Colleen Walker
American professional golfer (1956-2012)
Colleen Walker (August 16, 1956, December 11, 2012) was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.
01Amateur career
Walker was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1956. 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.
Walker then attended Florida State University. She won most valuable player honors from 1977-1978.
02Professional career
In 1981, Walker turned professional. She played on the Tampa Bay Mini-Tour briefly.
Walker joined the LPGA Tour in 1982 after earning medalist honors at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament. She won nine tour titles, the first of which was in 1987. Her final victory was in 1997. That year she won her only major championship, the 1997 du Maurier 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.
03Illness and death
In 2001, Walker joined the Legends Tour. She won 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 Legends Tour in 2004.
Walker died on December 11, 2012, in Valrico, Florida, of a cancer recurrence that was diagnosed in late 2011. She was 56-years-old.
04Awards and honors
- In 1974, Walker earned the Palm Beach Post Athlete and Player of the Year.
- In 1976, she won the Florida All-State Golf Award.
- In 1988, Walker won the LPGA Vare Trophy, bestowed to the player with the lowest scoring average on the LPGA.
- In 1988, she earned the Most Improved Player award by Golf Digest.
- In 1991, she was inducted into the Florida State University Hall of Fame.
- In 2003, Walker was inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame.
- In 2003, she earned the LPGA's Heather Farr Player Award.
05Professional wins (12)
LPGA Tour (9)
| Legend |
|---|
| LPGA Tour major championships (1) |
| Other LPGA Tour (8) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 14, 1987 | Mayflower Classic | −10 (67-70-72-69=278) | 1 stroke | Bonnie Lauer Sally Quinlan Patti Rizzo Patty Sheehan |
| 2 | Jul 17, 1988 | Boston Five Classic | −14 (66-69-70-69=274) | 8 strokes | Jane Geddes Patty Sheehan Jan Stephenson Kathryn Young |
| 3 | Mar 18, 1990 | Circle K LPGA Tucson Open | −12 (71-68-65-72=276) | 5 strokes | Pat Bradley Heather Drew Betsy King Kate Rogerson |
| 4 | Jun 16, 1991 | Lady Keystone Open | −9 (70-70-67=207) | 2 strokes | Beth Daniel Kris Tschetter |
| 5 | Feb 2, 1992 | Oldsmobile LPGA Classic | −9 (71-73-67-68=279) | Playoff | Dawn Coe |
| 6 | May 24, 1992 | LPGA Corning Classic | −12 (65-70-69-72=276) | 5 strokes | Beth Daniel Alice Miller |
| 7 | Sep 20, 1992 | Safeco Classic | −11 (72-67-68-70=277) | 2 strokes | Vicki Fergon Rosie Jones |
| 8 | Aug 3, 1997 | du Maurier Classic | −14 (68-72-73-65=278) | 2 strokes | Liselotte Neumann |
| 9 | Sep 20, 1997 | Star Bank LPGA Classic | −13 (67-69-67=203) | 2 strokes | Terry-Jo Myers |
LPGA Tour playoff record (1-0)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1992 | Oldsmobile LPGA Classic | Dawn Coe | Won with par on first extra hole |
LPGA of Japan Tour (1)
- 1989 Nichirei International
Legends Tour (1)
- 2001 Hy-Vee Classic
Other (1)
- 1988 Mazda Champions (with Dave Hill)
06Major championships
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | du Maurier Classic | −14 (68-72-73-65=278) | 2 strokes | Liselotte Neumann |
07Team appearances
Professional
- Handa Cup (representing the United States): 2009 (winners)
Sources and credits
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