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1959 - The Year in Golf, 1959

By Brent Kelley, About.com

Besty Rawls

Betsy Rawls wins 10 times on the LPGA Tour in 1959.

Photo courtesy of the World Golf Hall of Fame; used with permission
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Mickey Wright wins her second straight U.S. Women's Open.

Bill Wright is the first African-American golfer to win a national championship, claiming the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

Jack Nicklaus wins the U.S. Amateur.

Betsy Rawls posts 10 wins on the LPGA Tour.

The first of Gary Player's 9 major championship victories comes in the British Open.

Sam Snead shoots a 59 in the Greenbrier Open, a pro-am tournament at The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia, where Snead is the head pro. This round is generally recognized as the first round of 59 posted in tournament play, although it is not recognized by the PGA Tour since it did not take place in a PGA Tour event.

Karsten Solheim, who would go on to found Ping, builds the first heel-toe weighted putter. It is called the 1-A.

Born This Year:

Fred Couples, 1992 Masters champion
• Tom Lehman, 1996 British Open winner
Corey Pavin, 1995 U.S. Open champ
• Bob Tway, 1986 PGA Championship winner
• Olin Browne, PGA Tour
• Peter Senior, European Tour
• Missie McGeorge, LPGA Tour
• Tom Pernice, PGA Tour
• David Frost, 10-time PGA Tour winner
• Tommy Armour III, PGA Tour
Rosie Jones, 13-time winner on LPGA Tour
• Tammie Green, LPGA Tour

Money Leaders:

PGA: Art Wall, $58,167.60
LPGA: Betsy Rawls, $26,774

Scoring Leaders:

PGA (Vardon Trophy): Art Wall, 70.35
LPGA (Vare Trophy): Betsy Rawls, 74.03

Men's Major Championship Winners:

The Masters: Art Wall
U.S. Open: Billy Casper
British Open: Gary Player
PGA Championship: Bob Rosburg

Women's Major Championship Winners:

LPGA: Betsy Rawls
U.S. Open: Mickey Wright
Titleholders: Louise Suggs
Western Open: Betsy Rawls

Amateur Champions:

U.S.: Jack Nicklaus
British: Deane Beman
U.S. Women's: Barbara McIntire
British Women's: Elizabeth Price

Ryder Cup:

U.S. 8.5, Britain 3.5

Walker Cup:

U.S. 9, Great Britain and Ireland 3

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