Who Is Judy Rankin? Life, Career and Achievements of the 79-Year-Old LPGA Legend Explored

The LPGA Tour has many prominent players because of it and Judy Rankin will always be one of them. Even after she stopped playing golf in 1983, Rankin never stopped being associated with the game. Her decades of determination and hard work have always resulted in many accolades being awarded to her but this time it will be bigger than anything she has ever received.

In the Masters week at Augusta National, Rankin will be given the prestigious award of 2024 recipient of the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism for her constant efforts in the broadcasting booth to grow the game of golf in many ways she could. Here’s a little sneak peek at who Judy Rankin is.

Judy Rankin’s professional debut and rise to success

Judy Rankin hails from the city of St. Louis, Missouri, and was born on February 18, 1945. Rankin started playing golf at the young age of six, in the presence of her father, Paul. The now-79-year-old went on to taste her first win at the 1959 Missouri Amateur Championship as a 14-year-old player. The next year, Rankin was a low amateur at the U.S. Women’s Open and reached the semifinals at the USGA Girls Championship in 1960 and 1961.

The following year, she debuted at the LPGA Tour (1962) as a 17-year-old. Ranking played on the women’s circuit for 21 years. Her maiden victory was in 1968, when she won the Corpus Christi Open. In the next 11 years until 1979, Rankin won 26 events on the LPGA Tour and also bagged the Player of the Year trophy twice (1967, 77), and the Vare Trophy three times (1973, 76, and 77′).

Several achievements under her belt made her one of the pioneers of women’s golf. In 1983, Rankin retired from competitive golf. However, she was once again seen on the greens after she was named the Solheim Cup captain for 1996 and 98′, both times winning it for America. In 1984, Judy Rankin started her career as a golf analyst and broadcaster, a groundbreaking move as she was the first female to commentate for the men’s game. She has worked as one for 33 years now. Honoring the veteran, the PGA of America has decided to award Rankin the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism at the 50th annual ISPS Handa GWAA Dinner in Augusta, making her the first woman to receive such an accolade in the history of golf.

The 79-year-old has become accustomed to breaking the norm and making new pathways that many women can follow and get inspiration from. She worked with ABC, Golf Channel, ESPN, and Golf Digest. The road has not been easy for the LPGA Tour veteran. For instance, Rankin was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, and she lost her husband, Walter ‘Yippy’ Rankin, in 2012 to throat cancer. However, in the face of adversity, Rankin resiliently persisted and emerged as a winner. However, after all, she is just a human and even after having a decorated career, getting the award in journalism has got Rankin a bit overwhelmed.

Judy Rankin talks about her latest accolade

Speaking to the LPGA Tour, where she was formerly named president and board member, Judy Rankin expressed her thoughts on the award and said, “Quite honestly I am a little overwhelmed that it’s for journalism. It really makes me feel good as though I did something slightly more meaningful than just playing a game. I am really honored that they think there was some journalistic value to what I’ve done all these years.” 

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The award in journalism is a great achievement for the 79-year-old and it was appreciated by the current stars of the LPGA Tour, Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko as well. Korda, who recently won her 10th event, spoke about her interactions with Rankin and said, “I definitely had a couple interactions with her throughout my career, and every single one of them has been really pleasant.” She elaborated that though the two might not meet as much as before, as Rankin rarely broadcasts, Korda will always be “always wishing her the best.”

On the other hand, Ko, who may soon be inducted into the Hall of Fame, was extremely grateful for Rankin’s contribution to the women’s game. She said, “I think because of people like her, women’s golf has grown so much. I think we do have to thank people like Judy that have kind of set path for all of us.” Judy Rankin has made a name for herself for many things and being the best women reporter on-course and inside the booth will be another title describing her colorful career.

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