Margie Masters
{{Short description|Australian professional golfer (1934–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name = Margie Masters
| image = Margie Masters in The Daily Journal.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Masters in 1967
| fullname = Margaret Ann Masters
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1934|10|24|df=y}}
| birth_place = Swan Hill, Victoria, Australia
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|10|09|1934|10|24|df=y}}
| death_place = Tucson, Arizona, US
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=6}}
| nationality = {{AUS}}
| spouse =
| partner =
| children =
| college =
| yearpro = 1965
| extour = LPGA Tour
| prowins = 2
| lpgawins = 1
| otherwins = 1
| majorwins =
| western = T2: 1966{{cite news|title=Miss Wright Wins In Western Open By Stroke at 302|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/117630209|page=45|date=22 August 1966|access-date=12 October 2022|newspaper=The New York Times|agency=Associated Press|id={{ProQuest|117630209}}}}
| wusopen = 7th: 1967{{cite news|title=Misses Maxwell, Stone Tie for 2D – Victor, First Foreigner and Amateur to Win, Soars to 79 in Final Round|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/117389592|page=21|date=3 July 1967|access-date=12 October 2022|newspaper=The New York Times|agency=Associated Press|id={{ProQuest|117389592}}}}
| wghofid =
| wghofyear =
| award1 = LPGA Tour
Rookie of the Year
| year1 = 1965
| award2 =
| year2 =
| awardssection =
}}
Margaret Ann Masters (24 October 1934 – 9 October 2022) was an Australian professional golfer. She won one title on the LPGA Tour in 1967, having been named Rookie of the Year two years earlier.[http://www.lpga.com/content/All-timeWinnersList.pdf LPGA All-Time Winners List] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229053926/http://www.lpga.com/content/All-timeWinnersList.pdf |date=29 December 2010 }}[http://www.lpga.com/content/Chronology60-69.pdf LPGA Tournament Chronology 1960–69] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629124254/http://www.lpga.com/content/Chronology60-69.pdf |date=29 June 2011 }}
Early life
Masters was born in Swan Hill, Victoria, on 24 October 1934.{{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/128 128] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/whoswhoingolf00elli/page/128 }}{{cite news|title=The Matter of Margie Masters|url=https://australianseniorgolfer.com.au/26013/the-matter-of-margie-masters/|date=2 February 2021|access-date=12 October 2022|magazine=Australian Senior Golfer}} Her family later relocated to the Mornington Peninsula, where she started playing golf at the age of thirteen under her parents' influence.{{cite web|title=Margie Masters – Bio|url=https://www.lpga.com/players/margie-masters/81308/bio|access-date=5 October 2022|publisher=LPGA Tour}} She attended Frankston High School outside Melbourne, where she set records in swimming. Masters won the inaugural Australian Girls' Amateur in 1953 and the Victorian Junior Championship four years in a row from 1951 to 1954.{{cite web |url=https://assets.ctfassets.net/3urhge2ecl20/4uVOc9Jnvd2LxxVemSu0o6/a319c84a8a2ce9b3c3dea4226e83130b/HONOUR_ROLL_-_Australian_Girls-_Amateur.pdf |title=History & Honour Roll – Australian Girls' Amateur |publisher=Golf Australia |access-date=14 October 2022}} At senior level she won the New Zealand Women's Amateur in 1956, the South African Women's Amateur the following year, and the 1958 Australian Women's Amateur. She also won the Victorian Amateur five times between 1957 and 1963.{{cite web |url=https://assets.ctfassets.net/3urhge2ecl20/7xchuW9vzf3PH8aOJFG0Om/8438877d78884eb77eca0a25c3cbd1a4/VIC_Honour_Roll_Full.pdf |title=VIC Honour Rolls |access-date=14 October 2022}} After winning the Canadian Women's Amateur in 1964, she moved to the United States. In international competition she represented Australia in the Tasman Cup five successive times from 1954 to 1962 and played in the first two Commonwealth Trophy contests in 1959 and 1963.
Professional career
Masters turned professional in 1965, becoming the first Australian to join the LPGA Tour, and was conferred the tour's Rookie of the Year Award.{{cite news |title=Aussie golf trailblazer Margie Masters – who was once targeted by a sniper when on the tee – dies in Arizona |url=https://7news.com.au/sport/golf/aussie-golf-trailblazer-margie-masters-who-was-once-targeted-by-a-sniper-when-on-the-tee---dies-in-arizona-c-8500539 |first=Roger |last=Vaughan |date=10 October 2022 |access-date=12 October 2022 |work=Seven News |agency=Australian Associated Press}}{{cite news |title=Vale Margie Masters, pioneering professional |url=https://www.golf.org.au/vale-margie-masters-pioneering-professional/ |date=10 October 2022 |access-date=12 October 2022 |publisher=Golf Australia}} She finished runner-up at the Women's Western Open the following year, a major championship. Masters won her first and only LPGA title in 1967 at the Quality Chek'd Classic. She also won the Yankee Ladies' Team Championship with Clifford Ann Creed that same year, and finished second at the Supertest Ladies Open, losing to Carol Mann by two strokes.{{cite news |title=Miss Mann Wins by Two Strokes – Cards 71 for 54-Hole Total of 210 in Ontario Golf |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/117839943 |page=146 |date=23 July 1967 |access-date=12 October 2022 |newspaper=The New York Times |agency=United Press International |id={{ProQuest|117839943}} }} She lost a playoff by a single stroke to Shirley Englehorn at the 1970 O'Sullivan Ladies Open, before losing again by one stroke to Judy Kimball at the same tournament the following year.{{cite news |title=Miss Kimball Wins Virginia Golf For First Victory in Nine Years |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/119280644 |page=19 |date=26 July 1971 |access-date=12 October 2022 |newspaper=The New York Times |agency=United Press International |id={{ProQuest|119280644}} ]}} Masters had another runner-up finish at the Colgate Far East Open in December 1974.{{cite news |title=Miss Post's Golf Victory Ends a 6-Year Dry Spell |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/120081681 |page=48 |date=9 December 1974 |access-date=12 October 2022 |newspaper=The New York Times |agency=United Press International |id={{ProQuest|120081681}}}} She retired from the tour five years later.
While playing at a tournament in Florida, Masters escaped uninjured when a sniper fired several shots at her and Marilynn Smith, one of the founders of the LPGA. Although the incident left her agitated, she continued playing and ultimately made the cut. The perpetrator was never identified.
Outside of golf, Masters was noted for successfully applying for a green card under the category of individuals with "exceptional ability in sciences or arts who would substantially benefit prospectively the national economy, cultural interest or welfare of the United States".{{cite web |title=EB-2: Employment-Based Immigration – Advanced Degree or Exceptional Ability |date=24 February 2022 |url=https://www.uscis.gov/forms/explore-my-options/eb-2-employment-based-immigration-advanced-degree-or-exceptional-ability |access-date=12 October 2022 |publisher=United States Citizenship and Immigration Services}} Her petition resulted in the decision in January 1969 – the Matter of Masters – that regarded her as an entertainer in the arts, paving the way for other professional athletes to settle in the US via the same route.
Later life
After retiring from competitive golf, Masters became a teacher. She resided in Tucson, Arizona, during her later years. Masters was inducted into Victoria's Golf Industry Hall of Fame in 2013.{{cite web|title=Hall of Fame|url=https://www.golf.org.au/halloffame/|access-date=12 October 2022|publisher=Golf Australia}} She was also honoured in the halls of fame at Woodlands, the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, as well as the Ottawa Valley Golf Association. The Woodlands championship trophy bears her name.
Masters died on 9 October 2022 in Tucson. She was 87 years old.
Amateur wins
- 1951 Victorian Junior Championship
- 1952 Victorian Junior Championship
- 1953 Victorian Junior Championship, Australian Girls' Amateur
- 1954 Victorian Junior Championship
- 1956 New Zealand Women's Amateur Stroke Play Championship,{{cite web |url=https://www.golf.co.nz/uploads/Section%205%20Tournaments%20and%20Events%20Draft%201%20Jan%2010.pdf |publisher=New Zealand Golf |title=Section 5 Tournaments and Events |access-date=14 October 2022}} New Zealand Women's Amateur
- 1957 South African Women's Amateur, Victorian Women's Amateur Championship
- 1958 Australian Women's Amateur
- 1959 Victorian Women's Amateur Championship
- 1960 New Zealand Women's Amateur Stroke Play Championship
- 1961 Victorian Women's Amateur Championship
- 1962 Victorian Women's Amateur Championship
- 1963 Victorian Women's Amateur Championship
- 1964 Canadian Women's Amateur
Professional wins
=LPGA Tour wins (1)=
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No. !Date !Tournament !Winning score !Margin of !Runners-up !Ref |
| 1
|13 Nov 1967 |−2 (70-71-73=214) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} Carol Mann |
LPGA Tour playoff record (0–1)
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result!!Ref |
| style="background:#F5DEB3;"
|align=center|1 |1970 |{{flagicon|USA}} Shirley Englehorn |Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
=Other wins=
- 1967 Yankee Ladies' Team Championship (with Clifford Ann Creed){{cite news|title=Miss Creed's Team Takes Yankee Golf By 2 Shots With 202|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/117555130|page=36|date=31 July 1967|access-date=12 October 2022|newspaper=The New York Times|agency=United Press International|id={{ProQuest|117555130}}}}
Team appearances
Amateur
- Commonwealth Trophy (representing Australia): 1959,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xHZAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cqMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1602%2C4976298 |title=Commonwealth title for Britain – Wins in All four Matches |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=8 June 1959}} 1963{{cite web |url=https://assets.ctfassets.net/3urhge2ecl20/vjvhRoLER5lx9a4sSX6Qw/faa7cbd5faacdcdc8975edea82bc2968/00031253-source.pdf |title=Astor Trophy |publisher=Golf Australia |access-date=14 October 2022}}
- Tasman Cup (representing Australia): 1954 (winners), 1956 (tied), 1958 (winners), 1960 (winners), 1962 (winners){{cite web |url=https://assets.ctfassets.net/3urhge2ecl20/4l6Wxc6Xyb3Yg21MJiTVOT/dd546534e807c5c7503da595ce551aac/Trans_Tasman_-_Women_s_Open.pdf |publisher=Golf Australia |title=Women's Tasman Cup |access-date=14 October 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{LPGA player|margie-masters/81308}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Masters, Margie}}
Category:Australian female golfers
Category:Sportspeople from Swan Hill