Helen Hicks
| Helen Hicks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Helen L. Hicks 1928.png Hicks in 1928 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Helen L. Hicks Harb | ||
| Born | February 11, 1911 Cedarhurst, New York, U.S. | ||
| Died | December 16, 1974 (aged 63) | ||
| Sporting nationality | File:Flag of the United States (23px).png United States | ||
| Spouse |
Whitney Harb (m. 1938–1948) | ||
| Career | |||
| Turned professional | 1934 | ||
| Former tour | LPGA Tour (Founder) | ||
| Professional wins | 2 | ||
| Number of wins by tour | |||
| LPGA Tour | 2 | ||
| Best results in LPGA major championships (wins: 2) | |||
| Western Open | Won: 1937 | ||
| Titleholders C'ship | Won: 1940 | ||
| Achievements and awards | |||
| |||
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Helen L. Hicks Harb (February 11, 1911 – December 16, 1974)[1] was an American professional golfer and one of 13 founders of the LPGA in 1950.
Biography
[edit | edit source]Hicks was born in Cedarhurst, New York.[1] She began playing golf at the age of 15, after being taught by her father. She attended Lawrence High School, where she played basketball for her school's team while simultaneously competing and winning such tournaments as the Junior Girls' Championship of the Metropolitan Women's Golf Association.[2] She had a successful amateur career, reaching the finals of the U.S. Women's Amateur twice.[3] She beat Glenna Collett Vare in 1931[4] and lost to Virginia Van Wie in 1933.[5] She won several other amateur tournaments and played on the first U.S. Curtis Cup team in 1932.
In 1934, Hicks became one of the first women to turned professional; signing with the Wilson Sporting Goods Company to promote their golf equipment.[6]
Hicks won two tournaments as a professional that are now considered LPGA major championships: the 1937 Women's Western Open and the 1940 Titleholders Championship. From 1938 to 1948, she competed as Helen Hicks Harb after marrying Whitney Harb.
In 1950, Hicks was one of 13 women that founded the LPGA.[7]
Hicks died of throat cancer in 1974.
Hicks is sometimes confused with contemporary Betty Hicks who won the 1941 U.S. Women's Amateur.
Tournament wins
[edit | edit source]this list is incomplete
- 1929 Canadian Women's Amateur
- 1930 New York State Women's Amateur
- 1931 U.S. Women's Amateur, Metropolitan Women's Amateur, Women's Eastern Championship, New York State Women's Amateur
- 1933 Metropolitan Women's Amateur, New York State Women's Amateur
- 1937 Women's Western Open
- 1940 Titleholders Championship
Major championships
[edit | edit source]Wins (2)
[edit | edit source]| Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Women's Western Open | 6 & 5 | United States Bea Barrett (a) | |
| 1940 | Titleholders Championship | +36 (87-83-85-81=336) | 1 stroke | United States Helen Dettweiler |
Team appearances
[edit | edit source]Amateur
- Curtis Cup (representing the United States): 1932 (winners)
References
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- ^ Women's Eastern Golf Association Archived May 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine - past champions
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
[edit | edit source]- Helen Hicks at the LPGA Tour official site at the Wayback Machine (archived 2012-05-31)
- LPGA founders' profiles[permanent dead link]
- Helen Hicks at Flickr Commons via Boston Public Library
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