Patty Berg

Golfer, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. She took up golf at age 16, turned professional while attending the University of Minnesota, and in 1946 was the inaugural winner of the US Women's Open golf championship. In 1950 she was a founder and first president of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), and during her career won 60 professional tournaments, including a record 15 majors. She was inducted into the LPGA Tour and World Golf halls of fame and was voted Associated Press female athlete of the year three times (1938, 1943, 1955). In 1978 the LPGA established the Patty Berg Award for outstanding contribution to golf in her honour.

Patricia Jane Berg (February 13, 1918 – September 10, 2006) was a founder member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.

She took up golf in 1931 and began her amateur career in 1934, winning her first title that year - the Minneapolis City Championship. She came to national attention by reaching the final of the 1935 U.S. Women's Amateur, losing to Glenna Collett Vare in Vare's final Amateur victory. Berg won the Titleholders in 1937 and won the Amateur in 1938 at Westmoreland.

After winning twenty-nine amateur titles, she turned professional in 1940. Berg won a total of 57 events on the LPGA and WPGA circuit, and was runner-up in the 1957 Open at Winged Foot. In addition, Berg won the 1953, 1957, and 1958 Western Opens, the 1955 and 1957 Titleholders, both considered majors at the time.

In 1963, she was voted the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. In her later years, Berg teamed-up with PGA Tour player and fellow Fort Myers, Florida resident Nolan Henke to establish the Nolan Henke/Patty Berg Junior Masters to promote the development of young players.