Can’t Beat the Babe

In announcing last week that she would play in the PGA Tour’s Greater Hartford Open -- which she qualified for by winning a PGA sectional event in September -- professional golfer Suzy Whaley told Golf Magazine: “It may seem like a no-brainer that I would grab the opportunity to be the first woman to play in a PGA Tour event, but there were many pros and cons to weigh.”

One potential “con” is that Whaley will not be the first woman to play in a PGA Tour event. Nor is she the first to qualify for one.

Both of those honors go to Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias, who played in two Los Angeles Opens, including the 1945 event at Riviera where she played after surviving a 36-hole qualifier.

And Zaharias, unlike Whaley, qualified using the same tees as the men.

The PGA Tour became its own entity in 1968, separating from the PGA of America, where the name “PGA Tour” had been informally used to describe the series of professional events around the country. Most pre-PGA Tour events with purses over $1,000 held before its trademark status are considered part of PGA Tour records and lore. So, if it’s any consolation, Whaley will be the first woman to play in a PGA Tour event.

Almost six years after winning two gold medals in the 1932 Olympics, “the Babe” made her first PGA Tour appearance at the 1938 Los Angeles Open. Encouraged by sportswriter Grantland Rice, she had taken up golf only three years before entering.

Women were not forbidden from playing men’s events, so Didrikson, 26, simply filled out an application. In a publicity stunt designed to help the struggling tournament, she was paired with Presbyterian minister C. Pardee Erdman and a 30-year-old professional wrestler named George Zaharias, known as the “Crying Greek from Cripple Creek.”

The largest gallery at Griffith Park followed the peculiar threesome. As Didrikson and Zaharias walked the first fairway, the Babe admitted in her autobiography that the two exchanged flirtatious glances. They drove separate cars to meet for drinks after the first two rounds. When both missed the cut (Didrikson shot 84-81), they watched the third round together and later went dancing at the Cotton Club. They married that December.

Babe Zaharias tried to qualify again in 1944 but failed while playing the same tees as her male counterparts. In 1945, Zaharias was among nearly 200 pro and amateur golfers vying for 90 spots. The 36-hole Wednesday qualifier was played at three courses.

Zaharias became the first woman to equalify for the Los Angeles Open or any “open” men’s event when she shot 76-76-152 at the George Thomas-designed Baldwin Hills courses. Again, she used the same tees as the other 42 men who qualified at the now-defunct Culver City course. Perhaps an even greater achievement, Babe played all 36 holes paired with her husband. He failed to qualify.

The following day, Times writer Jack Curnow listed his picks for the event: “Snead and Nelson, logical favorites; Wood and Vines on a hunch; McSpaden overdue; and for a surprise alternate, what’s the matter with Babe Zaharias? She just might give the lads a merry chase.”

Zaharias was paired with Ed Furgol and Ivan Sicks. Times writer Braven Dyer covered the opening round: “Babe Didrikson Zaharias drew a large gallery. Off to a fine start, Babe slumped a bit but still finished with a 76. This may not sound so amazing but she beat 84 males who were out there hacking away.”

Zaharias’ 76 tied her with golfing greats George Von Elm and Denny Shute. Still an amateur, she beat noted professionals including former or future major championship winners Jerry Barber, Olin Dutra and Leo Diegel.

She shot an 81 in Saturday’s second round, but her 157 total was good enough to make the 36-hole cut, another first.

Times columnist Al Wolf wrote: “It’s too bad she couldn’t have shot a couple of her typical rounds and thus ranked among the leaders, because it would have been the biggest thing that ever happened to the tournament. The fans would have loved seeing her battle down the stretch against the Nelsons and Sneads and Mangrums and such. Even though she’s far out of the championship running, Babe deserves a salute. Imagine a woman tackling a 7,000-yard course in the fastest company in the world and sticking!”

A third-round 79 eliminated Zaharias when the field was cut to the low 61 for the final round.

That still leaves Whaley one potential first: to become the only woman to play 72 holes in a PGA Tour event.