Patti Rizzo
Encyclopedia
Patrice "Patti" Rizzo is an American
professional golf
er and golf instructor.
Rizzo was born in Hollywood, Florida
. A collegiate All-American at the University of Miami
, among her significant victories as an amateur were the Eastern Women's Amateur and Mexican Amateur in 1980, a year when she was also runner-up to Juli Inkster
at the U.S. Women's Amateur. Her performance in the 1980 season resulted in Golf Digest
ranking her the No.1 female amateur in the U.S. The following year her wins included the North and South Women's Amateur at Pinehurst
and she earned medalist honors at the 1981 U.S. Women's Amateur. Golf Magazine
ranked her the No. 1 collegiate player for 1981.
In 1982, Rizzo joined the LPGA Tour where she earned Rookie of the Year honors. She played on the Tour regularly for 10 years during which time she won four tournaments.
Growing disenchanted with pro golf, Rizzo quit the LPGA in 1991. After not playing any golf at all for several months, Rizzo accepted an invitation to play in a LPGA of Japan Tour
event. Rizzo won it and soon afterwards accepted a one-year exemption to play the LPGA of Japan Tour. In the years following her first win there, Rizzo won eight more tournaments in Japan.
Rizzo was the head coach of the Barry University
women's golf program from 2004 until 2010 when she became coach at the University of Miami
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional 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....
er and golf instructor.
Rizzo was born in Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood, Florida
-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
. A collegiate All-American at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, among her significant victories as an amateur were the Eastern Women's Amateur and Mexican Amateur in 1980, a year when she was also runner-up to Juli Inkster
Juli Inkster
Juli Inkster is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. With a professional career spanning 27 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $11 million in career earnings...
at the U.S. Women's Amateur. Her performance in the 1980 season resulted in Golf Digest
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
ranking her the No.1 female amateur in the U.S. The following year her wins included the North and South Women's Amateur 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:...
and she earned medalist honors at the 1981 U.S. Women's Amateur. Golf Magazine
Golf Magazine
Golf Magazine is a monthly golf magazine owned by Time Inc.. It was started in 1960 by Universal Publishing and Distributing, who sold it to Times Mirror in 1972. Time Inc. acquired it in 2000. It was the world's most widely read golf publication from August 2006 to January 2007. The magazine is...
ranked her the No. 1 collegiate player for 1981.
In 1982, Rizzo joined the LPGA Tour where she earned Rookie of the Year honors. She played on the Tour regularly for 10 years during which time she won four tournaments.
Growing disenchanted with pro golf, Rizzo quit the LPGA in 1991. After not playing any golf at all for several months, Rizzo accepted an invitation to play in a LPGA of Japan Tour
LPGA of Japan Tour
The Japan LPGA Tour is a professional golf tour for women organised by the Ladies Professional Golfers' Association of Japan. It is the second richest women's golf tour in the world. The U.S.-based LPGA Tour is the most important women's tour, but the prize money gap has closed markedly since the...
event. Rizzo won it and soon afterwards accepted a one-year exemption to play the LPGA of Japan Tour. In the years following her first win there, Rizzo won eight more tournaments in Japan.
Rizzo was the head coach of the Barry University
Barry University
Barry University is a private, Catholic university, which was founded in 1940 in Miami Shores, Florida, a suburb north of Downtown Miami. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami....
women's golf program from 2004 until 2010 when she became coach at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
.
Amateur wins
- 1980 World Amateur, Trans-National, Eastern Amateur, Mexican Amateur
- 1981 North and South Women's Amateur, South Atlantic Harder Hall Invitational
LPGA Tour wins (4)
- 19831983 LPGA TourThe 1983 LPGA Tour was the 34th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 27 to November 13. The season consisted of 33 official money events. Pat Bradley and Patty Sheehan won the most tournaments, four each...
(1) Boston Five Classic - 19851985 LPGA TourThe 1985 LPGA Tour was the 36th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 24 to November 10. The season consisted of 35 official money events. Nancy Lopez won the most tournaments, five...
(1) LPGA Corning ClassicLPGA Corning ClassicThe LPGA Corning Classic was an annual golf tournament for professional female golfers on the LPGA Tour. It took place every year from 1979 through 2009 at the Corning Country Club in Corning, New York.... - 19881988 LPGA TourThe 1988 LPGA Tour was the 39th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from February 4 to November 6. The season consisted of 34 official money events. Juli Inkster, Rosie Jones, Betsy King, Nancy Lopez, and Ayako Okamoto won the most tournaments, three each...
(1) Sara Lee ClassicSara Lee ClassicThe Sara Lee Classic was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1988 to 2002. It was played at Hermitage Golf Course in Old Hickory, Tennessee from 1988 to 1999. In 2000, the tournament moved to the Legends Club of Tennessee in Franklin, Tennessee and changed its name to the Electrolux USA... - 19891989 LPGA TourThe 1989 LPGA Tour was the 40th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 13 to November 5. The season consisted of 33 official money events. Betsy King won the most tournaments, six...
(1) Red Robin Kyocera Inamori Classic