Susie Maxwell Berning was a Hall of Fame golfer on the LPGA tour best known for her four Major Championship victories.
- Died: October 2, 2024 (Who else died on October 2?)
- Details of death: Died in the Palm Springs, California area at the age of 83.
- We invite you to share condolences for Susie Maxwell Berning in our Guest Book.
Susie Maxwell Berning’s legacy
Susie Maxwell Berning did not pick up golf until her teen years after her family moved from Pasadena, California to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Her start in the sport was as strong as they come, however, securing three straight Oklahoma State High School Championships, three straight Oklahoma City Women’s Amateur championships, and earning a golf scholarship to play on the men’s team at Oklahoma City University, the first woman ever to do so.
Berning went professional in 1964 – playing under her maiden name of Maxwell during her first few years – and was also a quick success. In her first year, she earned LPGA Rookie of the Year honors, and in her second won her first of 11 tournaments when she took the 1965 Muskogee Civitan Open.
Between 1965 and 1973, Berning proved especially able when playing in high-pressure events, winning the 1965 Women’s Western Open and earning U.S. Women’s Open victories in 1968, 1972, and 1973. She continued to compete after the 1970s, but not as often. Her final pro tournament came in 1996.
For over two decades, Berning had been teaching the sport at The Reserve Club in Indian Wells, right outside Palm Springs, California. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021, one of only six players to win three or more U.S. Women’s Open championships.
Tributes to Susie Maxwell Berning
Full obituary: Palm Springs Desert Sun
