Dorothy Kirby
Encyclopedia
Mary Dorothy Kirby was an American
golf
champion and sportscaster
.
Born in West Point
, Georgia
, her family moved to Atlanta when she was ten. At the age of thirteen Dorothy Kirby's victory at the 1933 Georgia Women's Amateur Championship made her the youngest female golfer to ever win a state championship. It marked the first of her six Georgia championships, her last coming 20 years later in 1953. As well, she defeated amateurs and professionals in winning back-to-back National Titleholders Championships
in 1941-42. In 1943 she won the North and South Women's Amateur Golf Championship
at Pinehurst
.
Dorothy Kirby played in her first United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship
in 1934 at age fourteen. She was the runner-up to Betty Jameson
in 1939 and to Louise Suggs
in 1947 then won the most prestigious women's event in 1951. Attempting to defend her title, in 1952 she had the lowest round of the tournament but was still knocked out early. Dorothy Kirby was a member of four U.S. Curtis Cup
teams 91948, 1950, 1952, 1954), and despite her success as an amateur, she chose not to join the professional LPGA Tour
.
Dorothy Kirby retired from competition in the mid 1950s and worked as a radio
and television
sportscaster and sales representative for thirty-five years. In 1974 she was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame in 1989.
She died in Atlanta in 2000.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
champion and sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
.
Born in West Point
West Point, Georgia
West Point is a town in Troup County, with a small tail of the south end of town in Harris County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, this town had a total population of just 3,382 people...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, her family moved to Atlanta when she was ten. At the age of thirteen Dorothy Kirby's victory at the 1933 Georgia Women's Amateur Championship made her the youngest female golfer to ever win a state championship. It marked the first of her six Georgia championships, her last coming 20 years later in 1953. As well, she defeated amateurs and professionals in winning back-to-back National Titleholders Championships
Titleholders Championship
The Titleholders Championship was a women's golf tournament played from in 1937 to 1966 and again in 1972. It was later designated a major championship by the LPGA Tour.It should not be confused with two other LPGA events with similar names:...
in 1941-42. In 1943 she won the North and South Women's Amateur Golf Championship
North and South Women's Amateur Golf Championship
The North and South Women's Amateur Golf Championship is an annual golf tournament held since 1903 at the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina...
at Pinehurst
Pinehurst Resort
Pinehurst Resort is a historic upmarket golf resort at Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA. It has hosted a number of prestigious golf tournaments.-History:...
.
Dorothy Kirby played in her first United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship
United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship
The U.S. Women's Amateur is the leading golf tournament in the United States for female amateur golfers. It is played annually and is one of the 13 United States national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association . Female amateurs from all nations are eligible to compete...
in 1934 at age fourteen. She was the runner-up to Betty Jameson
Betty Jameson
Elizabeth May "Betty" Jameson was an American professional golfer and one of the founders of the LPGA.-Biography:...
in 1939 and to Louise Suggs
Louise Suggs
Mae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager...
in 1947 then won the most prestigious women's event in 1951. Attempting to defend her title, in 1952 she had the lowest round of the tournament but was still knocked out early. Dorothy Kirby was a member of four U.S. Curtis Cup
Curtis Cup
The Curtis Cup is the best known team trophy for women amateur golfers, awarded in the biennial Curtis Cup Match . It is co-organised by the United States Golf Association and the Ladies Golf Union and is contested by teams representing the United States and "Great Britain and Ireland"...
teams 91948, 1950, 1952, 1954), and despite her success as an amateur, she chose not to join the professional LPGA Tour
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
.
Dorothy Kirby retired from competition in the mid 1950s and worked as a radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sportscaster and sales representative for thirty-five years. In 1974 she was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame in 1989.
She died in Atlanta in 2000.
Amateur wins
- 1933 Georgia Women's Amateur
- 1935 Georgia Women's Amateur
- 1936 Georgia Women's Amateur
- 1937 Southern Women's Amateur
- 1941 Georgia Women's Amateur
- 1943 North and South Women's Amateur
- 1951 U.S. Women's Amateur
- 1952 Georgia Women's Amateur
- 1953 Georgia Women's Amateur
Wins (2)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 1941 Titleholders Championship The 1941 Titleholders Championship was contested from April 7-9 at Augusta Country Club. It was the 5th edition of the Titleholders Championship.This event was won by Dorothy Kirby, with rounds of 80-72-72.-Final leaderboard:-External links:**... |
Titleholders Championship Titleholders Championship The Titleholders Championship was a women's golf tournament played from in 1937 to 1966 and again in 1972. It was later designated a major championship by the LPGA Tour.It should not be confused with two other LPGA events with similar names:... |
−1 (80-72-72=224) | 16 strokes |  Helen Sigel |
| 1942 1942 Titleholders Championship The 1942 Titleholders Championship was contested from March 31 thru April 2 at Augusta Country Club. It was the 6th edition of the Titleholders Championship.This event was won by Dorothy Kirby.-Final leaderboard:-External links:***... |
Titleholders Championship Titleholders Championship The Titleholders Championship was a women's golf tournament played from in 1937 to 1966 and again in 1972. It was later designated a major championship by the LPGA Tour.It should not be confused with two other LPGA events with similar names:... |
5 strokes | Eileen Stulb Eileen Stulb Eileen Heffernan Stulb was an American amateur golfer.-Personal:Stulb was born in Augusta, Georgia to Marion C. Stulb and Eileen Anna Heffernan Stulb. She died in Augusta, Georgia.-Golfing career:... |