Kathrynne Ann Whitworth (September 27, 1939 – December 24, 2022) was an American professional golfer. During her playing career she won 88 LPGA Tour tournaments, more than anyone else on the LPGA or PGA Tours. Whitworth was also a runner-up 93 times, giving her 181 top-two finishes. In 1981, she became the first woman to reach career earnings of $1 million on the LPGA Tour. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Early life and amateur career Whitworth was born on September 27, 1939, in Monahans, Texas, the youngest of three daughters of Morris Whitworth, a hardware store owner and later mayor in Jal, New Mexico, where she grew up. She attended Odessa College.

Initially a tennis player, Whitworth began playing golf at 14. After working with Hardy Loudermilk, she won the 1957 and 1958 New Mexico State Amateur Championships. At 19, she changed coaches to Harvey Penick and turned pro, joining the LPGA in December 1958.

Professional career In 1962, Whitworth won her first tournament, the Kelly Girls Open.Kalb, p. 122. Between that and her victory in the United Virginia Bank Classic in 1985, she won 88 tournaments on the LPGA Tour, the highest number of any player in the history of professional golf, including on the men's PGA Tour. Six were major championships. In 1974, she won the Orange Blossom Classic for the fifth time, one of only four LPGA golfers to have won the same tournament five times. She was the U.S. team captain at the inaugural Solheim Cup match in 1990. She was the first LPGA player to earn $1 million, in 1981.

Whitworth was LPGA Player of the Year seven times between 1966 and 1973, won the Vare Trophy for best scoring average by an LPGA Tour player a record seven times between 1965 and 1972, and was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame in 1975 and into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982. She was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 1965 and 1967. She was Named "Golfer of the Decade" by Golf Magazine for the years 1968 to 1977 during the 1988 Centennial of Golf in America celebration. She received the 1986 William Richardson Award from the Golf Writers Association of America for consistent outstanding contributions to golf. She is also a member of the New Mexico Hall of Fame, Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Texas Golf Hall of Fame, and the Women's Sports Foundation Hall of Fame.

Later life and death Whitworth retired from competitive golf in 2005 after competing in the BJ's Charity Classic on the Women's Senior Golf Tour. In 2007, with Jay Golden, she published Kathy Whitworth's Little Book of Golf Wisdom. At the time of her death she lived in Flower Mound, Texas with her partner, Bettye Odle. She died in Flower Mound on December 24, 2022, at age 83, after collapsing while attending a neighbor's Christmas party.

Professional wins LPGA Tour wins (88) LegendLPGA Tour major championships (6)Other LPGA Tour (82) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Jul 8, 1962Kelly Girls Open−7 (73-73-69=215)1 stroke Sandra Haynie2Oct 14, 1962Phoenix Thunderbird Open −3 (72-71-70=213)4 strokes Mickey Wright3Jun 30, 1963Carvel Ladies Open −2 (72-74-71=217)1 stroke Marilynn Smith4Jul 28, 1963Wolverine Open−9 (72-64-62=198)5 strokes Betsy Rawls5Aug 4, 1963Milwaukee Jaycee Open −2 (70-73-73-70=286)7 strokes Jackie Pung Louise Suggs6Aug 25, 1963Ogden Ladies' Open−5 (69-75-71=215)5 strokes Mickey Wright7Sep 8, 1963Spokane Women's Open−3 (67-70-73=210)2 strokes Marilynn Smith8Oct 20, 1963Hillside OpenEven (70-72-77=219)4 strokes Mickey Wright9Nov 10, 1963San Antonio Civitan Open +7 (73-73-78-75=299)Playoff Mickey Wright10Nov 17, 1963Mary Mills Mississippi Gulf Coast InvitationalEven (72-77-70=219)4 strokes Mickey Wright11Jul 5, 1964San Antonio Civitan Open−5 (70-72-71-70=283)3 strokes Marlene Hagge12Mar 21, 1965St. Petersburg Open−7 (70-66-71-74=281)4 strokes Sandra Haynie13May 2, 1965Shreveport Kiwanis Invitational−6 (70-70-70=210)6 strokes Patty Berg14Jun 6, 1965Blue Grass Invitational−3 (70-69-74=213)4 strokes Clifford Ann Creed15Aug 1, 1965Lady Carling Midwest OpenEven (72-77-70=219)1 stroke Sandra Haynie16Jul 18, 1965Yankee Open−3 (73-68-72=213)2 strokes Carol Mann 17Jul 25, 1965Buckeye Savings Invitational−6 (70-67-70=207)1 stroke Susie Maxwell Berning 18Oct 3, 1965Mickey Wright Invitational −9 (68-73-71-71=283)6 strokes Donna Caponi19Nov 28, 1965Titleholders Championship−1 (71-71-74-71=287)10 strokes Peggy Wilson 20May 8, 1966Tall City Open−5 (67-70-71=208)1 stroke Mickey Wright 21Jun 5, 1966Clayton Federal Invitational +1 (68-72-68=208)4 strokes Shirley Englehorn22Jun 19, 1966Milwaukee Jaycee Open−7 (68-71-69-65=273)12 strokes Sandra Haynie23Jul 30, 1966Supertest Ladies Open−3 (71-70-72=213)3 strokes Mickey Wright24Aug 7, 1966Lady Carling Open (Massachusetts)−5 (74-73-70=217)1 stroke Carol Mann25Aug 13, 1966Lady Carling Open (Maryland)−2 (70-71-73=214)3 strokes Peggy Wilson26Oct 30, 1966Las Cruces Ladies Open−2 (69-71-74=214)6 strokes Marilynn Smith27Nov 6, 1966Amarillo Ladies' Open +2 (76-71-68=215)Playoff Mickey Wright 28Nov 27, 1966Titleholders Championship +3 (74-70-74-73=291)2 strokes Judy Kimball Simon Mary Mills29Mar 26, 1967Venice Ladies Open +4 (70-71-76=217)1 stroke Clifford Ann Creed Gloria Ehret30Apr 23, 1967Raleigh Ladies Invitational−1 (72-72-71=215)5 strokes Susie Maxwell Berning31Jun 7, 1967St. Louis Women's Invitational +2 (68-70-71=209)2 strokes Carol Mann32Jul 16, 1967LPGA Championship −8 (69-74-72-69=284)1 stroke Shirley Englehorn33Aug 6, 1967Lady Carling Open (Ohio)−4 (71-70-71=212)1 stroke Susie Maxwell Berning34Aug 20, 1967Women's Western Open−11 (71-74-73-71=289)3 strokes Sandra Haynie35Oct 1, 1967Ladies' Los Angeles Open−4 (71-68-73=212)4 strokes Murle Breer36Oct 29, 1967Alamo Ladies' Open−3 (71-71-71=213)3 strokes Sandra Haynie37Mar 17, 1968St. Petersburg Orange Blossom OpenEven (70-71-72=213)1 stroke Sandra Haynie Judy Kimball Simon38May 26, 1968Dallas Civitan Open−4 (70-70-69=209)1 stroke Carol Mann39Jun 30, 1968Lady Carling Open (Maryland)−2 (71-70-73=214)1 stroke Carol Mann40Aug 4, 1968Gino Paoli Open−1 (69-72-74=215)Playoff Marlene Hagge41Aug 18, 1968Holiday Inn Classic−1 (74-70-62=206)3 strokes Judy Kimball Simon Carol Mann42Sep 22, 1968Kings River Open−8 (68-71-69=208)10 strokes Sandra Haynie43Oct 22, 1968River Plantation Invitational−8 (67-70-68=205)8 strokes Kathy Cornelius44Nov 3, 1968Canyon Ladies Classic +2 (78-69-71=218)2 strokes Donna Caponi Shirley Englehorn Mary Mills 45Nov 17, 1968Pensacola Ladies Invitational −3 (71-71-74=216)3 strokes Jo Ann Prentice46Nov 24, 1968Louise Suggs Invitational−8 (69-69-72=210)7 strokes Carol Mann47Mar 17, 1969Orange Blossom Classic +3 (74-70-72=216)Playoff Shirley Englehorn Marlene Hagge 48Mar 23, 1969Port Charlotte Invitational−1 (72-72-74=218)1 stroke Sandra Haynie Sandra Post49Mar 30, 1969Port Malabar Invitational−3 (68-72-70=210)4 strokes Mickey Wright50Apr 20, 1969Lady Carling Open (Georgia)−4 (70-72-70=212)Playoff Mickey Wright51Jun 15, 1969Patty Berg Classic−5 (69-73-72=214)1 stroke Sandra Haynie52Sep 14, 1969Wendell-West Open−3 (69-72-72=213)1 stroke Judy Rankin53Nov 2, 1969River Plantation Women's OpenEven (70-71-72=213)1 stroke Betsy Rawls54Mar 22, 1970Orange Blossom Classic +3 (73-72-71=216)1 stroke Carol Mann 55Oct 18, 1970Quality Chek'd Classic −11 (71-67-67=205)3 strokes JoAnne Carner56Apr 18, 1971Raleigh Golf Classic−4 (71-72-69=212)5 strokes Pam Barnett57May 23, 1971Suzuki Golf Internationale +1 (72-72-73=217)2 strokes Sandra Haynie Sandra Palmer58Jun 6, 1971Lady Carling Open −9 (71-68-71=210)6 strokes Jane Blalock59Jun 13, 1971Eve-LPGA Championship−4 (71-73-70-74=288)4 strokes Kathy Ahern60Apr 30, 1972Alamo Ladies Open−10 (66-71-72=209)3 strokes Mickey Wright61Jul 23, 1972Raleigh Golf Classic−4 (72-69-71=212)2 strokes Marilynn Smith62Aug 6, 1972Knoxville Ladies Classic−4 (71-68-71=210)4 strokes Sandra Haynie63Aug 20, 1972Southgate Ladies OpenEven (69-71-76=216)Playoff Jocelyne Bourassa64Oct 1, 1972Portland Ladies Open−7 (75-69-68=212)4 strokes Sandra Haynie65Feb 11, 1973Naples Lely Classic +3 (68-76-75=219)2 strokes JoAnne Carner66Mar 11, 1973S&H Green Stamp Classic−2 (73-71-70=214)2 strokes Mary Mills67Sep 9, 1973Dallas Civitan Open−3 (75-72-66=213)Playoff Mary Mills68Sep 16, 1973Southgate Ladies Open−2 (72-70=142)1 stroke Gerda Boykin69Sep 23, 1973Portland Ladies Open−2 (71-73=144)2 strokes Sandra Palmer70Oct 21, 1973Waco Tribune Herald Ladies Classic−7 (68-72-69=209)4 strokes Kathy Cornelius Pam Higgins Marilynn Smith 71Nov 4, 1973Lady Errol Classic −3 (68-75-70=213)2 strokes Gloria Ehret Shelley Hamlin72Mar 3, 1974Orange Blossom Classic−7 (70-68-71=209)1 stroke Sandra Haynie73Jun 1, 1975LPGA Championship−4 (70-70-75-73=288)1 stroke Sandra Haynie74Sep 14, 1975Southgate OpenEven (72-72-69=213)4 strokes Gerda Boykin75Feb 7, 1976Bent Tree Classic−7 (69-69-71=209)1 stroke Hollis Stacy76Aug 22, 1976Patty Berg Classic−7 (66-73-73=212)2 strokes Sandra Post77Apr 3, 1977Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle +1 (76-70-72-71=289)1 stroke JoAnne Carner Sally Little78Apr 24, 1977American Defender Classic−10 (69-68-69=206)1 stroke Pat Bradley79May 22, 1977LPGA Coca-Cola Classic−11 (67-68-67=202)3 strokes Donna Caponi80Sep 10, 1978National Jewish Hospital Open−5 (70-75-66-65=276)3 strokes Pat Bradley Gloria Ehret Jo Ann Washam81May 17, 1981Coca-Cola Classic−8 (69-72-70=211)Playoff Alice Ritzman82Apr 18, 1982CPC Women's International−7 (73-68-73-67=281)9 strokes Patty Sheehan83May 16, 1982Lady Michelob−9 (69-68-70=207)4 strokes Sharon Barrett Barbara Moxness84Mar 20, 1983Women's Kemper Open−4 (72-77-70-69=288)1 stroke Dale Eggeling85Jul 22, 1984Rochester International−7 (73-68-71-69=281)Playoff Rosie Jones 86Sep 16, 1984Safeco Classic −9 (69-75-65-70=279)2 strokes Laura Baugh Marta Figueras-Dotti87Oct 14, 1984Smirnoff Ladies Irish Open−3 (70-74-69-72=285)2 strokes Pat Bradley Becky Pearson88May 12, 1985United Virginia Bank Classic−9 (69-66-72=207)1 stroke Amy Alcott Note: Whitworth won the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle (now known as the ANA Inspiration) before it became a major championship.

LPGA Tour playoff record (8–20)