KATE GOLDEN
Birthdate: February 9, 1967
Birthplace: Beaumont, Texas
Age: 38
Ht: 5'5"
Home: Jasper, Texas
College: Texas
Turned Professional: 1989
Joined LPGA Tour: 1992
LPGA Tour Wins: 1 - 2001 State Farm Classic
Player Notes: 2004 Highlights
• Recorded her season-best finish at the CJ Nine Bridges Classic Presented by Sports Today, where she tied for ninth and fired a season-low 64 during the second round.
• Tied for 10th at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez.
2004 Stats (Rank)
Rds under par: 29/83 (6Rds in the 60s: 16/83 (54) Birdies: 223 (43)
Eagles: 5 (38)
Greens in reg: 67.5% (43) Driving accuracy: 71.1% (76)
Sand saves: 29% (135)Putts per GIR: 1.82 (53) Driving avg: 247.4 (103)
2003 Highlights
• Finished fifth at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, where she carded three consecutive rounds in the 60s.
• Recorded her third career hole-in-one during the third round of the McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by AIG, where she tied for sixth, her best finish in a major.
• Posted a season-low 66 during the second round of the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez.
• Crossed the $1 million mark in career earnings at the Mobile LPGA Tournament of Champions.
2003 Stats (Rank)
Rds under par: 25/76 (64)Rds in the 60s: 14/76 (53)Birdies: 223 (43)
Eagles: 3 (52)Greens in reg: 64% (73)Driving accuracy: 67.7% (98)
Sand saves: 28.8% (142)Putts per GIR: 1.81 (37)Driving avg: 254.2 (54)
• Finished second at the Safeway Classic for her best finish of the season; also tied for second at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, where she carded a season-low 64 in the opening round.
• Recorded her second career hole-in-one during the third round of the Kellogg-Keebler Classic.
2002 Stats (rank)
Rds under par: 22/72 (79)Rds in the 60s: 9/72 (78)Birdies: 205 (56)
Eagles: 8 (9)Greens in reg: 65.7% (37)Driving accuracy: 69% (93)
Sand saves: 27% (148)Putting avg: 30.52 (125)Driving avg: 248.9 (83)
2001 Highlights
• Became the second of four-consecutive Rolex First-Time Winners of the 2001 season with her victory at the State Farm Classic, where she had a career-low 63 and held off Annika Sorenstam in the final round; her 63 was the lowest final-round score posted by a winner in 2001.
• Her State Farm Classic victory gained her entrance into the AFLAC Champions Presented by Southern Living, where she posted her second-best finish of the season, seventh place.
• Recorded the first hole-in-one of her LPGA career during the third round of The Office Depot.
• Earned the Century 21¨ Fine Homes & Estates Move of the Month Award for August and $5,000 as a result of her 63-spot jump up the money list that month.
2001 Stats (rank)
Rds under par: 22/66 (76) Rds in the 60s: 10/66 (75) Birdies: 188 (79): Eagles: 6 (23) Greens in reg: 66.3% (56) Driving accuracy: 73.3% (47): Sand saves: 27% (170) Putting avg: 30.66 (141) Driving avg: 248.80 (41)
Career Highlights
• In 2000, best finish was sixth place at the Kathy Ireland Greens.com LPGA Classic.
• In 1999, tied for 19th at the Sunrise Hawaiian Ladies Open.
• In 1998, tied for seventh at the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic.
• In 1997, recorded a career-best finish with a fourth place at the Diet Dr Pepper National Pro-Am.
• Did not compete on the Tour from 1994-95.
• In 1992, best finish was a tie for fifth at the PING/Welch’s Championship in Tucson, Ariz.
• Competed on the Futures Tour from 1989-90 and posted five top-10 finishes in two seasons.
Amateur
In 1984, Golden won the HGA Sweetwater and the River Plantation Junior Invitational, finished fifth at the AJGA Tournament of Champions and was a quarterfinalist at the 1984 USGA Junior Championship. In 1989, she was a semifinalist at the Texas State Women’s Amateur Championship. She played collegiate golf at the University of Texas, where she won three individual titles, including the Southwest Conference Championship and was a NCAA All-American. . .Started playing golf at the age of 12...Credits Harvey Penick and her father, Joe Bob Golden, as the individuals most influencing her career...Enjoys fishing, hiking and billiards.