Margie Masters

Masters was born in Swan Hill, Victoria, on 24 October 1934. Her family later relocated to the Mornington Peninsula, She attended Frankston High School outside Melbourne, where she set records in swimming. After winning the Canadian Women's Amateur in 1964, she moved to the United States. In international competition she represented Australia in the Tasman Cup five successive times from 1954 to 1962 and played in the first two Commonwealth Trophy contests in 1959 and 1963. ==Professional career==

Masters turned professional in 1965, becoming the first Australian to join the LPGA Tour, and was conferred the tour's Rookie of the Year Award. She finished runner-up at the Women's Western Open the following year, She lost a playoff by a single stroke to Shirley Englehorn at the 1970 O'Sullivan Ladies Open, Masters had another runner-up finish at the Colgate Far East Open in December 1974. She retired from the tour five years later. Her petition resulted in the decision in January 1969 – the Matter of Masters – that regarded her as an entertainer in the arts, paving the way for other professional athletes to settle in the US via the same route. ==Later life==

After retiring from competitive golf, Masters became a teacher. She resided in Tucson, Arizona, during her later years. She was also honoured in the halls of fame at Woodlands, the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, as well as the Ottawa Valley Golf Association. The Woodlands championship trophy bears her name. Masters died on 9 October 2022 in Tucson. She was 87 years old. ==Amateur wins==

• 1951 Victorian Junior Championship New Zealand Women's Amateur • 1957 South African Women's Amateur, Victorian Women's Amateur Championship • 1958 Australian Women's Amateur • 1959 Victorian Women's Amateur Championship • 1960 New Zealand Women's Amateur Stroke Play Championship • 1961 Victorian Women's Amateur Championship • 1962 Victorian Women's Amateur Championship • 1963 Victorian Women's Amateur Championship • 1964 Canadian Women's Amateur ==Professional wins==

LPGA Tour wins (1) LPGA Tour playoff record (0–1) Other wins • 1967 Yankee Ladies' Team Championship (with Clifford Ann Creed) ==Team appearances==

Amateur • Commonwealth Trophy (representing Australia): 1959, 1963 • Tasman Cup (representing Australia): 1954 (winners), 1956 (tied), 1958 (winners), 1960 (winners), 1962 (winners) ==References==