Suzy Whaley – Page 2 – Syndication Server

PGA of America renames Horton Smith Award as part of diversity efforts

Smith, a two-time Masters Champion and PGA President from 1952-54, was a defender of the “Caucasian-only” membership clause.

The PGA of America board of directors voted to rename the Horton Smith Award effective immediately. It will be replaced with the new PGA Professional Development Award, honoring a PGA Member for outstanding contributions to professional education.

The Horton Smith Award had been presented annually since 1965. Smith, a two-time Masters champion and longtime pro at Detroit Golf Club who served as PGA President from 1952-54, was a defender of the “Caucasian-only” membership clause, which was included in the PGA bylaws from 1934-61.

The PGA Professional Development Award retains the previous criteria that showcases individuals who have demonstrated achievements in professional education. The decision to change the name of the award was based upon review of its namesake.

“In renaming the Horton Smith Award, the PGA of America is taking ownership of a failed chapter in our history that resulted in excluding many from achieving their dreams of earning the coveted PGA Member badge and advancing the game of golf,” PGA President Suzy Whaley said in a press release announcing the change. “We need to do all we can to ensure the PGA of America is defined by inclusion. Part of our mission to grow the game is about welcoming all and bringing diversity to the sport. With the new PGA Professional Development Award, we will recognize effective inclusion efforts and honor those across our 41 PGA Sections who continue to promote and improve our educational programs. We look forward to doing more of both as we move forward.”

The first PGA Professional Development Award will be presented Oct. 27-30 during the PGA’s 104th Annual Meeting in Hartford, Connecticut.

Crossover stars: Notable female performances in men’s pro golf events

These are some of the more iconic moments of women teeing it up in a different arena and making history in a men’s pro tournament.

Few women have teed it up in a men’s professional golf tournament on the highest stage. Two of the LPGA’s earliest stars paved the way in this department, and there have been a handful of notable starts since then.

What follows is by no means an exhaustive list of females who have teed it up against the men (on any level, from state amateurs to mini tours).

Instead, these are some of the more iconic moments of women teeing it up in a different arena and making history.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic interrupting competitive golf as we know it, add another name to this list, too: Maria Fassi. The LPGA rookie is about to test her game on the Moonlight Tour, a men’s mini-tour, this week.

Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Zaharias, one of the game’s great athletes, was instrumental in attracting early fanfare to the LPGA. Zaharias had the kind of game that allowed her to fit in on the PGA Tour, too, and in 1935, she played the Cascades Open. Zaharias missed the cut but it started an 11-year stint during which she teed it up a handful of times with the men (becoming the first woman to do so).

Zaharias missed the cut at the 1938 Los Angeles Open (now known as the Genesis Invitational), but she played the event again in 1945 and did one better, making the 36-hole cut but missing a second cut to play the final round. She also played the Tucson Open and the Phoenix Open that year and teed it up again at the 1946 Los Angeles Open.

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