Pat Lesser Harbottle
{{Short description|American amateur golfer (born 1933)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
Patricia Ann Lesser Harbottle (born August 13, 1933) is an American amateur golfer. As Pat Lesser, her wins include the 1953 Women's National Intercollegiate Golf Tournament and 1955 Women's Western Amateur. At major championships held by the LPGA, she had top four finishes at the 1951 U.S. Women's Open and 1953 Women's Western Open. Lesser was also tied for seventh at the 1955 Titleholders Championship. In United States Golf Association events, she was the winner of the 1950 U.S. Girls' Junior and 1955 U.S. Women's Amateur. Her team won the 1954 Curtis Cup and lost the 1956 Curtis Cup.
Following her marriage, Harbottle won her third Pacific Northwest Golf Association Women's Amateur in 1965. She was tied for eighth at the 1984 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur. By 2016, Harbottle had 23 wins in Tacoma Country and Golf Club events. She joined the PNGA Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Washington Sports Hall of Fame during 1999. The Pat Lesser Harbottle Invitational was created in 2014 by Tacoma Country.
Early life and education
Lesser's was born in Fort Totten, New York on August 13, 1933.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Lesser, Patricia (1933–) |encyclopedia=Dictionary of Women Worldwide: 25,000 Women Through the Ages |year=2007 |publisher=Yorkin Publications |location=Waterford, Connecticut |editor-last1=Commire |editor-first1=Anne |editor-last2=Klezmer |editor-first2=Deborah |volume=1 |page=1121 |isbn=978-0787676766}} She lived in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Fort Ethan Allen and Hawaii during the 1930s.{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Buddy |title=Patricia Lesser's tennis success started in New Bedford |url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/sports/columns/2013/10/10/buddy-thomas-patricia-lesser-s/42645454007/ |access-date=August 24, 2024 |work=The Standard-Times |date=October 10, 2013 |location=New Bedford, Massachusetts}} Lesser was in Honolulu during the early 1940s when she began playing golf.{{cite web |last1=Hand |first1=Patrick |title=No regrets |url=https://www.globalgolfpost.com/ggpwomen/no-regrets/ |website=Global Golf Post Women |access-date=August 20, 2024 |date=February 8, 2024}} She experienced the attack on Pearl Harbor with her sibling during 1941.{{cite news |last1=Raley |first1=Dan |title=Where Are They Now: Pat Harbottle, who defeated Mickey Wright |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/where-are-they-now-pat-harbottle-who-defeated-1244624.php |access-date=August 24, 2024 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=July 24, 2007}}{{cite news |last1=DeLetter |first1=Emily |title=What is Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day? What to know about 1941 attack that sent US into WWII |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/12/04/pearl-harbor-day-2023/71799097007/ |access-date=August 24, 2024 |work=USA Today |orig-date=December 4, 2023 |date=December 6, 2023}} That year, the Lessers left Schofield Barracks.{{cite news |last1=Cahill |first1=Ed |title=Babe Still Leads Way in Salem Open |work=Daily Evening Item |date=July 3, 1954 |location=Lynn, Massachusetts |at=p. Six para. Tee To Cup}} She began her golf career in Seattle during the mid-1940s.{{cite news |title=Teen-Age Seattle Lass Breaks 80 On Golf Links |work=The Knoxville Journal |agency=Associated Press |date=April 16, 1947 |page=11}}
Lesser was on the men's golf team while attending Seattle University during 1952.{{cite news |title=Teen-aged Girl is No. 1 Golfer for Seattle U. |work=Spokane Chronicle |agency=United Press |date=April 8, 1952 |page=21}} She remained with them until 1955.{{cite web |last1=Raley |first1=Dan |title=33-Day Countdown to New Division I Era - Story #22 |url=https://goseattleu.com/story.aspx?filename=205564594&file_date=8/6/2012 |website=Seattle University Athletics |access-date=August 25, 2024 |date=August 6, 2012}} During this time period, Lesser won the 1953 Women's National Intercollegiate Golf Tournament.{{cite news |title=Pat Lesser Takes College Tee Title |work=Chattanooga Daily Times |agency=Associated Press |date=June 14, 1953 |page=48}} She was second at that event the following year.{{cite news |title=Nancy Reed Crowned College Golf Queen |work=The Commercial Appeal |agency=The Associated Press |date=June 27, 1954 |page=sec. III p. 3}} In 1956, she ended her post-secondary education.{{cite news |title=Patricia Lesser Announced Plans To Wed Tacoman |work=The News Tribune |date=October 30, 1956 |location=Tacoma, Washington |page=27}}
Career
=1950–1956=
During 1952, Lesser won the Washington State Women's Golf Association Championship and Oregon Amateur Championship.{{cite web |title=Past Champions |url=https://www.thewswga.com/past_champions |publisher=Washington State Women's Golf Association |access-date=August 24, 2024}}{{cite web |title=Oregon Amateur Championship |url=https://archive.oga.org/past-champions/oregon-amateur-championship |publisher=Oregon Golf Association |access-date=August 24, 2024}} With the Pacific Northwest Golf Association, she was the Women's Amateur winner during 1952 and 1953.{{cite web |title=PNGA Women's Amateur |url=https://thepnga.org/championships/womens-amateur/ |publisher=Pacific Northwest Golf Association |access-date=August 24, 2024}} At Western Golf Association events, Lesser won the 1950 Women's Western Junior.{{cite web |title=Women's Western Junior History |url=https://womenswesternjunior.com/history |publisher=Women's Western Junior |access-date=August 24, 2024}} She was first at the 1955 Women's Western Amateur and second the following year.{{cite web |title=Women's Western Amateur History |url=https://womenswesternamateur.com/history |publisher=Women's Western Amateur |access-date=August 24, 2024}} At the North and South Women's Amateur Golf Championship, Lesser was second during the 1955 event.{{cite news |title=Wiffi Smith Beats Pat Lesser In Final |work=Atlantic City Press |agency=United Press |date=March 22, 1955 |page=14}} She reached the quarterfinals at the British Ladies Amateur in 1956 and championship game at that year's Canadian Women's Amateur.{{cite news |title=3 Americans Into British Amateur Semi-Final Round |work=Columbia Daily Tribune |agency=International News Service |date=June 28, 1956 |page=13}}{{cite news |title=Lesser, Marlene in Canada Final |work=The Spokesman-Review |agency=Associated Press |date=August 18, 1956 |page=sec. Sports p. 10}}
During the 1950s, the Women's Western Open, Titleholders Championship and U.S. Women's Open were played as majors on the LPGA.{{cite web |title=Titleists at LPGA Major Championships |url=https://www.lpga.com/content/Majors.pdf |publisher=LPGA |access-date=August 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205015611/https://www.lpga.com/content/Majors.pdf |archive-date=December 5, 2004 |page=2}} Lesser tied for fourth place during the 1951 U.S. Women's Open.{{cite news |title=Rawls' 293 Wins Women's Open |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |agency=United Press |date=September 17, 1951 |page=28}} Following a top four finish at the 1953 Women's Western Open, she was tied for seventh at the 1955 Titleholders Championship.{{cite news |title=Suggs, Berg In Western Finals |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4u4lAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA24 |work=St. Petersburg Times |agency=Associated Press |date=June 20, 1953 |page=18 |access-date=August 24, 2024}}{{cite news |title=Top Scorers in Women's Titleholders Golf. |work=The Kansas City Times |agency=Associated Press |date=March 14, 1955 |page=21}} At United States Golf Association events, Lesser won the 1950 U.S. Girls' Junior and the 1955 U.S. Women's Amateur.{{cite web |title=U.S. Girls' Junior Champions |url=https://championships.usga.org/usgirlsjunior/2024/u-s--girls--junior-champions.html |publisher=United States Golf Association |access-date=August 24, 2024 |date=September 18, 2023}}{{cite web |title=U.S. Women's Amateur Champions |url=https://championships.usga.org/uswomensamateur/2024/articles/u-s--women-s-amateur-champions.html |publisher=United States Golf Association |access-date=August 24, 2024 |date=September 18, 2023}} She won the 1954 Curtis Cup with the United States.{{cite web |last1=Glenn |first1=Rhonda |title=Looking Back...1954 Curtis Cup At Merion |url=https://www.usga.org/articles/2013/03/looking-back1954-curtis-cup-at-merion-21474854815.html |publisher=United States Golf Association |access-date=August 24, 2024 |date=March 25, 2013}} They also lost the 1956 Curtis Cup.{{cite web |last1=Glenn |first1=Rhonda |title=Museum Moment: The 1956 Curtis Cup Match |url=https://www.usga.org/articles/2010/03/museum-moment-the-1956-curtis-cup-match-2147485850.html |publisher=United States Golf Association |access-date=August 24, 2024 |date=March 25, 2010 |publication-date=February 14, 2015}}
=1957–present=
Lesser continued her golf career in 1957 as a United Airlines employee.{{cite news |last1=Strite |first1=Dick |title=Highclimber |work=Eugene Register-Guard |date=April 7, 1957 |page=1B}} As Pat Harbottle, she stopped playing golf that year.{{cite news |title=Tacoma Woman Golf Favorite |work=Longview Daily News |agency=Associated Press |date=July 6, 1959 |page=11}} Due to pregnancy, she did not enter the 1958 Curtis Cup.{{cite news |title=Riley, Romack Named On Curtis Cup Team |work=The Tampa Tribune |agency=Associated Press |date=July 2, 1958 |page=1-B}} Harbottle returned to golf the following year.
Harbottle won the 1965 Pacific Northwest Golf Association Women's Amateur. She was also first at the 1974 WSWGA Championship. At the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur, Harbottle was tied for eighth place during 1984.{{cite news |title=Senior women |work=The Akron Beacon Journal |agency=Associated Press |date=September 29, 1984 |page=B2}} With the Tacoma Country and Golf Club, she was a member from 1960 to the mid-2020s.{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Bea |title=Pat Harbottle Leads Sweeps |work=The News Tribune |date=May 24, 1960 |location=Tacoma, Washington |page=C-6}} She accumulated 23 wins there by 2016.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Craig |title=Harbottles of Tacoma continue to rack up amazing golf achievements |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/golf/harbottles-of-tacoma-continue-to-rack-up-amazing-golf-achievements/ |access-date=August 29, 2024 |work=The Seattle Times |date=November 7, 2016}}
Honors and personal life
The Pat Lesser Harbottle Invitational was created in 2014 by Tacoma Country and Golf Club.{{cite web |title=Hosted Tournaments |url=https://www.golftcgc.com/not-used/past-championships/ |publisher=Tacoma County & Golf Club |access-date=August 20, 2024}} Harbottle joined the PNGA Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Washington Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.{{cite web |title=PNGA Hall of Fame |url=https://thepnga.org/awards-honors/hall-of-fame/ |publisher=Pacific Northwest Golf Association |access-date=August 20, 2024}}{{cite web |title=1999 inductees |url=https://washingtonsportshof.org/1999-inductees/ |publisher=Washington Sports Hall of Fame |access-date=August 20, 2024}} She is also a member of the Seattle University Athletics Hall of Fame.{{cite web |title=Hall of Fame: Pat Lesser (Harbottle) |url=https://goseattleu.com/honors/hall-of-fame/pat-lesser-harbottle-/90 |publisher=Seattle University Athletics |access-date=August 20, 2024}} Harbottle had five children during her marriage.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Lesser, Patricia Ann (later Harbottle) USA |encyclopedia=The Who's Who of Golf |last=Alliss |first=Peter |year=1983 |publisher=Prentice-Hall, Inc. |location=Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey |page=107 |isbn=0139584978}}
References
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Category:American female golfers
Category:Winners of ladies' major amateur golf championships