Shirley Ruth Englehorn (December 12, 1940 – October 2, 2022) was an American professional golfer. Nicknamed "Dimples", she won 11 tournaments during her LPGA Tour career, including one major, the 1970 LPGA Championship.
Early life and amateur career Englehorn was born on December 12, 1940, in Caldwell, Idaho, where she was raised. She first played golf when she was six years old, having been introduced to the sport by Shirley Spork, one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA. She also studied with Johnny Revolta, an 18-time PGA Tour winner and the PGA Championship victor in 1935.
Englehorn won numerous amateur and open events. These included the McCall Open (1957 and 1958), the Idaho Open (1957 to 1959), and the Pacific Northwest Amateur (1958). She also won the Oregon Open in 1959, and won the Dorothy Pease Trophy (Trans-Miss) when she was fifteen, the youngest player to win the honor.
In 1958, she graduated from Caldwell High School.
Professional career In 1959, Englehorn turned pro at age 18 and joined the LPGA Tour. She was sponsored by the Athletic Round Table of Spokane from 1960 through 1962. Despite a career-threatening equestrian accident in Georgia in March 1960, Englehorn recovered and won her first tournament at age 21 in July 1962 at the Women's Eastern Open in Sutton, Massachusetts. She won a total of 11 events on the LPGA Tour, including one major championship, the LPGA Championship in 1970 in a playoff over Kathy Whitworth, her third victory at Sutton.
Englehorn led the tour that season in wins with four. Five years earlier, in 1965, she suffered injuries in an automobile accident and missed much of the season. Englehorn was awarded the Ben Hogan Award in early 1968 by the Golf Writers Association of America in honor of her successful comeback from injuries. She had surgery on her ankle in 1971 and 1973 and in each case returned to compete. She later became a golf instructor, and was conferred the LPGA Teacher of the Year Award in 1978. She made her last LPGA appearance in 1979.
Personal life Englehorn died at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on October 2, 2022, at the age of 81.
Awards and honors
In 1968, Englehorn was bestowed the Ben Hogan Award by the Golf Writers Association of America. In 1978, she earned the PGA Teacher of the Year Award.
Professional wins (12)
LPGA Tour wins (11) LegendLPGA Tour major championships (1)Other LPGA Tour (10)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMarginof victoryRunner(s)-upRef1Jul 22, 1962Eastern Open74-77-75=226+43 strokes Mary Mills2Sep 9, 1962Eugene Open75-69-79-69=292−47 strokes Jackie Pung3Jul 7, 1963Lady Carling Eastern Open71-79-71=221+42 strokes JoAnne Carner (a)4Aug 9, 1964Waterloo Women's Open Invitational72-71-68=211−54 strokes Ruth Jessen5May 22, 1966Babe Zaharias Open71-68-70=209−12 strokes Kathy Whitworth6Sep 17, 1967Shirley Englehorn Invitational71-70-69=210−3Playoff Kathy Whitworth7Aug 10, 1968Concord Open77-76-76=229−23 strokes Sandra Haynie8May 17, 1970Johnny Londoff Chevrolet Tournament74-74-68=216E2 strokes Carol Mann9May 31, 1970O'Sullivan Ladies Open71-68-71=210−6Playoff Margie Masters10Jun 7, 1970Lady Carling Open72-67-71=210−91 stroke Carol Mann11Jun 13, 1970LPGA Championship70-70-75-70=285−7Playoff Kathy Whitworth
LPGA Tour playoff record (3–2) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)ResultRef11963Rock City Ladies Open Barbara RomackLost to par on third extra hole21966Alamo Ladies' Open Sandra HaynieLost to birdie on third extra hole31967Shirley Englehorn Invitational Kathy WhitworthWon with par on second extra hole41970O'Sullivan Ladies Open Margie MastersWon with birdie on first extra hole51970LPGA Championship Kathy WhitworthWon 18-hole playoff (Englehorn: 74, Whitworth: 78) Sources:
Other wins (1) 1964 Haig & Haig Scotch Foursome (with Sam Snead)
Major championships
Wins (1) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner-upRef 1970 LPGA Championship −7 (70-70-75-70=285) Playoff1 Kathy Whitworth 1 Won in an 18-hole playoff. Englehorn: 74, Whitworth: 78
See also List of golfers with most LPGA Tour wins
References
External links
Page on the Engelhorn family site