Suzanne Maxwell Berning (July 22, 1941 – October 2, 2024) was an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1964 and won four major championships and eleven LPGA Tour victories in all. She also competed under her maiden name Susie Maxwell from 1964 to 1968. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2022.[2][3][4]
| Susie Berning | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||||||
| Full name | Suzanne Maxwell Berning | ||||||
| Born | July 22, 1941 Pasadena, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | October 2, 2024 (aged 83) Indio, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Height | 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) | ||||||
| Sporting nationality |  United States | ||||||
| Residence | Aspen, Colorado, U.S. Palm Springs, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Spouse | Dale Berning[1] | ||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||
| Career | |||||||
| College | Oklahoma City University | ||||||
| Turned professional | 1964 | ||||||
| Former tour(s) | LPGA Tour (1964–1996) | ||||||
| Professional wins | 13 | ||||||
| Number of wins by tour | |||||||
| LPGA Tour | 11 | ||||||
| Other | 2 | ||||||
| Best results in LPGA major championships (wins: 4) | |||||||
| Western Open | Won: 1965 | ||||||
| Titleholders C'ship | 13th: 1966 | ||||||
| Chevron Championship | T38: 1984 | ||||||
| Women's PGA C'ship | T2: 1969 | ||||||
| U.S. Women's Open | Won: 1968, 1972, 1973 | ||||||
| du Maurier Classic | T25: 1984 | ||||||
| Achievements and awards | |||||||
| |||||||
Amateur career
editSuzanne Maxwell was born in Pasadena, California.[5] Her family moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, when she was 13.[1] After taking up golf at the age of 15, she immediately won three-straight Oklahoma State High School Championships.[1] She also won the Oklahoma City Women's Amateur from 1959 to 1961. In 1963, she won the Oklahoma Women's Amateur. She was the first woman to receive a golf scholarship from Oklahoma City University, where she competed on the men's team.[1][6]
Professional career
editMaxwell turned pro and joined the LPGA Tour in 1964, and earned LPGA Rookie of the Year honors.[7] She won her first tournament in 1965 at the Muskogee Civitan Open.[8] She was named Most Improved Player for 1967.
She won 11 times on the Tour, a high proportion of her wins coming in major championships, the 1965 Women's Western Open and the U.S. Women's Open in 1968, 1972 and 1973.[7][9][10]
However, her form was inconsistent from her late twenties on, with the last of her three top-10 finishes on the money list coming in 1969. She stayed on the Tour for many years, though she did not always play full-time, and played 13 events as late as 1995.[8] She made her final appearance on the Tour in 1996.[8]
Personal life and death
editAfter retiring from tour play, Berning became a well-respected teaching professional, spending time at the Nicholas-Flick Golf Academy and dividing her time between The Reserve Club in Palm Springs, California and Maroon Creek Country Club in Aspen, Colorado. She had two daughters, Robin Doctor and Cindy Molchany, from her marriage to Dale Berning, which ended in divorce in 1997.[5] At the 1989 Konica San Jose Classic, she and Robin became the first mother-daughter pair to play in the same LPGA Tour event.[7]
Berning died from lung cancer at her home in Indio, California, on October 2, 2024, at the age of 83.[1][5][10]
Professional wins (13)
editLPGA Tour wins (11)
edit| Legend |
|---|
| LPGA Tour major championships (4) |
| Other LPGA Tour (7) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 16, 1965 | Muskogee Civitan Open | −3 (71-72-70=213) | 5 strokes |  Kathy Cornelius Judy Kimball Mickey Wright
|
| 2 | Jun 13, 1965 | Women's Western Open | −2 (73-72-76-69=290) | 3 strokes | Marlene Hagge
|
| 3 | Apr 2, 1967 | Louise Suggs Invitational | +8 (75-72-77=224) | Playoff | Sandra Haynie
|
| 4 | Jun 18, 1967 | Milwaukee Jaycee Open | E (68-73-75=216) | 5 strokes | Barbara Romack Judy Kimball Judy Rankin Peggy Wilson
|
| 5 | Jul 7, 1968 | U.S. Women's Open | +5 (69-73-76-71=289) | 3 strokes | Mickey Wright
|
| 6 | Jun 8, 1969 | Lady Carling Open | −6 (69-74-70=213) | 1 stroke | Donna Caponi
|
| 7 | Jun 22, 1969 | Pabst Ladies Classic | −5 (69-71-71=211) | 1 stroke | Donna Caponi Clifford Ann Creed Shirley Englehorn
|
| 8 | Jul 2, 1972 | U.S. Women's Open | +11 (79-76-73-71=299) | 1 stroke | Kathy Ahern Pam Barnett Judy Rankin
|
| 9 | Jun 24, 1973 | Heritage Village Open | −12 (68-70-69=207) | 4 strokes | Sandra Haynie
|
| 10 | Jul 22, 1973 | U.S. Women's Open | −3 (73-77-69-72=290) | 5 strokes | Gloria Ehret Shelley Hamlin
|
| 11 | Jul 25, 1976 | Lady Keystone Open | −1 (72-71-72=215) | 3 strokes | Pat Bradley Sandra Haynie
|
LPGA Tour playoff record (1–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1966 | Lady Carling Open | Clifford Ann Creed
|
Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| 2 | 1967 | Louise Suggs Invitational | Sandra Haynie
|
Won with birdie on second extra hole |
Source:[8]
Other wins (2)
edit- 1975 Lady Keystone Open[11]
- 1997 Sprint Senior Challenge[7]
Major championships
editWins (4)
edit| Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Women's Western Open | −2 (73-72-76-69=290) | 3 strokes | Marlene Hagge
|
| 1968 | U.S. Women's Open | +5 (69-73-76-71=289) | 3 strokes | Mickey Wright
|
| 1972 | U.S. Women's Open | +11 (79-73-76-71=299) | 1 stroke | Kathy Ahern, Pam Barnett, Judy Rankin
|
| 1973 | U.S. Women's Open | +2 (72-77-69-72=290) | 5 strokes | Gloria Ehret, Shelley Hamlin
|
Source:[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Hall of Famer Susie Maxwell Berning, a 4-time major champion while raising 2 daughters, dies at 83". Associated Press News. October 3, 2024.
- ^ "Susie Maxwell Berning elected to World Golf Hall of Fame". ESPN. Associated Press. April 22, 2020.
- ^ Martin, Sean (March 10, 2022). "Tiger Woods' Hall of Fame speech focused on family". ESPN.
- ^ Herrington, Ryan (October 3, 2024). "Susie Maxwell Berning, four-time major winner and World Golf Hall of Famer, dies at 83". Golf Digest. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
- ^ a b c Williams, Alex (October 6, 2024). "Susie Maxwell Berning, Hall of Fame Golfer, Is Dead at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ "Berning, Susie Maxwell | The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture". Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Susie Maxwell Berning – Bio". LPGA. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Susie Maxwell Berning – Results". LPGA. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ "Susie Maxwell Berning, three-time U.S. Women's Open winner, dies at 83". Washington Post. Associated. October 3, 2024. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Shefter, David (October 2, 2024). "Susie Maxwell Berning, 3-time U.S. Women's Open Champion, Dies at 83". USGA.
- ^ "Berning Wins With Birdie on 18". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Associated Press. August 4, 1975. p. 4-C – via newspapers.com.
