Kathy Whitworth - Part 3 (The Later Majors and Career)

The all-time leader in U.S. Tour wins with 88 LPGA victories, Kathy Whitworth takes us down the home stretch of her career from the 1970's forward beginning with her win in the 1971 LPGA Championship at Pleasant Valley CC.  Her sixth and final major win came at the 1975 LPGA Championship at Pine Ridge Golf Course. In 1981 she was the first woman to pass the $1M mark in career earnings and in 1982 she tied and then beat Mickey Wright's record of 82 wins. Kathy fondly recalls her experience as the Captain of the inaugural Solheim Cup Team in 1990 and looks back on many of the great players that she enjoyed competing with. Truly a remarkable career and an exceptional lady, Kathy Whitworth concludes her life story, "FORE the Good of the Game."

Transcript

Bruce Devlin 0:16

Go back to 71 though, Kathy. You won four times in 71. You won the LPGA championship again at Pleasant Valley. Right.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

Yeah, I know it. Well, like I said, uh 71 and 72 and 73. You know, I was still uh grinding it out.

Bruce Devlin 0:40

Yeah, 16 times you won in those three years.

SPEAKER_00 0:43

Yeah. But like I said, I I just really remember that being a uh 73. I just about after I won that last event, I went back to the hotel and I just collapsed on the on the on the sofa in the condo. And I just I couldn't even get I couldn't get up to go to eat. I was just so tired. So I just um but I didn't realize, and I think Ben Hogan made this comment. He said, you know, it's like a Chinese torture or whatever, you know, a drop of water ever. Eventually it's gonna make a hole in you. And uh it's just that constant um pressure and and being there, and of course the uh our television and people wanting to interview you and do these interviews, right? Yeah, you uh the uh external uh pressures were uh as just not as bad, but were tough because they were and I I remember a lot of times I was just so glad when the tournament started because I could get the dough cliche inside the ropes. And nobody go nobody could get to me until after I finished. So um and I was you know, I've served on um as president two to three times and was on the kind of um um board of directors uh a few years and and so I you know I was involved with the LPGA quite a bit and trying to help it grow and and contribute when I could, but it's just all the other, you know, it everything just sort of boiled down in 73. I just so 74 was a turning point for me. Didn't do that great, but then I recognized uh what was happening and why. And so I start to back off and and and so when I did play, I was really ready to play and really enjoyed it. Yeah.

Mike Gonzalez 2:39

One more major win in you. That was in 75 at the for your third LPGA championship at Pine Ridge golf course. That was by one over Sandra Haney.

SPEAKER_00 2:49

Yeah, uh, I really enjoyed that golf course. It was a public golf course, but it was a really nice layout. And again, I I think I get back to uh you know by being able to play shots. I think one of the reasons I was able to maybe win more or finish up higher, maybe is that I could I didn't have to wait for a golf course to suit my game, basically. Because I could I could adjust my game to the golf course. Whatever shots I needed to play, I could do that. And like I said, some players just didn't have that ability. And uh so I I think that was uh one reason why I like the 95 seconds, probably was one reason is that I could maneuver the ball and uh hit some different shots and uh a lot of them.

Bruce Devlin 3:40

So Kathy, uh 75-2 wins, you won the uh LPJ championship again. And then uh I want to I want to sort of uh skip along quickly there. 76, 77, 78, six wins. And then to give everybody a perspective of how different the game has changed today, it took you 20 seasons to win a million dollars in prize money. And then I remember about 10 years ago VJ Singh winning 10 million in one year.

SPEAKER_00 4:18

Yeah.

Bruce Devlin 4:19

Quite quite a difference, huh?

SPEAKER_00 4:21

Well, yeah, but you know what, um I I think that's just great. Um the um it's just the growth of the game, you know. It's uh yeah, it's never really been about money uh to a lot of us, but it was uh money was the um the harboring and the where people gauged how successful you were. Um and a lot of players won a lot of money but didn't win any tournaments. So they made you know made a good living for sure, and uh and that's you know terrific. But um uh but everybody, you know, in the public eye and the press and TV, it's something to talk about, you know, and and it gives a uh the public uh you know, they say, oh boy, he's gonna win this putt's gonna be worth such so much money and all that shit.

Bruce Devlin 5:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:17

And so they they build it up that way. But uh and it's you know, I I don't know where it's all gonna go to uh produce it. The um um mincer just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and and I'm so happy for that in our tour. Um it's become a worldwide tour now. And um the only and it's and it's just an own my own personal opinion. Uh I just uh um would like for our tour, if we could get more tournaments in the United States, uh, I think would would help uh yeah you know our our group over here. But to play uh so many tournaments outside the country.

Bruce Devlin 6:05

Makes it harder.

SPEAKER_00 6:06

Well it makes it harder, but it's limited fields, you know. They can only take so many players. And of course, the the host country, like you know, South Korea, you have to allow so many spots to their players.

Bruce Devlin 6:21

Right, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

So the rest of the players, no matter where you're from, that's you know, they take 30 spots, and so there's only 40 spots left, or something like that. And so uh and that that you know that comes from every uh all the other countries involved. And so it's very expensive to go and play in those events. Oh, and I just it's not fair to uh well, I mean that not fair is not the right word, but it's just um difficult because I get this question all the time about well, why aren't our girls you know doing better? And uh I said, well, uh you know, we only have one tour. Uh, but Japan has two, they have a tour and then they have the LPGA. You know, Europe has their tour and then they have this tour. So I said, uh But the LPGA players have only one tour, and that's it, and it plays overseas most of the time. So uh it's uh more difficult uh for the LPGA or the you know US girls because there's only limited um players that get to go, and it's so expensive uh to go and play over there, and uh a lot of the players just can't afford it.

Bruce Devlin 7:39

Yeah, well, you know, totally for your career, you won$1.7 million career earnings. And uh, you know, we talked about the growth of the game and the purses, but you know something? It it it gives me the message that golf, the game of golf, has a lot to do with why we have such wonderful sponsor support. Do you believe that?

SPEAKER_00 8:04

Well, I think so, uh, because uh golf is a great um uh it involves more people, for one thing. Uh you have a you know, you have a great and it's just and it's everywhere. Uh golfers play everywhere. And so a sponsor uh is gonna reach a lot of people uh just by you know being on uh sponsor of an event, whether it's ours or uh mainly the PGA for sure. But they get extra uh the attention and extreme um uh good coverage, you know, you might say, of their uh product or her and it gives them a a step up, I think, in the sense that it elevates them, I should say. Because it's they're sponsoring a really, really wonderful sport, and uh uh and it reaches out to so many uh people around the world because they're golf is played everywhere. I mean and that's what's so fun about it, is that if you play golf, no matter where you go in the world, somebody's gonna got a golf course somewhere, and uh and you just meet a lot of uh terrific people uh you know that play this game. And so it's it's um it's a good product, and and I think the sponsors they really appreciate it.

Bruce Devlin 9:26

Recognize it. Yeah, they recognize it.

SPEAKER_00 9:28

That's right. Because so many of them play golf themselves. You know, the CEOs and the and their uh employees, a lot of them play golf, so they're aware uh of uh of the game and and the um sport and the people they meet and and uh uh the personalities, they're you know, it's terrific.

Bruce Devlin 9:52

Get up to 1982 where she was still winning. 21st year on the tour, still winning. Two wins in 82.

SPEAKER_00 10:00

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, well, you know, I um and that's when I um I think I that's when I tied Mickey's record, I think. She won she won 82 times. Right. And I think that's when I won the uh CPC International. Yeah, the uh yeah, Hilton Head. Uh I won that event and I and then I won in Atlanta.

Mike Gonzalez 10:28

The Lady Niccolo broke the record.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

Yeah, broke the Mickey's record. Because Sam's record came in 1985. I broke his record in uh no, nineteen eighty-four at uh Rochester.

Mike Gonzalez 10:44

Uh was that the at the Women's Kemper Open?

SPEAKER_00 10:48

No, uh it was in Rochester, New York. I was uh Okay. I can't remember the title of the sponsor.

Mike Gonzalez 10:55

Yeah. Well the 80s, I think uh I think it's fair to say for Kathy Whitworth, the 80s were all about just continuing to set records that perhaps were never going to be broken again. And uh and uh you know if you look at that decade, uh I mentioned a 1970 purchase of 435,000. By 1980, the purchase were five almost five point two million dollars. The LPGA was exploding in popularity and attracting uh more international players, which you guys had alluded to. Just World Golf Hall of Famers that came on the scene back in the 80s. Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley, Beth Daniels, Julie Inkster, Betsy King, Patty Sheff, Hollis Daisy, and international players like Laura Davies, uh Yako Acomodo, and Lizalette Newman.

SPEAKER_00 11:43

Yeah, that's right. Yeah, they've been some great talent, great personalities in that group. Uh yeah, I uh I I got to compete against uh was in the same tournament with some of them. Um but I I don't know that I ever played in an event with Laura Davies. Uh she came along later. But um anyway, I did get to play with most of them. I mean, not with with them, but a lot of them I did, and I got to know most of them pretty well. But uh yeah, it's great talent. That's her that's a great list.

Mike Gonzalez 12:24

Well, as I mentioned, you were you were tying and then breaking Mickey's records and Sam Sneed's records and and uh career earnings records at the time, and then uh finally that uh uh final LPGA win came at the United Virginia Bank Classic at Sleepy Hollow Golf Course by one over Amy Alcott.

SPEAKER_00 12:43

Yes, yes. Uh I knew Amy was coming on strong, and uh but I you know I did the best I could. And uh I remember having the birdie uh I thought I had to birdie well, I thought I was gonna have to bird at 18. I had a chance to birdie 18, but I didn't, but I birdied 17. And uh 18 was a par five. Anyway, I was I hit it up there pretty good, but I just didn't make the putt. But that was uh but the birdie on 17 was the was the one that gave me the win over Amy. She was a guy, she was a guy, and I played with Amy several times, and I played with her when she won the dinosaur. I played with her one round, and she hit some wonderful shots. Um she was a shot maker. She could play a lot of shots, Amy could. And uh a terrific competitor. But um Yeah, she was she was terrific. And Pat and Patty Sheehan and all those cows, Betsy King.

Mike Gonzalez 13:44

Yeah. We've talked about we've talked about so we've talked about so many great players from the time that you were playing. Uh as you think about uh I will call them younger players that came on the scene as you got into your 70s, eighties, uh, nineties, I guess. Uh who were the ones that in your mind sort of transformed the ladies' tour?

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Oh, that's a big word. Um because I didn't know that we needed to be transformed. Uh we were um nothing really changed. I mean, it was pretty much the same. Uh we kept trying to get uh uh more sponsors, you know, bigger sponsors, more money, I think probably uh but um we had little spurts every now and then. You get a spurt like when Nancy came out uh and got made such a good uh great uh uh beginning, and just she was our kind of like an Old Palmer for us. She was a great personality and uh uh terrific player, and so she uh she got a we got a lot of attention with Nancy, and that helped an awful lot.

Mike Gonzalez 15:05

Um but gosh, let me prompt let me prompt you with a couple of other names that that were post your career, but but how about the impact Anika Sorenstom had on the LPGA tour?

SPEAKER_00 15:18

Oh well, um gosh, well there's another one. I mean, um and you know Annika uh well she just was terrific and is terrific. She's still playing really well uh to this day, but there's no question she uh uh was a um great uh asset and and a great uh uh uh promoter of the game and and and just did some great things and of course uh and she you know played in the colonial here in Fort Worth and uh uh I I applaud her for trying. I'm not sure I would have had the courage to do it. Um but she did it and she did well. She did she played really good.

Bruce Devlin 16:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:03

And uh uh but you know, she um yeah, I mean, and uh and the European tour uh was still um well we were we they they weren't doing as well as we had hoped they would. I mean, hope they and they knew how they would. So a lot of their players uh we were the residual of that, you know, we got uh Lisa Lodneumann and then um Bard Davies and and then uh Hanukkah that came along and um and you know and and we and that's the beauty part about it, you know, you you just get sometimes you just get these superstars uh that come not out all the time, but that's what makes them super, and um it elevates the game and draws in more um uh uh sponsors and people uh that get involved with the game. And so uh I I'm not sure how you measure that, but uh there's no question that she was uh, if you want to say it transformative, but I think it just elevated it the tour uh again to another level.

Mike Gonzalez 17:11

Let me mention uh let me mention one other one other name. I would consider her an underachiever, but she came on the scene with so much press and attention and interest, and that was Michelle Wee.

SPEAKER_00 17:25

Yeah. Well I have I have some opinion about that, but I'm not sure it's um uh I found uh she was well just a terrific talent, and of course she played with them. She did she made a um a declaration that she was going to play on the men's, you know, tour, and uh she could play with the men and she did, you know, didn't do too bad. Uh but uh day in and day out, she was it was just uh but she had to do it because that's what she wanted to do, and so she got that out of her system. And um and I don't know, you know, sometimes I wonder about not just her, but there are other players that they get to tinkering with her swing and uh start trying to change things and and you just uh you just wonder and makes me hearken back to Harvey and how lucky I was that I had him. And uh and I was not to criticize any teacher per se that she might have gone to, but um I think Michelle just it was just uh she just wasn't able to get to the right individual, I think, yeah to help her game. And um, you know, distance is wonderful and power is is always a plus, but it's what you do with it.

Bruce Devlin 18:58

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 18:58

And I just don't think she knew how to do with it. And it just uh um I know it was frustrating for her, I know she expected more and and uh and we were hoping for her. You know, I mean she was uh terrific player and uh a lot of attention. Uh and of course then when she did win the US Open, uh gosh, what a great tournament that was.

Bruce Devlin 19:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:24

And um so you just thought, oh boy, you know, we're on our way. And then it all fell apart again. So I don't know. I I just I have my own my own opinion about it, but um that's the best I can do. I just feel like she got maybe some but not great advice.

Mike Gonzalez 19:43

Yeah, yeah. Uh why don't you take us then through uh your you you've wound down your playing career now and you're transitioning from tour life to what I guess would call regular life. What was that like for you?

SPEAKER_00 19:56

Well, you know, uh when I decided to, you know, I I was 50 years old and uh I wasn't really, really the last five years of uh from 85 to 90 was just not a lot of fun. I uh it did I wasn't playing to the level I like to play and could play or knew I could play, but I just wasn't there. It was getting harder and harder. So I thought a lot about it and um I talked to other players that have retired, and and some of them said, Oh, I wish I'd have stayed out longer and retired too early. And I thought, well, I don't want to be one of those. So when I quit, I made a conscious effort and I shut that door, I shut the door, and and I I never looked back, never regretted it. Um when I left because I always ready. Yeah, I didn't want to play anymore because I couldn't play the way I wanted to, but I was still young enough. And um so when I shut that door, I went to the PGA show. Uh, because I thought, well, I'm gonna let people know that I'm not the tour's no longer my priority. And if there's something out there, I'm a baby.

Bruce Devlin 21:15

Why not? Why not? Why not?

SPEAKER_00 21:18

Yeah, I was still on the Wilson staff, and and so I went to into their display um area, and I was as I was going in, Sam was coming out, and um his agent was with him, and as is uh and this is how I heard the story later, and you know, he introduced me to him and we talked and visited him so and and um and then not too long after that I get a phone call from him, and they were working on a um a deal with uh uh Don Painos and the uh Chateau Elon. He wanted Sam and Gene. Uh I think he wanted Byron, or uh anyway, as it but and he he approached Don, he says, You need a lady legend, and so that's why they hired me. So I was I was uh uh one of the three legends that uh Don wanted, and um and that's how I got to really I knew Sam, but I really got to know uh Gene. Uh we'd had some great conversations uh in our meetings that we'd have, but that was just out of the blue. Yeah, you know, suddenly I'm now I'm I'm part of this uh event, and then another one that came along. I played a lot of golf in Japan over the years, some for LPGA, but some for Wilson. And um and then I I uh Mizuno uh hired me to do some things over there for him, and I did uh some other events over in Japan. But um I got to know the show Dabari, who was um uh announcer on the television for the women's golf, but uh other things, but anyway, I got to be friends with him. So I'm getting ready to really, truly, really getting ready to go to bed. And um it was about 10 at night and the phone rings, and I thought, oh, holy cow. Anyway, it was show de Mari. And I had said, well, show I said, how you doing? So anything, one thing led to another. What he was calling about was they wanted to uh they uh had this project where they would uh maybe get eight or ten girls over there and bring them over here to the states and teach them to play and and help them out and get their game so that they could maybe qualify either for this tour or that tour. So as it turned out, I spent a lot of time. I said, okay. And Choco was involved, and so that was great fun. And um I'd go over to uh Tokyo and we'd interview these girls and watch them. They have this group of ladies, and Choco and I'd watch them hit balls and and everything, and then we we but that was on several weeks, it was a month or so, but it was for two years. So I was uh I I was taking care of eight Japanese girls for a couple years. Uh so that was a great fun, yeah. And um, and I was still uh and as it would turn out, Wilson decided uh not to renew. But then I got uh um and and he was fun. He was a nice guy, and I can't think of his last name, but anyway, um, and he said, he called me before I left Wilson. He called me and he said, Well, what are you doing? I said, Well, I'm still with Wilson, blah blah blah. I said, I just you know, I have I've been with him all my whole career, and I just, you know, because he offered the job or endorsement with square two, and I said, Well, anyway, then Wilson decided not to do it, and I get another call later on, and he said, Well, now what are you doing? I'm open.

Bruce Devlin 25:19

I'm open.

SPEAKER_00 25:20

Oh yeah, I was it was it was a great relationship. Uh with square two, and they had um I had a I had a line of clubs, and uh and really they did a they were the um LPGA teaching division. Um that was their their official club for the LPGA, and um but they made a line of clubs for me, and I did a it was a nice retainer, and uh I got uh residuals off of the um equipment they sold, and so it was pretty lucrative for a while.

Bruce Devlin 25:54

Good, that's good.

SPEAKER_00 25:56

And I but that's what I'm saying. After you leave the tour and you let people know you're available, uh and but that's when I say I shut that door and the old cliche that another door opens, and uh and that was right, these other uh things began to come, and I began, you know, and so um you know, some great opportunities, and so I um I was really lucky. I had a reputation, I had a name, and that of course helped. Yeah, and so um, but you never know where that might lead you or how far it might take you until you there you are. So when I left the tour, um it was okay. I didn't back, and and I was, you know, I was I I got to do a lot of things.

Mike Gonzalez 26:45

You were you were called upon a couple of other times, as I recall, and that was quite an honor because you were named the inaugural uh captain for the Solheim Cup at Lake Nona 1990, uh opposite Mickey Walker in those first uh set of competitions, weren't you?

SPEAKER_00 27:01

Yeah, I was, and that was so fun. But you know, and we were just getting started, and I was kind of in the mix when they were first starting to with the Solheim family, and and uh and I I knew Karsten and John and and Louise, you know, she was a big part of this. Yeah, she was. Yeah, she was, and so um they made this commitment, they say we went back and forth, and well, you know what, but they made a commitment for uh I think it was 10. I mean, that's a lot of money. Uh every two years they, you know, they had 10. Um so they um so it but to get that first Solheim off the ground, uh they decided to go ahead and go with it that day, because it was on a uh an even year and the men were on the odd year. So we had we if we didn't do it in 1990, it was gonna have to be pushed back to 1992. So Bingo, well, if we went and and they had a uh a connection, I think, with Lake Donald. So, but we only had eight players uh as before they went to twelve.

Bruce Devlin 28:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:12

And I of course you know, I had the best eight players in the world. That helps. Yeah, I had Lopez and and Beth Daniel and Patty Sheehan, Betsy King, Patrick.

Bruce Devlin 28:25

What a team.

SPEAKER_00 28:26

You know, oh I know what I had, you know, Dottie Pepper was just coming on the scene, and Kathy Garing. Um people don't know Kathy that well because her career was shortened by this terrible accident she had, but she was a terrific little player. And uh and Rosie Jones.

Bruce Devlin 28:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:44

So uh I wasn't worried. I mean, they may have some good players, all right. I mean, you know, Laura Davies and and um uh different ones that they had, Thresh Johnson and um, but anyway, um uh and uh and and I've and I tried really hard. I'm saying this because it was just such I was so pleased when they asked me, of course, but I thought to myself, I thought I'm not gonna captain of anything. You know, so I read up on it. This this uh fellow had written a book, he was the captain of the Walker Cup and different uh uh team events in his career, and and I'm sorry I can't think of his name right off, but uh uh I read his book and and he was talking about the uh pairings of the of his players, and he tried everything. He said he tried there, he tried this formula and that formula and blah blah blah. But he said he thought the best that he found that worked the best was to pair like with like, yeah, and I thought that made the most sense to me, and so I thought, okay, I'm gonna try to do that. Well, of course, Betsy King and Beth Daniel both came to me separately and said, I want to play with their. And I said, You got it. Because they both, but I thought, how perfect, because they both had the same style of play, they're long ball hitters, high ball hitters. Yeah, very stoic in their personality, and they and they're just perfect. So I thought, oh boy, they took care of that. And then I put Patty Shim with Rosie Jones, and um the only ones I really had trouble with was Pat. I had to put Pat and Nancy Lopez together. And of course, that was the two icons that in them Europeans just they had a patent, but and Nancy just had a really tough time because these other players just played over their head because they were Pat and Nancy, you know. So they got so excited. But anyway, so I put Kathy Gearing with Dottie Pepper. And uh I know Kathy came up to me later, but uh I thought about it, you know, and I said I had watched Dottie play, so I knew her personality, I knew Kathy, and uh they both about the same height, both had the same kind of style of play, and both of them had that bulldog personality. Here we are, and uh unbeknownst to them, I don't think they realized it, but so I thought, boy, so I this will be a good test of this like with like. So I put Kathy with Dottie, and Dottie, I mean, Kathy came with me and she says, you know, I think I'd do better if I was paired with Pat. And I said, Well, I said, just go with me on this, and and if it doesn't work out, we'll repair. I said, it's not written in stone, and we can we can redo it. And uh, but just you know, see what happens. And Dottie, she was just brand new. She just anything was good with her. So, but anyway, those two just melded together like you know, peanut butter and jelly. They just and they just beat up on everybody. They had the best time. And I went up to Kathy after their first match. I said, Well, Kathy, do you want to repair? Oh no, she said, you know, they were just having the best time. And uh, and one of the great pictures coming out of there was uh her and uh Dottie and Kathy high-fiving with a jump in the air after they'd won their match. But I I told Dottie about this story later, uh not too long ago, and she says, Oh, says we've become the best friends uh forever and ever, you know. And but it was but I thought, boy, that proved a point to me was life with like. And you may not always have that opportunity, yeah, but I thought the pairings was the toughest part. Yeah, so on. But like I said, the hardest thing I had to do was pick the uniform. And uh I even screwed that up. I didn't I couldn't I couldn't even remember what I was supposed to wear. But anyway, they they put up with me and they uh but it was a great experience, I have to say. And uh was happy just there at the beginning.

Mike Gonzalez 33:21

In the intervening years since your captain's the uh the recognition, the the awards, the accolades, they just kept coming in for Kathy Whitworth. Uh she was a uh 2002 Memorial Tournament honoree by Jack Nicholas that was along with Bobby Locke that year. Uh you were entered into many, many Hall of Fames, including the five of them.

Bruce Devlin 33:44

Five Hall of Fame, lady, five of them.

SPEAKER_00 33:47

I know. And they're also you know, they come along at certain times in your career. And uh uh so you know they they didn't come in a lump. So anyway, they're spread out, but they uh it's always it's always uh an honor.

Mike Gonzalez 34:03

Yeah, you wrote your your your book, Little Little Book of Golf Wisdom. You've got uh the Kathy Whitworth Foundation, which uh sponsored a couple of events, the the invitational, a junior event at Mera Vista, and then also the the Kathy Whitworth Classic at the Trophy Club where you're at, benefiting Boys and Girls Club, which is a charity near and dear to my heart.

SPEAKER_00 34:22

Yeah. Um yeah, and this junior tournament was started uh a little over 20 years ago now. And um in the beginning, of course, it was low-key, and the really the reason was that these uh two couples at Mira Vista had a uh had had daughters and they wanted a place for their girls to play, and so uh they asked me to come over and be a part of it, and I I and I really didn't want to put my name on it at the beginning, and but as it turned out, um uh Milton Bly, who was the father of one of the girls, he just kept after me. But anyway, uh I'm so happy I did now. I mean, it it it's uh it's a great event for these young ladies and Mir Vista. The girls just love playing that golf course. They've uh said often that it's one of the best ones they play. So that's always fun to hear. And and the members at Mir Vista embraced the tournament and you know gave up their golf course and uh and they welcomed the girls and made it fun for them. And even with the COVID, uh the um committee and and I, you know, I I take a lot of the accolades, but the the people that are on the committee just do such a great job. And uh Courtney, he's uh the director of golf over there. Anyway, they just they really do a good terrific job. But we had and and the foundation was formed uh to sort of um uh uh protect the tournament, so to speak, and uh the foundation and still give money to the boys and girls club and um and maybe uh first T, you know, any proceeds. It's not a we're not there to make money, but just whatever money's left over after the expenses and everything. But people know where the money's going when they donate to the foundation or donate to the tournament, the KWC. They know where that money is gonna be uh designated, and it stays in the community. And I that was always I thought important to me anyway. Uh and the boys and girls club and the money stays in that that area where no matter where the boys and girls club is, it stays in that community. And so uh that's a real plus, I think.

Mike Gonzalez 36:51

So that's true.

SPEAKER_00 36:52

But we're we're looking at you know, maybe some other uh uh needy uh charities in the Fort Worth and Dallas area for the foundation, but that's why that was formed, and it's just now getting started. But but the the fun part about it is you know, we had the quarter, the quarter girls came through there.

Bruce Devlin 37:11

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 37:11

Nelly Nelly won. Then we had Yvonne Lindell and his four girls came through there. We had Paula Creamer, she won. Yeah, Christina Kim, Jane Park, uh gosh, uh Rachel Beckheck. I mean, we've had some terrific uh um players to come through there. Yeah and it's not an easy golf course. And in in March, we decided to go in March when we first started it because it was spring break for a lot of schools, and so we felt like we might have a better chance uh than trying to compete with the summer schedules for these girls in the HAGA. So we went with uh the spring break, and now it's just become they know the tournament is going to be held, you know, in that time.

Mike Gonzalez 38:01

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:02

So I think that's important.

Mike Gonzalez 38:03

Yeah, terrific. So uh Kathy, as as we wind down our visit with you, there's always a couple of questions that Bruce and I like to ask our guests, and so Bruce, I'll let you go first.

Bruce Devlin 38:15

All right, Kathy, here we go. You ready?

SPEAKER_00 38:18

Oh I don't know.

Bruce Devlin 38:22

So if you were to have one mulligan, where would you take it?

SPEAKER_00 38:31

Oh boy, that's a hard question.

Bruce Devlin 38:34

It is especially hard when you've had ninety-five seconds.

SPEAKER_00 38:41

I can't think of uh right offhand. I can't think of uh how about an open well the the open uh that one time that I was I've been leading uh three days and um going into the last round, uh it rained, and and I have to say this, I've I laid in bed and listened to that rain come down because it was not a long golf course, and but it was the greens were pretty small. It was in LaGrange, Illinois. And um so you had to be pretty precise off the T and hit those small greens and stuff. So I and I was like I said, I was leading them for three days and leading going into the last day. But when it rained, I thought, man, my edge is gone now, because I I wasn't a long ball hitter. Wasn't short, maybe, but I wasn't a long ball hitter. But uh Bradley and Beth Daniel and those guys, they hit it uh much further than I did, and uh I knew the par fives were gonna be an issue. But uh we got to the 17th hole, and it's a little par three, not a long hole, but it was uh and the pin was right on the front edge of the water hazard. It was the water right in front of the green. And um I knew, and again, that was a conscious decision. I knew that Pat and Beth were in front of me and they were uh they they'd already taken the lead, I think. And I knew I was either gonna have to I was gonna have to birdie in just to even tie. So I tried to play a little feathery shot over the water on the I think it was like an eight hour, you know, it wasn't a real long shot. And I didn't quite catch it. And it went so but even if I had hit it, you know, I'm not sure that would have been but I I don't regret it because I was trying to win, yeah and I felt like I needed to to make that choice. So and as it turned out it was a bad choice, but uh I uh but I don't think even if I had parred the hole uh it was gonna make any difference. But I um I think I doubled it, but and I parred the last hole, but still I lost that tournament. But uh that was the closest I but I did finish second one time to Joanne Carner, but it was a real distant second. Joanne just actually lapped the field. She loved the U.S. Open. I mean, she just and uh she just played craykoff. But she um yeah, I don't know, I was way far behind and finished second, so but I wasn't even close to to winning. So I don't really think of that so much. But that was the only time I really and I had uh we played on courses I had even won on before. And uh I still just couldn't couldn't make it to the open. But I you know, Bruce, I that's the only shot I can come up with.

Bruce Devlin 41:48

Think of, huh?

SPEAKER_00 41:49

That's all right.

Mike Gonzalez 41:50

That's all right. Yeah. Well let's uh let's go to the second question, and that's this. If you knew when you started on the LPGA tour, if you knew what you know now, what would you have done differently?

SPEAKER_00 42:03

Nothing.

Bruce Devlin 42:05

Nothing, huh?

SPEAKER_00 42:07

Uh because it was just a great, great experience. Um uh it was all new, and that was the fun part. And you know, uh I I I don't think I would have done anything different. I mean, how can you change what you know the the things that happened for me and to me by other people? And you know, I I'm just thrilled that they felt that way and they were willing to help me and and do whatever, but I I can't think of anything.

Bruce Devlin 42:37

Yeah. So the last one, Kathy, the last question is Yeah, how would you like to be remembered?

SPEAKER_00 42:44

Well, I've been asked that question before, and and um and I thought about it at first. I don't really know. I I think uh that's up to them, and I I hope they think kindly of me. But um, you know, I think about players that I think about, you know, like Patty and and Mickey and everything, and uh it was just a pleasure of knowing them and and uh uh and Patty always brings a smile to my face. So uh, you know, um if anybody would like to, you know, if they think they can remember remember me at all, but I think probably my record would be uh have to stand by itself.

Bruce Devlin 43:26

Yeah, I do too. Well, listen, it has been a distinct pleasure for both Mike and I to have you with us today. And uh we thank you for your time and uh Godspeed for the rest of your life, and thanks again.

SPEAKER_00 43:42

Thank you, Bruce. It's fun to see you and you and get to know you, Mike. And good luck with your project. I think this is great.

Mike Gonzalez 43:48

Well, thank you. It's been an absolute pleasure for me, I know, and I know for Bruce. And uh, we look forward now to continue this journey of stuff of uh of telling the ladies stories. And as I said at the outset, this was a great place to. Start.

SPEAKER_00 44:01

Yeah, well, uh, I'm glad to be a part of it, and um I know you're gonna have some great interviews coming up.

Mike Gonzalez 44:07

Yep, we sure are. Well, thanks a lot. We appreciate your time.

SPEAKER_00 44:10

Okay, bye now. Bye.

Mike Gonzalez 44:13

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 for the good of the game. So long, everybody.

Kathy Cornelius 44:35

Whack down the fairway. It went smack down the fairway. Then it started to slice, just smidge off line. It headed for two, but it bounced off nine. My caddy says long as you're still in the state, you're okay. Yes, it went straight down the middle, quite away.