Who's who: Louise Suggs

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Who's who: Louise Suggs

  • Name:

    Mae Louise Suggs
  • Country:

    USA
  • Lived:

    [1923-2015]. Born on Sept 7, 1923 in Atlanta, Georgia. Died on Aug 6, 2015 in Sarasota, Florida, aged 91.
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer; one of 13 founders of the LPGA (1950); LPGA President (1955-57).
  • Turned Pro:

    1948 (aged 24)

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (11) including a "career slam" of four different majors. US Women's Amateur champion (1947) and British Ladies Amateur champion (1948). Curtis Cup player (1948). Total of 61 LPGA Tour wins. US LPGA leading money winner (1953, '60). World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 1951).

Did you know?

Louise Suggs enjoyed a formidable amateur career before turning professional at the age of 24. She won amateur events at state and national levels, including the US Women's and British Ladies Amateur titles. Her first three wins in "professional" major championships came as an amateur.

Suggs relinquished her amateur status in 1948, and two years later was one of the 13 women professionals who founded the LPGA. Competing against her great rivals of the time, Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg and Betty Jameson, Suggs continued her winning ways, recording a total of 61 LPGA Tour victories between 1946 and 1962. Eleven of these wins were in major championships.

Suggs was President of the LPGA from 1955 to 1957, and her name lives on through the Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year Award, given annually to the most successful first-year player on the LPGA Tour.

Top tournaments won by Louise Suggs

1962
America
Sunset G&CC, FL
280 (-4)
$1,200
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Sunset G&CC, FL

Score

280 (-4)

Prize money

$1,200

Title sponsor

x

Played as the St Petersburg Open. Second-placed Patty Berg (USA) finished 4 shots behind Suggs (USA), who recorded the last of her 61 LPGA Tour wins. [Sunset G&CC, St Petersburg, Florida; now called Vinoy GC].

1961
America
229
$1,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

229

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Sea Island Women's Open. Marlene Hagge and Ruth Jessen finished in second place behind Suggs.

1961
America
295
$1,247
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

295

Prize money

$1,247

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Kansas City Open.

1961
America
212 (-4)
$1,247
Civitan

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Score

212 (-4)

Prize money

$1,247

Title sponsor

Civitan

Played as the San Antonio Civitan Tournament. Won by defending champion Suggs (USA). [Brackenridge Park GC, San Antonio, TX].

1961
America
Glen Lakes CC
291 (+7)
$1,750
Civitan

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Glen Lakes CC

Score

291 (+7)

Prize money

$1,750

Title sponsor

Civitan

Played as the Dallas Civitan Open. Second-placed Betsy Rawls (USA) finished 3 shots behind Suggs (USA), who recorded her third straight win in this event. [Glen Lakes CC, Dallas, TX; club/course no longer exists].

1961
America
138
$475
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

138

Prize money

$475

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Naples Pro-Am. Mickey Wright and Marilynn Smith finished in second place behind Louise Suggs.

1961
America
156
$1,200
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

156

Prize money

$1,200

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Royal Poinciana Invitational. Patty Berg finished in second place behind Suggs.

1961
America
293
$1,247
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

293

Prize money

$1,247

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Golden Circle of Golf Festival. Mickey Wright finished in second place behind Suggs.

1960
Awards
$16,892
see Score
LPGA Tr

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

$16,892

Prize money

see Score

Title sponsor

LPGA Tr

Suggs (USA) won her second LPGA Tour Money List, with 1960 season earnings of $16,892 on the Tour. Mickey Wright (USA) was second on the money list, just $512 behind Suggs (USA).

1960
America
288
$2,500
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

288

Prize money

$2,500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Youngstown Kitchens Trumball Open. Patty Berg finished in second place behind Suggs.

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

Prize money

$1,245

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Triangle Round Robin. Betsy Rawls finished in second place behind Suggs.

1960
America
215 (-1)
$1,068
Civitan

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Score

215 (-1)

Prize money

$1,068

Title sponsor

Civitan

Played as the inaugural San Antonio Civitan Tournament. Mickey Wright (USA) finished in second place behind Suggs (USA). [Brackenridge Park GC, San Antonio, TX].

1960
America
Glen Lakes CC
281 (-3)
$1,662
Civitan

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Glen Lakes CC

Score

281 (-3)

Prize money

$1,662

Title sponsor

Civitan

Played as the Dallas Civitan Open. Mickey Wright (USA) finished in second place behind defending champion Suggs (USA). [Glen Lakes CC, Dallas, TX; club/course no longer exists].

1959
America
Glen Lakes CC
287 (+3)
$1,662
Civitan

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Glen Lakes CC

Score

287 (+3)

Prize money

$1,662

Title sponsor

Civitan

Played as the Dallas Civitan Open. Second-placed Wiffi Smith finished 1 shot behind Suggs (USA). [Glen Lakes CC, Dallas, TX; club/course no longer exists].

1959
America
Sunset G&CC, FL
282 (-2)
$1,247
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Sunset G&CC, FL

Score

282 (-2)

Prize money

$1,247

Title sponsor

x

Played as the St Petersburg Open. Suggs (USA) beat Mickey Wright (USA) with a birdie at the third playoff hole. [Sunset G&CC, St Petersburg, Florida; now called Vinoy GC].

1959
Majors
Augusta CC
297 (+9)
$1,000
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Augusta CC

Score

297 (+9)

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Titleholders Championship (20th). Second-placed Betsy Rawls (USA) finished 1 shot behind Suggs (USA). [Augusta CC, Augusta, GA].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

Prize money

$1,425

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Triangle Round Robin. Marlene Hagge finished in second place behind Suggs.

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Score

300

Prize money

$1,247

Title sponsor

x

Played as the French Lick Open. Fay Crocker finished in second place behind Suggs. [Ross course, French Lick Resort, French Lick, Indiana].

1958
America
214
$831
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

214

Prize money

$831

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Babe Zaharias Open. Marlene Hagge finished in second place behind Suggs.

1958
America
222
$831
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

222

Prize money

$831

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Gatlinburg Open. Mary Lena Faulk finished in second place behind Suggs.

1957
Majors
Churchill Valley
285 (+5)
$1,316
LPGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Churchill Valley

Score

285 (+5)

Prize money

$1,316

Title sponsor

LPGA

The LPGA Championship (3rd) (June 6-10). Second-placed Wiffi Smith (USA) finished 3 shots behind Suggs (USA), who recorded her first and only LPGA Championship win, and tenth major championship title. [Churchill Valley CC, Pittsburgh, PA].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

220

Prize money

$880

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Heart of America Invitational. Jackie Pung finished in second place behind Smith.

1957
Awards
74.64
n/a
LPGA Tr

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

74.64

Prize money

n/a

Title sponsor

LPGA Tr

Suggs (USA) won the Vare Trophy, recording the season's lowest scoring average on the LPGA Tour.

1956
America
301
$1,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

301

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the All-American Open. Joyce Ziske finished in second place behind Suggs.

1956
America
Tam O'Shanter
301 (-3)
$1,000
George S. May

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Tam O'Shanter

Score

301 (-3)

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

George S. May

Played as the All American Open. Second-placed Joyze Ziske (USA) finished 2 shots behind Suggs (USA). [Tam O'Shanter CC, Niles, nr Chicago, IL; now the municipal Tam O'Shanter Golf Course].

1956
Majors
Augusta CC
302 (+14)
$1,000
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Augusta CC

Score

302 (+14)

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Titleholders Championship (17th). Defending champion and second-placed Patty Berg (USA) finished 1 shot behind Suggs (USA). [Augusta CC, Augusta, GA].

1956
America
227
$1,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

227

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Havana Open. Mary Lena Faulk and Fay Crocker finished in second place behind Suggs.

1955
America
Inglewood CC, CA
224
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Inglewood CC, CA

Score

224

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Los Angeles Open (a one-off event, not related to the LPGA Tour's 1967 Ladies' Los Angeles Open). Beverly Hanson (USA) finished in second place behind Suggs (USA). [Inglewood CC, Inglewood, Los Angeles, CA].

1955
America
229
$1,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

229

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Oklahoma City Open. Second-placed Jackie Pung and Alice Bauer finished 3 shots behind Suggs.

1955
America
291
$1,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

291

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Eastern Open. Second-placed Fay Crocker finished 1 shot behind Suggs.

1955
America
289
$900
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

289

Prize money

$900

Title sponsor

x

Played as the St Louis Open. Second-placed Mary Lena Faulk finished 6 shots behind Suggs.

1955
America
366
$1,500
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

366

Prize money

$1,500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Triangle Round Robin. Second-placed Marlene Bauer (Hagge) finished 6 shots behind Suggs.

1954
America
231
$875
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

231

Prize money

$875

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Sea Island Open (The Cloister). Second-placed Beverly Hanson and Betty Hicks finished 1 shot behind Suggs.

1954
Majors
Augusta CC
293 (+5)
$1,000
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Augusta CC

Score

293 (+5)

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Titleholders Championship (15th). Defending champion and second-placed Patty Berg (USA) finished 7 shots behind Suggs (USA). [Augusta CC, Augusta, GA].

1954
America
220
$875
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

220

Prize money

$875

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Betsy Rawls Open. Suggs won after a playoff against Marlene Bauer (Hagge).

1954
America
218
$875
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

218

Prize money

$875

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Carrollton Georgia Open. Second-placed Patty Berg finished 1 shot behind Suggs.

1954
America
224
$700
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

224

Prize money

$700

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Babe Zaharias Open. Second-placed Babe Zaharias finished 2 shots behind Suggs.

1953
America
216
$875
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

216

Prize money

$875

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Betsy Rawls Open. Suggs won after a playoff against Betsy Rawls.

1953
America
149
$875
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

149

Prize money

$875

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Bakersfield Open. Suggs won after a playoff against beat Patty Berg.

1953
America
144
$750
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

144

Prize money

$750

Title sponsor

x

Played as the San Diego Open. Second-placed Patty Berg and Marlene Bauer (Hagge) finished 3 shots behind Suggs.

1953
Majors
Capital City Club
6 & 5
$1,000
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Capital City Club

Score

6 & 5

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

The Women's Western Open (24th). Suggs (USA) beat Patty Berg (USA) 6 and 5 in the final. [Capital City Club, Atlanta, Georgia].

1953
America
288
$1,250
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

288

Prize money

$1,250

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Tampa Women's Open. Second-placed Mary Lena Faulk (amateur) finished 6 shots behind Suggs.

1953
Awards
$19,816
see Score
LPGA Tr

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

$19,816

Prize money

see Score

Title sponsor

LPGA Tr

Suggs (USA) won the LPGA Tour 1953 Money List, with earnings of $19,816 on the Tour. Patty Berg (USA) was second on the money list.

1953
America
146
$750
Weathervane

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

146

Prize money

$750

Title sponsor

Weathervane

Played as the Philadelphia Weathervane. Second-placed Patty Berg (USA) finished 8 shots behind Suggs (USA).

1953
America
Weathervane

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

Prize money

Title sponsor

Weathervane

Played as the Phoenix Weathervane. Patty Berg (USA) and Louise Suggs (USA) shared first place after a tie.

1953
America
149
$750
Weathervane

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

149

Prize money

$750

Title sponsor

Weathervane

Played as the San Francisco Weathervane. Second-placed Betsy Rawls (USA) finished 2 shots behind Suggs (USA).

1953
America
Weathervane

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

Prize money

Title sponsor

Weathervane

Suggs (USA) was overall winner of the 1953 Cross Country 144-hole Weathervane Tournament, which was played as four two-round events in Boca Raton, Philadelphia, Phoenix and San Francisco. She won the San Francisco event and tied with Patty Berg in Phoenix.

1952
America
72
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

72

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Stockton Open. Second-placed Alice Bauer finished 2 shots behind Suggs.

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

300

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the All-American Women's Open. Second-placed Betsy Rawls finished 9 shots behind Suggs.

1952
America
Tam O'Shanter
300 (-4)
$1,000
George S. May

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Tam O'Shanter

Score

300 (-4)

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

George S. May

Played as the All American Open. Second-placed Betsy Rawls (USA) finished 9 shots behind Suggs (USA). [Tam O'Shanter CC, Niles, nr Chicago, IL; now the municipal Tam O'Shanter Golf Course].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

277

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Jacksonville Open. Second-placed Betty Jameson finished 3 shots behind Suggs.

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

212

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Betty Jameson Open. Second-placed Patty berg and Betsy Rawls finished 2 shots behind Suggs.

1952
Majors
Bala GC
284 (+8)
$1,750
LPGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Bala GC

Score

284 (+8)

Prize money

$1,750

Title sponsor

LPGA

The US Women's Open (7th) (June 26-29). Second-placed Marlene Bauer (USA, from 1956 Marlene Hagge) and Betty Jameson (USA) finished 7 shots behind Suggs (USA), who won this event for the second time. [Bala GC, Philadelphia, PA].

1952
America
293
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

293

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Tampa Women's Open. Second-placed Babe Zaharias finished 5 shots behind Suggs.

1951
America
221
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

221

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Carrollton Georgia Open. Second-placed Babe Zaharias finished 1 shot behind Suggs.

1950
America
155
Weathervane

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

155

Prize money

Title sponsor

Weathervane

Played as the New York Weathervane. Second-placed Babe Zaharias (USA) finished 4 shots behind Suggs (USA).

1950
America
160
Weathervane

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Score

160

Prize money

Title sponsor

Weathervane

Played as the Chicago Weathervane. Second-placed Babe Zaharias (USA) finished 7 shots behind Suggs (USA).

1949
Majors
Oklahoma City G&CC
5 & 4
$500
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Oklahoma City G&CC

Score

5 & 4

Prize money

$500

Title sponsor

x

The Women's Western Open (20th). Suggs (USA) beat Betty Jameson (USA) 5 and 4 in the final. [Oklahoma City G&CC, Nichols Hill, OK].

1949
Majors
Prince George's CC
291 (-9)
$1,500
LPGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Prince George's CC

Score

291 (-9)

Prize money

$1,500

Title sponsor

LPGA

The US Women's Open (4th) (Sept 22-25). Second-placed Babe Zaharias (USA) finished 14 shots behind Suggs (USA), who claimed the fourth of her 11 major championship titles. [Prince George's CC, Landover, Maryland. Course closed and is now the Kentland Golf Training Center].

1949
America
Tam O'Shanter
303 (-1)
$1,200
George S. May

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Tam O'Shanter

Score

303 (-1)

Prize money

$1,200

Title sponsor

George S. May

Played as the All American Open. Second-placed and defending champion Babe Zaharias (USA) finished 4 shots behind Suggs (USA). [Tam O'Shanter CC, Niles, nr Chicago, IL; now the municipal Tam O'Shanter Golf Course].

Category

Amateur

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Score

1 hole

Prize money

n/a

Title sponsor

LGU

The Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship (45th). Suggs (USA) beat Jean Donald (Scot) by 1 hole in the final. [Royal Lytham & St Annes GC, nr Blackpool, Lancs].

Category

Amateur

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Score

2 holes

Prize money

n/a

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Women's Amateur Championship (47th). Suggs (USA) beat Dorothy Kirby (USA) by 2 holes in the final. [Franklin Hills CC, Franklin, Mich.].

1947
Majors
Capital City Club
4 & 2
amateur
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Capital City Club

Score

4 & 2

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

x

The Women's Western Open (18th). Defending champion Suggs (USA, amateur) beat Dorothy Kirby (USA, amateur) 4 and 2 in the final. [Capital City Club, Atlanta, Georgia].

1946
Majors
Augusta CC
314 (+14)
amateur
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Augusta CC

Score

314 (+14)

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Titleholders Championship (7th). Second-placed Eileen Stulb (USA, amateur) finished 2 shots behind Suggs (USA, amateur). [Augusta CC, Augusta, GA].

1946
Majors
Wakonda Club
2 holes
amateur
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Suggs, Louise

Venue

Wakonda Club

Score

2 holes

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

x

The Women's Western Open (17th). Suggs (USA, amateur) beat Patty Berg (USA) by 2 holes in the final. [Wakonda Club, Des Moines, Iowa].

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