Betsy King on women’s golf

Betsy King in 2018.

John Gress/USGA Museum

Legend Betsy King reflects on her legacy and how women’s golf has evolved in her lifetime.

Who is she? Betsy King is a celebrated professional golfer with a firsthand view on how her sport differed from the men’s division, and how it has changed through the decades.

• In 1977, King joined the LPGA tour, and went on to secure 34 tour wins in her career, smashing records along the way.
• She won the U.S. Women’s Open two years in a row (1989, 1990) and was inducted into the World Golf and LPGA Halls of Fame in 1995.

What’s the big deal? This week, one of the biggest events in women’s golf started – the U.S. Women’s Open.

• This year, for the first time ever, the tournament is taking place at the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links, and golfers are competing for a record $11 million in prize money
• NBC is also broadcasting all four rounds live for the first time, demonstrating a new level of attention to the women’s game

Want more on athletics? Does eating hot dogs count? Listen to Consider This on the history of competitive eating contests.

What’s she saying? King spoke with NPR’s Daniel Estrin from Pebble beach about the tournament and the change this year’s location symbolizes as a whole.

On the energy at Pebble Beach:

It’s great. It’s very positive. It’s phenomenal to see. I played in 30 U.S. Opens and nothing that touches this in terms of the purse money, the way the players are being treated and, of course, getting the opportunity to play Pebble Beach, one of the iconic golf courses available to play. And not only is the course phenomenal, but the views – it’s along the ocean, the Pacific Ocean. So it’s just a special week for everyone…