Who's who: Marilynn Smith

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

Who's who: Marilynn Smith

  • Name:

    Marilynn Louise Smith
  • Country:

    USA
  • Lived:

    [1929-2019]. Born on April 13, 1929 in Topeka, Kansas. Died on April 9, Goodyear, Arizona (aged 89).
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer; one of 13 founders of the LPGA (1950); LPGA President (1958-60); golf commentator.
  • Turned Pro:

    1950

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (2): Titleholders Championship (1963, '64). Total professional wins (23), including LPGA Tour wins (21). World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 2006).

Did you know?

Former LPGA Tour player and founding member of the Tour.

Top tournaments won by Marilynn Smith

1972
America
Riviera CC, Ohio
210 (-6)
$4,500
Pabst

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Riviera CC, Ohio

Score

210 (-6)

Prize money

$4,500

Title sponsor

Pabst

Played as the Pabst Ladies Classic. Second-placed Jan Ferraris finished (USA) 6 shots behind Smith (USA), who recorded the last of her 21 LPGA Tour wins. [Riviera CC, Dublin, Ohio, which permanently closed in 2015].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

214

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Women's Golf Charities Open. Sandra Haynie and Judy Rankin finished in second place behind Smith.

1968
America
$1,875
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

Prize money

$1,875

Title sponsor

x

Played as the O'Sullivan Ladies Open. Shirley Englehorn finished in second place behind Smith.

1967
America
Sunset G&CC, FL
283 (-1)
$1,975
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Sunset G&CC, FL

Score

283 (-1)

Prize money

$1,975

Title sponsor

x

Played as the St Petersburg Orange Blossom Classic. Second-placed Sandra Haynie (USA) and Clifford Ann Creed (USA) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Smith (USA). [Sunset G&CC, St Petersburg, Florida; now called Vinoy GC].

1967
America
210
$1,500
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

210

Prize money

$1,500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Babe Zaharias Open. Shirley Englehorn and Kathy Whitworth finished in second place behind Smith.

1966
America
211
$1,275
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

211

Prize money

$1,275

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Louise Suggs Delray Beach Invitational. Sandra Haynie finished in second place behind Smith.

1966
America
Sunset G&CC, FL
285 (+1)
$1,650
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Sunset G&CC, FL

Score

285 (+1)

Prize money

$1,650

Title sponsor

x

Played as the St Petersburg Women's Open. Second-placed Carol Mann (USA) finished 2 shots behind Smith (USA). [Sunset G&CC, St Petersburg, Florida; now called Vinoy GC].

1965
America
213
$1,275
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

213

Prize money

$1,275

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Peach Blossom Open. Betsy Rawls finished in second place behind Smith.

1964
Majors
Augusta CC
289 (+1)
$1,300
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Augusta CC

Score

289 (+1)

Prize money

$1,300

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Titleholders Championship (25th). Second-placed Mickey Wright (USA) finished 1 shot behind Smith (USA), the same winner/runner-up outcome as in the previous year. [Augusta CC, Augusta, GA].

1964
America
216
$1,350
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

216

Prize money

$1,350

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Albuquerque Pro-Am. Sandra Haynie and Jo Ann Prentice finished in second place behind Smith.

1963
America
212
$1,200
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

212

Prize money

$1,200

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Cavern City Open. Marlene Hagge finished in second place behind Smith.

1963
Majors
Augusta CC
292 (E)
$1,300
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Augusta CC

Score

292 (E)

Prize money

$1,300

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Titleholders Championship (24th). First-time major championship winner Smith (USA) beat Mickey Wright (USA) by 1 shot in an 18-hole playoff. [Augusta CC, Augusta, GA].

1963
America
295
$1,350
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

295

Prize money

$1,350

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Eugene Ladies Open. Kathy Whitworth finished in second place behind Smith.

1963
America
216
$1,200
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

216

Prize money

$1,200

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Peach Blossom Open. Murle Lindstrom finished in second place behind Smith.

1962
America
279
$1,200
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

279

Prize money

$1,200

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Waterloo Women's Open. Kathy Whitworth finished in second place behind Smith.

1962
America
143
$612
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

143

Prize money

$612

Title sponsor

x

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

1962
America
214
$1,200
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

214

Prize money

$1,200

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Sunshine Women's Open. Kathy Whitworth and Patty Berg finished in second place behind Smith.

1959
America
295
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

295

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Memphis Open. Mickey Wright and Bonnie Randolph finished in second place behind Smith.

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

299

Prize money

$875

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Jacksonville Open. Fay Crocker finished in second place behind Smith.

1957
America
281
$1,500
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

281

Prize money

$1,500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Hot Springs Four-Ball. Winning Team : Marilynn Smith & Fay Crocker. Second-placed team : Louise Suggs & Mickey Wright.

1955
America
221
$900
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

221

Prize money

$900

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Mile High Open. Second-placed Betsy Rawls finished 1 shot behind Smith.

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

220

Prize money

$900

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Heart of America. Smith beat Alice Bauer in a playoff.

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Smith, Marilynn

Venue

Score

216

Prize money

$700

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Fort Wayne Open. Second-placed Fay Crocker, Jackie Pung and Betty Jameson finished 5 shots behind Smith.

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Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

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Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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