Miss Helen Hicks, 18-year-old golf star, and Elinor Smith, 17-year-old aviatrix, at Fairchild Field, Farmingdale, N

Helen L. Hicks Harb (February 11, 1911 – December 16, 1974) was an American

professional golfer A professional golfer is somebody who receives payments or financial rewards in the sport of golf that are directly related to their skill or reputation. A person who earns money by teaching or playing golf is traditionally considered a "golf pr ...

and one of 13 founders of the LPGA in 1950.

Biography

Hicks was born in

Cedarhurst, New York Cedarhurst is a village in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, on the South Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 6,592 at the 2010 census. The Incorporated Village of Cedarhurst is located in the region o ...

. She began playing golf at the age of 15, after being taught by her father. She attended Lawrence High School, where she played basketball for her school's team while simultaneously competing and winning such tournaments as the Junior Girls' Championship of the Metropolitan Women's Golf Association. She had a successful amateur career, reaching the finals of the U.S. Women's Amateur twice. She beat

Glenna Collett Vare Glenna Collett Vare (June 20, 1903 – February 3, 1989) was an American Hall of Fame golfing champion whom the Hall calls the greatest female golfer of her day, and who dominated American women's golf in the 1920s. Biography Born in New Haven, ...

in 1931 and lost to

Virginia Van Wie Virginia Van Wie (February 9, 1909 – February 18, 1997) was an American amateur golfer, best known for winning three U.S. Women's Amateurs, 1932–34. The Illinois-born golfer was the daughter of wealthy parents, and learned the game at the Bev ...

in 1933. She won several other amateur tournaments and played on the first U.S.

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 R&A and is contested by teams representing the United States and ...

team in 1932. In 1934, Hicks became one of the first women to turned professional; signing with the Wilson Sporting Goods Company to promote their golf equipment. Hicks won two tournaments as a professional that are now considered LPGA major championships: the 1937

Women's Western Open The Women's Western Open was an American professional golf tournament founded in 1930. The LPGA was established in 1950, and it recognized the Western Open as one of its major championships through 1967. All of the events back to 1930 have been ...

and the 1940

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. History The Titleholders Championship was founded in 1937. Like the Masters ...

. From 1938 to 1948, she competed as Helen Hicks Harb after marrying Whitney Harb. In 1950, Hicks was one of 13 women that founded the LPGA. Hicks died of throat cancer in 1974. Hicks is sometimes confused with contemporary

Betty Hicks Elizabeth M. Hicks (November 16, 1920 – February 20, 2011) was an American professional golfer, golf coach and teacher, aviator, and author. She also competed under her married name, Betty Hicks Newell. Hicks was born in Long Beach, Californi ...

who won the 1941 U.S. Women's Amateur.

Tournament wins

''this list is incomplete'' * 1929

Canadian Women's Amateur The Canadian Women's Amateur is Canada's annual national amateur golf tournament for women. It is open to women from all countries and is played at a different course each year. History The first championship was held from October 14 to 17, 1901 at ...

* 1930 New York State Women’s Amateur * 1931 U.S. Women's Amateur, Metropolitan Women's Amateur, Women's Eastern Championship, New York State Women’s Amateur * 1933 Metropolitan Women's Amateur, New York State Women’s Amateur * 1937

* 1940

Major championships

Wins (2)

Team appearances

Amateur *

(representing the United States):

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

(winners)

References

External links

*
LPGA founders' profilesHelen Hicks
at

Flickr Commons Flickr ( ; ) is an American image hosting service, image hosting and Online video platform, video hosting service, as well as an online community, founded in Canada and headquartered in the United States. It was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and w ...

via

Boston Public Library The Boston Public Library is a municipal public library system in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, founded in 1848. The Boston Public Library is also the Library for the Commonwealth (formerly ''library of last recourse'') of the Commonweal ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hicks, Helen American female golfers LPGA Tour golfers Winners of ladies' major amateur golf championships Winners of LPGA major golf championships Golfers from New York (state) People from Cedarhurst, New York 1911 births 1974 deaths 20th-century American women 20th-century American people