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Judy Rankin

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Judy Rankin
Rankin in 1978
Personal information
Full nameJudy Torluemke Rankin
Born (1945-02-18) February 18, 1945 (age 79)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Height5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
Sporting nationality United States
ResidenceMidland, Texas, U.S.
Spouse
Walter "Yippy" Rankin
​
​
(m. 1967⁠–⁠2012)​
ChildrenWalter "Tuey" Rankin, Jr.
Career
Turned professional1962
Former tour(s)LPGA Tour
Professional wins28
Number of wins by tour
LPGA Tour26
Other2
Best results in LPGA major championships
Western OpenT4: 1964
Titleholders C'shipT2: 1972
Chevron ChampionshipT44: 1983
Women's PGA C'ship2nd/T2: 1976, 1977
U.S. Women's OpenT2: 1972
du Maurier ClassicT5: 1979
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame2000 (member page)
LPGA Tour
Money Winner		1976, 1977
LPGA Player of the Year1976, 1977
LPGA Vare Trophy1973, 1976, 1977
GWAA Female
Player of the Year		1976, 1977
LPGA William and
Mousie Powell Award		1998
LPGA Patty Berg Award1999
USGA Bob Jones Award2002
LPGA Komen Award2007
Old Tom Morris Award2010

Judy Rankin (née Torluemke; born February 18, 1945) is an American professional golfer and golf broadcaster. A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, she joined the LPGA Tour in 1962 at age 17 and won 26 tour events.

From 2010 through 2022, Rankin served as the lead analyst for LPGA Tour telecasts on the Golf Channel. She previously served as an expert analyst for golf coverage on ESPN and ABC.[1]

Amateur career

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Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Rankin won the Missouri Amateur at age 14 in 1959. The next year she was the low amateur at the U.S. Women's Open,[2] and was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1961 at age 16.[3] She turned pro the following year.[4][5]

Professional career

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Rankin's first LPGA Tour win came in 1968 and she won 26 events, topping the money list in 1976 and 1977. She finished in the top ten on the money list eleven times between 1965 and 1979, and was the first to win over $100,000 in a season on the LPGA Tour (over $150,000 in 1976).[6]

Although Rankin did not win a major championship, she was a four-time runner-up. Her best finishes were a second at the 1976 LPGA Championship and tied seconds at the 1972 Titleholders Championship, 1972 U.S. Women's Open, and 1977 LPGA Championship. Rankin won the Colgate Dinah Shore Winner's Circle (currently the ANA Inspiration) in 1976 and the Peter Jackson Classic (later renamed the du Maurier Classic) in 1977; both events were later elevated to major status, but are not counted as majors in the years in which Rankin won. Her 26th and final win on tour was in August 1979 at Jericho, New York.[7][8]

Rankin was LPGA Player of the Year twice (1976, 1977) and won the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average three times. She retired from full-time competition at age 38 in 1983 due to chronic back problems,[9] and later captained the victorious Solheim Cup teams in 1996 and 1998. Rankin became the first player voted into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame in 2000 under the veterans category,[9][10] and she was also inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2000.

In 2002, she was voted the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.

She was awarded a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame in April 2013.[11]

Broadcasting career

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From 1984[12] until 2018,[13] Rankin worked as a golf commentator for ESPN and ABC. In 2010, she became the lead LPGA analyst for the Golf Channel.[1]

She has also been a professional advisor for the magazines Golf Digest and Golf For Women.

In 2024, she became the first woman to be awarded the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism.[14]

Personal life

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Rankin was known as Judy Torluemke (pronounced Tor-lum-kee),[3] until her marriage to Walter "Yippy" Rankin in 1967. They lived in Midland, Texas and have a son, Walter Jr., known as "Tuey," born in 1968.[15] After a battle with throat cancer, Yippy died at age 71 on February 24, 2012.[16][17] Tuey's wife is the sister-in-law of PGA Tour golfer Geoff Ogilvy.[18][19]

Rankin was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2006.[20] She completed treatment by August 2006 and returned to her on-air work on ABC Sports in time to cover the 2006 Women's British Open.

Professional wins

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LPGA wins (26)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin
of victory 		Runner(s)-up
1 Nov 10, 1968 Corpus Christi Civitan Open +3 (75-69-69=213) Playoff United States Sandra Spuzich
2 Jun 27, 1970 George Washington Golf Classic −7 (74-70-68=212) 1 stroke United States Sandra Haynie
3 Jul 19, 1970 Springfield Jaycee Open −10 (71-70-68=209) 1 stroke United States Leslie Holbert
4 Sep 27, 1970 Lincoln-Mercury Open −2 (69-71-77=217) 1 stroke United States Kathy Whitworth
5 Oct 15, 1971 Quality First Classic −2 (71-72-71=214) Playoff United States Jane Blalock
6 Mar 10, 1972 Lady Eve Open −9 (69-71-70=210) Playoff United States Kathy Whitworth
7 Oct 10, 1972 Heritage Village Open −7 (69-72-71=212) 5 strokes United States Betty Burfeindt
8 May 6, 1973 American Defender-Raleigh Classic +1 (73-72-72=217) 2 strokes Japan Chako Higuchi
9 May 13, 1973 Lady Carling Open −4 (75-67-73=215) 4 strokes United States Sandra Haynie
10 Aug 5, 1973 Pabst Ladies Classic −4 (69-71-72=212) 3 strokes United States Debbie Austin
11 Oct 14, 1973 GAC Classic −8 (69-67-70-66=272) Playoff West Germany Gerda Boykin
United States Sandra Palmer
12 Jun 2, 1974 Baltimore Classic −2 (71-73=144) 1 stroke United States Susie Berning
United States Carol Mann
United States Marilynn Smith
United States Kathy Whitworth
13 Aug 24, 1975 National Jewish Hospital Open −9 (68-68-71=207) 2 strokes United States Jane Blalock
United States Sandra Haynie
14 Feb 1, 1976 Burdine's Invitational −3 (73-69-71=213) 3 strokes United States Pat Bradley
15 Apr 4, 1976 Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle −3 (74-72-71-68=285) 3 strokes United States Betty Burfeindt
16 Apr 18, 1976 Karsten-Ping Open −11 (68-68-69=205) 7 strokes Canada Sandra Post
17 Jun 27, 1976 Babe Zaharias Invitational −1 (74-69-69-75=287) 1 stroke United States Jane Blalock
18 Jul 18, 1976 Borden Classic −11 (68-70-67=205) 5 strokes United States Pat Bradley
United States Hollis Stacy
19 Nov 20, 1976 Colgate-Hong Kong Open Even (71-72-73=216) 3 strokes Japan Chako Higuchi
20 Feb 20, 1977 Orange Blossom Classic −8 (69-70-69=208) 5 strokes United States Joyce Kazmierski
21 Feb 27, 1977 Bent Tree Classic −7 (63-77-69=209) 4 strokes United States Clifford Ann Creed
22 Jun 19, 1977 Mayflower Classic −4 (68-72-72=212) 2 strokes United States Jane Blalock
23 Jul 3, 1977 Peter Jackson Classic −4 (72-66-74=212) 3 strokes United States Pat Meyers
United States Sandra Palmer
24 Aug 6, 1977 Colgate European Women's Open −15 (69-71-71-70=281) 6 strokes United States Nancy Lopez
25 Aug 13, 1978 WUI Classic −9 (71-69-70-73=283) 2 strokes United States Pam Higgins
United States Debbie Massey
26 Aug 13, 1979 WUI Classic −4 (76-71-71-70=288) 2 strokes United States Beth Daniel

Note: Rankin won the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle (now the ANA Inspiration)
and the Peter Jackson Classic (later the du Maurier Classic) before they became major championships.

LPGA Tour playoff record (4–12)

No. Year Tournament Opponent(s) Result
1 1968 Corpus Christi Civitan Open United States Sandra Spuzich Won with par on second extra hole
2 1970 Women's Golf Charities Open United States Sandra Haynie
United States Marilynn Smith 		Smith won with birdie on first extra hole
3 1971 Quality First Classic United States Jane Blalock Won with par on second extra hole
4 1972 Lady Eve Open United States Kathy Whitworth Won with eagle on first extra hole
5 1973 Sealy-Faberge Classic United States Kathy Cornelius Lost to par on first extra hole
6 1973 La Canadienne Canada Jocelyne Bourassa
United States Sandra Haynie 		Bourassa won with birdie on third extra hole
Rankin eliminated by par on first hole
7 1973 GAC Classic West Germany Gerda Boykin
United States Sandra Palmer 		Won with par on third extra hole
Boykin eliminated by par on first hole
8 1973 Corpus Christi Civitan Open United States Sharon Miller Lost to birdie on second extra hole
9 1975 Charity Golf Classic United States Amy Alcott
United States Sandra Haynie 		Haynie won with par on fourth extra hole
Rankin eliminated by par on first hole
10 1975 Birmingham Classic United States Maria Astrologes
United States JoAnne Carner 		Astrologes won with birdie on first extra hole
11 1975 American Defender Classic United States JoAnne Carner Lost to par on first extra hole
12 1976 Girl Talk Classic United States Pat Bradley
United States Bonnie Lauer
Canada Sandra Post 		Bradley won with par on second extra hole
Lauer and Post eliminated by birdie on first hole
13 1976 Peter Jackson Classic United States Donna Caponi Lost to par on first extra hole
14 1977 American Cancer Society Classic United States Pam Higgins Lost to par on first extra hole
15 1979 Mayflower Classic United States Laura Baugh
United States Hollis Stacy 		Stacy won with par on second extra hole
Rankin eliminated by par on first hole
16 1981 Elizabeth Arden Classic United States JoAnne Carner
South Africa Sally Little 		Little won with par on third extra hole
Carner eliminated by par on second hole

Other wins (2)

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Judy Rankin". NBC Sports Pressbox.
  2. ^ "Faces in the crowd: Judy Torluemke". Sports Illustrated. August 8, 1960. p. 7. Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  3. ^ a b Brown, Gwilym S. (August 21, 1961). "A small but handy prodigy". Sports Illustrated. p. 23. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  4. ^ "Tabs Torluemke threat in Jaycee". Milwaukee Sentinel. July 31, 1965. p. 4, part 2.
  5. ^ "Golfing gallery". St. Petersburg Independent. Florida. March 11, 1966. p. 17A.
  6. ^ Murray, Jim (March 5, 1977). "Judy Rankin...most consistent golfer in game". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Florida. (Los Angeles Times). p. 2D.
  7. ^ "Drought over for Rankin". Reading Eagle. Pennsylvania. Associated Press. August 14, 1979. p. 24.
  8. ^ "Rankin discovers gold at end of the rainbow". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. UPI. August 14, 1979. p. 13.
  9. ^ a b "LPGA votes Rankin into Hall of Fame". Victoria Advocate. Texas. wire reports. May 3, 2000. p. 2B.
  10. ^ Ferguson, Doug (May 3, 2000). "Judy Rankin voted into LPGA Hall of Fame". Kingman Daily Miner. Arizona. Associated Press. p. 7.
  11. ^ "Judy Rankin joins St. Louis Walk of Fame". KSDK. April 29, 2013. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  12. ^ Nidetz, Steve (August 11, 1989). "Bad Back, Good Luck Push Rankin Toward Career As Golf Commentator". Chicago Tribune.
  13. ^ "LPGA Season Ends Sunday with Live Telecast on ABC; $1 Million Bonus on Line". ESPN Press Room. November 13, 2018.
  14. ^ Smits, Garry (January 20, 2024). "Judy Rankin, a World Golf Hall of Famer, became the first woman to win the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award". Golfweek.
  15. ^ Martin, Frank W. (November 1, 1976). "Judy Rankin Cracks the $100,000 Earnings Mark for Women Golfers, but She's Far Behind the Men". People. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  16. ^ Sternberg, Stina (February 27, 2012). "Yippy Rankin is laid to rest". Golf Digest Woman. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  17. ^ Leonard, Tod (March 22, 2012). "Rankin making emotional return to TV golf". U-T San Diego. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  18. ^ Rankin, Judy (March 10, 2009). "Rankin shares her insider's perspective on Ogilvy". PGA Tour. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  19. ^ Lewis, Chris (2007). The Scorecard Always Lies: A Year Behind the Scenes on the PGA Tour. Free Press. p. 233. ISBN 978-1-4165-3716-8. judy rankin tuey.
  20. ^ "Hall of Fame Golfer Rankin Is Being Treated for Cancer". The Washington Post. June 10, 2006. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
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