Remembering The Great And Forgotten Beverly Hanson

Beverly Hanson passed away April 12th at the age of 89 and few know her as one of the pioneering figures of the LPGA. Hanson won three majors and even covered men's tournament as a writer (with a mistaken byline of Ben Hanson given to her by an editor).

Thankfully, Doug Ferguson talked to some of her peers and files a superb obituary of this LPGA golfing great.

The year the LPGA was formed in 1950, Hanson won the U.S. Women's Amateur at East Lake — Bobby Jones presented her the trophy — went 3-0 in the Curtis Cup and finished the year by beating Patty Berg in the Texas Women's Open as an amateur.

She won her first event after turning pro in 1951 by beating Babe Zaharias in the Eastern Open.

Hanson won 15 more times over the next decade, including three majors. That included the inaugural LPGA Championship in 1955 when she beat Suggs twice in one week. Hanson finished three shots ahead in stroke play in Fort Wayne, Ind., and then won 4 and 3 in match play between the top two medalists.