Jo Ann Prentice, LPGA pioneer from Birmingham, dead at age 92
Jo Ann Prentice, a pioneering figure in women’s golf and Birmingham native, passed away at the age of 92. The LPGA and Alabama Sports Hall of Fame confirmed her death on Sunday. Prentice joined the LPGA Tour in 1956 during its seventh season, competing for 24 years and establishing herself as a formidable player. LPGA interim commissioner Liz Moore praised her as a talented golfer, entrepreneur, and educator who greatly contributed to the tour’s early years.
Throughout her career, Prentice secured six LPGA victories, including the notable 1972 Corpus Christi Civitan Open, which featured the longest playoff in LPGA history against Sandra Palmer and Kathy Whitworth. She also made headlines in 1974 when she won the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle, earning a record prize of $32,000.
Additionally, Prentice played a crucial role in founding the Birmingham Classic, which was part of the LPGA Tour from 1972 to 1982. In recognition of her contributions, she was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1991, becoming only the third woman to receive this honor. Her legacy as a pioneer in the sport continues to inspire future generations of golfers. As tributes pour in, Prentice’s impact on the LPGA and the sport of golf is poignantly remembered.
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