Helen Hicks
{{short description|American professional golfer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name = Helen Hicks
| image = Helen L. Hicks 1928.png
| imagesize =
| caption = Hicks in 1928
| fullname = Helen L. Hicks Harb
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1911|2|11}}
| birth_place = Cedarhurst, New York, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1974|12|16|1911|2|11}}
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| nationality = {{USA}}
| residence =
| spouse = {{marriage|Whitney Harb|1938|1948}}
| partner =
| children =
| college =
| yearpro = 1934
| retired =
| tour =
| extour = LPGA Tour (Founder)
| prowins = 2
| lpgawins = 2
| otherwins =
| majorwins = 2
| western = Won: 1937
| titleholders = Won: 1940
| lpga =
| wusopen =
| wghofid = https://www.worldgolfhalloffame.org/press_releases/world-golf-hall-of-fame-announces-induction-class-of-2024/
| wghofyear = 2024
| awardssection =
}}
File:Miss Helen Hicks, 18-year-old golf star, and Elinor Smith, 17-year-old aviatrix, at Fairchild Field, Farmingdale, N.Y.jpg c.1928 in Farmingdale, New York ]]
Helen L. Hicks Harb (February 11, 1911 – December 16, 1974){{cite book |last1=Elliott |first1=Len |first2=Barbara |last2=Kelly |title=Who's Who in Golf |year=1976 |publisher=Arlington House |location=New Rochelle, New York |isbn=0-87000-225-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/whoswhoingolf00elli/page/90 90] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/whoswhoingolf00elli/page/90}} was an American professional golfer and one of 13 founders of the LPGA in 1950.
Biography
Hicks was born in Cedarhurst, New York. She began playing golf at the age of 15, after being taught by her father. She attended Lawrence High School, where she played basketball for her school's team while simultaneously competing and winning such tournaments as the Junior Girls' Championship of the Metropolitan Women's Golf Association.{{cite web |last=Rhonda |first=Glenn |author-link=Rhonda Glenn |url=http://www.usga.org/articles/2010/12/on-the-early-road-with-helen-hicks-2147491640.html |title=On The Early Road With Helen Hicks |publisher=USGA |date=December 26, 2010 |access-date=January 15, 2017 |quote=Born into a jovial and athletic family on Feb. 11, 1911, in Cedarhurst, N.Y., Hicks, like many girls, was introduced to golf by her father. Young Helen began playing at the age of 15 and improved rapidly. She won the Metropolitan Women's Golf Association Junior Girls' Championship at the same time she was starring as a basketball player for Lawrence High School. |archive-date=January 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130091217/http://www.usga.org/articles/2010/12/on-the-early-road-with-helen-hicks-2147491640.html |url-status=live}} She had a successful amateur career, reaching the finals of the U.S. Women's Amateur twice.{{Cite web |url=http://www.uswamateur.org/history/past-champions/index.html |title=U.S. Women's Amateur champions |website=uswamateur.org |access-date=February 26, 2009 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002536/http://www.uswamateur.org/history/past-champions/index.html |url-status=live}} She beat Glenna Collett Vare in 1931{{Cite web |url=http://www.uswamateur.org/history/past-champions/1931.html |title=1931 U.S. Women's Amateur |website=uswamateur.org |access-date=February 26, 2009 |archive-date=February 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212124948/http://www.uswamateur.org/history/past-champions/1931.html |url-status=live}} and lost to Virginia Van Wie in 1933.{{Cite web |url=http://www.uswamateur.org/history/past-champions/1933.html |title=1933 U.S. Women's Amateur |website=uswamateur.org |access-date=February 26, 2009 |archive-date=July 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719024850/http://www.uswamateur.org/history/past-champions/1933.html |url-status=live}} She won several other amateur tournaments and played on the first U.S. Curtis Cup team in 1932.
In 1934, Hicks became one of the first women to turned professional; signing with the Wilson Sporting Goods Company to promote their golf equipment.[http://www.womenseastern.org/biographies.htm Women's Eastern Golf Association] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090516203820/http://www.womenseastern.org/biographies.htm |date=May 16, 2009 }} - past champions
Hicks won two tournaments as a professional that are now considered LPGA major championships: the 1937 Women's Western Open and the 1940 Titleholders Championship. From 1938 to 1948, she competed as Helen Hicks Harb after marrying Whitney Harb.
In 1950, Hicks was one of 13 women that founded the LPGA.{{cite web |url=https://www.lpga.com/careers-about/about-our-founders |title=About the LPGA - Our Founders |publisher=LPGA |access-date=January 26, 2022 |archive-date=November 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102132544/https://www.lpga.com/careers-about/about-our-founders |url-status=live}}
Hicks died of throat cancer in 1974.
Hicks is sometimes confused with contemporary Betty Hicks who won the 1941 U.S. Women's Amateur.
Tournament wins
this list is incomplete
- 1929 Canadian Women's Amateur
- 1930 New York State Women's Amateur
- 1931 U.S. Women's Amateur, Metropolitan Women's Amateur, Women's Eastern Championship, New York State Women's Amateur
- 1933 Metropolitan Women's Amateur, New York State Women's Amateur
- 1937 Women's Western Open
- 1940 Titleholders Championship
Major championships
=Wins (2)=
| class="wikitable"
! Year !! Championship !! Winning score !! Margin !! Runner-up | ||||
| style="background:#FFCC99;"
| 1937 | Women's Western Open | colspan=2 align=center | 6 & 5 | {{flagicon|USA}} Bea Barrett (a) | |
| style="background:#FFFF99;"
| 1940 | Titleholders Championship | +36 (87-83-85-81=336) | 1 stroke | {{flagicon|USA}} Helen Dettweiler |
Team appearances
Amateur
- Curtis Cup (representing the United States): 1932 (winners)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531020907/http://www.lpga.com/golf/players/h/hicks-helen.aspx |title=Helen Hicks at the LPGA Tour official site |df=mdy}}
- [http://www.lpga.com:8080/content/13cFounders.pdf LPGA founders' profiles]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- [https://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/tags/helenhicks/ Helen Hicks] at Flickr Commons via Boston Public Library
{{Titleholders Champions}}
{{Women's Western Open Champions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hicks, Helen}}
Category:American female golfers
Category:Winners of ladies' major amateur golf championships
Category:Winners of LPGA major golf championships
Category:Golfers from New York (state)