Colleen Walker

Colleen Walker (August 16, 1956 – December 11, 2012[1]) was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.

Colleen Walker
Personal information
Full nameColleen Walker
Born(1956-08-16)August 16, 1956
Jacksonville, Florida
DiedDecember 11, 2012(2012-12-11) (aged 56)
Valrico, Florida
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Sporting nationality United States
Career
CollegeFlorida State University
Turned professional1982
Former tour(s)LPGA Tour (1982–2004)
Legends Tour
Professional wins12
Number of wins by tour
LPGA Tour9
LPGA of Japan Tour1
Other2
Best results in LPGA major championships
(wins: 1)
Chevron Championship2nd: 1988
Women's PGA C'shipT15: 1991
U.S. Women's OpenT3: 1988
du Maurier ClassicWon: 1997
Women's British OpenDNP
Achievements and awards
LPGA Vare Trophy1988
LPGA Heather Farr
Player Award
2004

Amateur career

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Walker was born in Jacksonville, Florida. She started playing golf at the age of 14. At the age of 18, she was named the 1974 Palm Beach Post Athlete and Player of the Year. She won the Florida All-State Golf Award in 1976. She attended Florida State University where she won most valuable player honors from 1977–1978.

Professional career

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Walker turned professional in September 1981 and played on the Tampa Bay Mini-Tour. She joined the LPGA Tour in 1982 after winning the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament. She won nine tour titles, the first of them in 1987 and the last in 1997, including one major championship, the 1997 du Maurier Ltd. Classic. In 1988, she won the LPGA Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average, was named Most Improved Player by Golf Digest, and finished a career high fifth on the money list, one of four times she finished in the top ten. She was inducted into the Florida State University Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Walker joined the Legends Tour in 2001, winning her first tournament that year. After being diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2003, she underwent chemotherapy and radiation. She would rejoin the tour in September. She finished in a tie for 10th at a senior event, essentially an attempt to see if she could still play. She retired from the LPGA Tour in 2004.

Walker died on December 11, 2012, in Valrico, Florida, of a cancer recurrence that was diagnosed in late 2011.[2] She was 56.

Professional wins (12)

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LPGA Tour (9)

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Legend
LPGA Tour major championships (1)
Other LPGA Tour (8)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1Jun 14, 1987Mayflower Classic−10 (67-70-72-69=278)1 stroke Bonnie Lauer
Sally Quinlan
Patti Rizzo
Patty Sheehan
2Jul 17, 1988Boston Five Classic−14 (66-69-70-69=274)8 strokes Jane Geddes
Patty Sheehan
Jan Stephenson
Kathryn Young
3Mar 18, 1990Circle K LPGA Tucson Open−12 (71-68-65-72=276)5 strokes Pat Bradley
Heather Drew
Betsy King
Kate Rogerson
4Jun 16, 1991Lady Keystone Open−9 (70-70-67=207)2 strokes Beth Daniel
Kris Tschetter
5Feb 2, 1992Oldsmobile LPGA Classic−9 (71-73-67-68=279)Playoff Dawn Coe
6May 24, 1992LPGA Corning Classic−12 (65-70-69-72=276)5 strokes Beth Daniel
Alice Miller
7Sep 20, 1992Safeco Classic−11 (72-67-68-70=277)2 strokes Vicki Fergon
Rosie Jones
8Aug 3, 1997du Maurier Classic−14 (68-72-73-65=278)2 stokes Liselotte Neumann
9Sep 20, 1997Star Bank LPGA Classic−13 (67-69-67=203)2 strokes Terry-Jo Myers

LPGA Tour playoff record (1–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11992Oldsmobile LPGA Classic Dawn CoeWon with par on first extra hole

LPGA of Japan Tour (1)

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  • 1989 Nichirei International

Legends Tour (1)

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  • 2001 Hy-Vee Classic

Other (1)

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Major championships

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Wins (1)

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YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner-up
1997du Maurier Classic−14 (68-72-73-65=278)2 strokes Liselotte Neumann

Team appearances

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Professional

  • Handa Cup (representing the United States): 2009 (winners)

References

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  1. ^ "9-time LPGA Tour winner Colleen Walker dies". Boston Herald. Associated Press. December 12, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  2. ^ Goldstein, Richard (December 12, 2012). "Colleen Walker, Nine-Time Winner on L.P.G.A. Tour, Dies at 56". The New York Times. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
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