Marilynn Louise Smith (April 13, 1929 – April 9, 2019) was an American

professional golfer A professional golfer is somebody who receives payments or financial rewards in the sport of golf that are directly related to their skill or reputation. A person who earns money by teaching or playing golf is traditionally considered a "golf pr ...

. She was one of the thirteen founders of the

LPGA The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is an American organization for female golfers. The organization is headquartered at the LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida, and is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of week ...

in 1950. She won two major championships and 21 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the

World Golf Hall of Fame The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site honors both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 g ...

Amateur career

Smith was born in

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city A capital city or capital is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state, province, department, or other subnational entity, usually as its seat ...

. She started playing golf at age 12. She was a three-time winner of the Kansas State Amateur from 1946-48. She won the 1949 national individual intercollegiate golf championship while attending the

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...

Professional career

Smith turned pro in 1949 and joined the Spalding staff. She was one of the thirteen women who founded the LPGA in 1950. She won her first tournament in 1952 at the Fort Wayne Open. She would go on to win a total of 21 events on the LPGA Tour, including two major championships, the 1963 and 1964

Titleholders Championship The Titleholders Championship was a women's golf tournament played from in 1937 to 1966 and again in 1972. It was later designated a major championship by the LPGA Tour. History The Titleholders Championship was founded in 1937. Like the Masters ...

s. She finished in the top ten on the money list nine times between 1961 and 1972, with her best finishes being fourth places in 1963, 1968 and 1970. She was named the LPGA Most Improved Player in 1963. She was the LPGA's president from 1958 to 1960. She was selected for membership of the

in the Lifetime Achievement category in June 2006 and was inducted in October 2006. While playing at a tournament in Florida, Smith escaped uninjured when a sniper fired several shots at her and Margie Masters. The perpetrator was never identified. Both Masters and Smith ultimately made the cut. In 1973 she became the first woman to work on a men's golf television broadcast. She died on April 9, 2019, four days before her 90th birthday, from complications of an infection due to a fall during the week of The Founders Cup in Phoenix.

Professional wins (23)

LPGA Tour wins (21)

* 1954 (1) Fort Wayne Open * 1955 (2)

Heart of America Open The Heart of America Invitational was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1955 to 1962. It was played in Kansas City, Missouri area. Tournament locations Winners ;Heart of America Invitational *1962 Mickey Wright ;Kansas City Open *1961 Loui ...

Mile High Open The Mile High Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1955 to 1956.LPGA Tournament Chronology ...

* 1958 (1) Jacksonville Open * 1959 (1) Memphis Open *

1962 Events January * January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand. * January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism. * January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wo ...

(2) Sunshine Open,

Waterloo Open The Waterloo Jaycees Greater Waterloo Open Golf Classic is the oldest and largest golf tournament in the state of Iowa. It has been played annually since 1934, and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2008. It is traditionally played over the course ...

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Co ...

(4)

, Peach Blossom Open,

Eugene Ladies' Open The Pacific Ladies Classic was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1962 to 1968. It was played in Eugene, Oregon at the Eugene Country Club every year except 1967 when it was played at the Shadow Hills Country Club. Winners ;Pacific Ladies Clas ...

Cavern City Open The Carlsbad Jaycee Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour in 1962, 1963 and 1967.LPGA Tournamen ...

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarc ...

(2)

Albuquerque Pro-Am The Albuquerque Swing Parade was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1961 to 1964.LPGA Tournamen ...

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...

(1) Peach Blossom Open *

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo is ...

(2) St. Petersburg Women's Open, Louise Suggs Delray Beach Invitational *

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 5 ** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establ ...

(2) St. Petersburg Orange Classic,

Babe Zaharias Open The Babe Zaharias Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1953 to 1967.LPGA Tournament Chronol ...

1968 The year was highlighted by Protests of 1968, protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechos ...

(1)

O'Sullivan Open The O'Sullivan Ladies Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1968 to 1971. It was played at the Winchester Country Club in Winchester, Virginia. Winners ;O'Sullivan Ladies Open *1971 Judy Kimball *1970 Shirley Englehorn *1969 Murle Lin ...

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). Between 10,000 and 1 ...

(1)

Women's Golf Charities Open The Women's Golf Charities Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour, played only in 1970. It was played at the Inwood Forest Country Club in Houston, Texas. Marilynn Smith won the event in a sudden-death playoff with Sandra Haynie and Judy Ra ...

* 1972 (1)

Pabst Ladies Classic The Borden Classic was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1965 to 1978.LPGA Tournament Chrono ...

LPGA majors are shown in bold.

Other wins (2)

*1957 Hot Springs 4-Ball (with Fay Crocker) *1962 Naples Pro-Am (with

Mickey Wright Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright (February 14, 1935 – February 17, 2020) was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. She became a member of the tour in 1955 and won 82 LPGA Tour career events including 13 major champions ...

)

Major championships

Wins (2)

¹ In an 18-hole playoff, Smith 72, Wright 73

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Marilynn American female golfers LPGA Tour golfers Winners of LPGA major golf championships World Golf Hall of Fame inductees Golfers from Kansas University of Kansas alumni Sportspeople from Topeka, Kansas 1929 births 2019 deaths 21st-century American women