Kathy Cornelius obit

RIP Kathy Cornelius 

She was not on the list.

Cornelius was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1932. She attended Florida Southern College where she played on the men's golf team as the school did not have a women's team at the time.

In 1953, Cornelius turned pro. In 1956, she joined the LPGA Tour and won two events in her rookie season, including the U.S. Women's Open, which was to be her only major championship. She won six LPGA Tour titles in total and had her highest money list finish in 1973, when she came eighth. She made the top-20 of the money list twelve times in total (1957–65 and 1971–73).

In 1985, Kathy and her husband founded Magique Golf, a golf club company based in Arizona, which they ran until 1999. She later taught golf part-time at Rio Salado Golf Course in Tempe, Arizona.

5’6”, …Married in July of 1953 to golf pro Bill Cornelius…Attended Florida Southern where she majored in journalism and played on the men’s golf team. Has two daughters: Karen, 26, and Kay, 14.

Career

Although Kathy turned pro in 1953 just after her marriage, she did not join the Tour until three years later. She won two events in her first full year, 1956, including the U.S. Open, and has added five more titles since. Her best season was 1973 as she won more than $40,000 and finished eighth on the final money list. She won over $14,000 in 1980, her best since 1977, with her best finish a share of eighth in the first event of the year, the Whirlpool Championship of Deer Creek.

Amateur

Kathy won the Southern Amateur championship in 1952 and was medalist in the Florida Intercollegiate in 1953. She was also runner-up in that event in both 1951 and 1953.

Pro Golfer

LPGA Tour (1956–1985)

U.S. Women's Open Winner (1956)

6 LPGA Tour Titles

Florida Southern Moccasins (Played on Men's Team)

Daughter Kay, Won the U.S. Girls' Junior (Only Mother-Daughter Pair to Win USGA Championships)