SUSIE Maxwell Berning, a three-time US Women Open champion, died this week in the Palm Springs, California area at age 83, the LPGA announced Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
According to the tour, Maxwell Berning fought lung cancer for two years.
Among her 11 career victories were four major titles: the US Women’s Open in 1968, 1972 and 1973 as well as the 1965 Women’s Western Open, then considered one of the circuit’s top events. The LPGA Rookie of the Year in 1964, Maxwell Berning was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021.
She is joined by only Babe Zaharias, Mickey Wright, Betsy Rawls, Annika Sorenstam and Hollis Stacy as players who won three or more US Women’s Opens.
“We are saddened by the passing of one of our greats,” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said in a statement. “Susie Maxwell Berning was not just a fantastic player and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, but also a wonderful ambassador for the LPGA and women’s sports overall.
“We will always point to her as a role model for balancing homelife and career, winning major championships while also raising a family. Susie was a strong, pioneering athlete who I have personally admired and whose legacy will continue to inspire future generations of athletes.”
USGA CEO Mike Whan said in a statement, “Susie was a true trailblazer from the moment she picked up a golf club. When I reflect on the incredibly short list of golfers–male or female–who have claimed three US Open titles, alongside four Major Championships, it puts into perspective just how extraordinary her achievements were.
It’s great that a Japanese player has made such inroads in the Major League and it’s really amazing to have set a major record there.
“Even more inspiring is the decision she made to step away from the competitive game to prioritize her family, a choice that resonates deeply with so many of us. Her legacy will forever be a source of admiration and respect.”
Maxwell Berning was born in Pasadena, California in 1941 and grew up in Oklahoma City. She earned a scholarship to play on the Oklahoma City University’s men’s golf team.
After her playing career, she became a teaching pro in Colorado and California, working for 20-plus years at The Reserve Club in Indian Wells, California.
“She was a character. She was an amazing person,” Reserve Club general manager Mike Kelly told The (Palm Springs) Desert Sun. “Kind and caring and she was funny.”
