Suzy Whaley

Former professional golfer on the LPGA Tour; first woman president of the PGA of America

What is Suzy Whaley known for?

Born in Connecticut on November 10, 1966, Suzy Whaley is an American professional golfer known for her remarkable achievements both on and off the greens. After her initial foray into the sport with the LPGA Tour in 1993, Whaley made history in 2003 by becoming the first woman in 58 years to qualify for a PGA Tour event. She accomplished this feat by winning the 2002 Connecticut PGA Championship, making her also the first woman to win a PGA individual professional tournament.

Whaley's accomplishment was however met with some controversy due to the regional qualifying tournament she won being 699 yards shorter than the course played by her male competitors. This discrepancy was addressed by the PGA in 2003 with the introduction of the "Whaley rule," which requires all participants in qualifying tournaments, regardless of gender, to play off the same tees.

As an influential figure in the sporting world, Whaley became the first female officer in the PGA of America in 2014, taking on the role of secretary. Her trailblazing journey continued in November 2018 when she ascended to the role of the first woman president of the PGA of America. Furthermore, she is recognized by Golf for Women as a top 50 female instructor and is an active board member and advisor for multiple organizations.

During her time at the University of North Carolina, Whaley was part of their golf team and later saw her love for the game passed on to her daughters and niece, all of whom participate in the Girls Junior PGA National Championships. In acknowledgment of her substantial contributions to the sport, Whaley was inducted into the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame in 2021.

You can learn more about her impressive career in these articles from PGA of America, ESPN, Fort Lauderdale Daily, and USA Today.