just couldn't take that kind of I don't know, pressure or whatever. But I think that extended my career by uh finally recognizing because I and I no one held a gun to my head, but I played every tournament I could. But I wanted to. Uh I wanted to play. And so, and especially in the early years, we needed everybody to play, but I wanted to play, and so playing every week was just not a big deal. And but then in 73 I remember that being a really tough year, and I uh I managed to squeak it out, but I I wasn't really looking forward to 74. And I thought that's the first time I've not really looked forward to going back and starting the tour. Anyway, and as it turned out, um I just had a good friend recognized it and said, Well, seems like every time you get in contention you you shoot a good score, you you shoot a really bad score the next day. And sure enough, I thought, Well, yeah, I guess that's right. And so I started backing off and and um playing, you know, maybe two or three tournaments a week and then I take a week off or maybe a couple weeks or but I I relinquished that uh uh in my mind. Uh not that I would have anyway, uh, because the competition was getting really pretty pretty deep. Um being number one was not not a goal, was not the end all to me anymore. So uh that took that pressure off and um so I think that really extended my career longer than it would have.

Mike Gonzalez 45:00

Thank you for listening to another episode of For the Good of the Game. And please, wherever you listen to your podcast on Apple and Spotify, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, spread the word, and tell your friends until we tee it up again with the good of the game. So long, everybody.

Intro Music 45:21

Whack down the fairway. It went smack down the fairway. When it started to slide, just snit offline. It headed for two, but it bounced off nine. My caddy, as long as you're still in the state, you're okay.