Barbara Romack: Profile of Early LPGA Golfer

Barbara Romack was was an amateur golf champion in the 1950s, then a LPGA Tour player and later an administrator with the LPGA.

Full name: Barbara Gaile Romack

Date of birth: November 16, 1932

Place of birth: in Sacramento, California

Date and place of death: October 15, 2016 in The Villages, Florida

Nickname: Barbie

Romack's Biggest Wins

• 1954 U.S. Women's Amateur
• 1963 Rock City Ladies Open

The Rock City victory was Romack's only win on the LPGA Tour.

In the Majors

Barbara Romack never won a professional major, although she did post high finishes in the majors that were played during her time period on the LPGA. That includes a runner-up showing at the 1960 Western Open and a third-place finish at the 1963 Titleholders.

More About Barbara Romack

Barbara Romack seemed destined for great things when she started winning amateur tournaments of note, first at the 1953 Canadian Women's Amateur. A pixieish 5-foot-4 and 99 pounds, the blonde, blue-eyed "Barbie" captured attention. In 1954 she won the U.S. Women's Amateur and in 1955 lost in the championship match of the British Ladies Amateur. She visited the White House and landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

After turning pro, Romack's career didn't follow through on the promise of her amateur years. She won only once in an LPGA Tour event, in 1963. She turned pro in 1958 and played on the LPGA into the mid-1970s. She also served in LPGA administration, acting a tour vice president for a time. ... Romack was known as a stylish player, and was voted Best Dressed in 1965.

In 1968, Romack was on board a plane heading to Florida when a hijacker forced the plane to go to Cuba instead. Nobody was harmed, and Romack, as a semi-celebrity, gained more attention than she had in years. ... Played on the USA Curtis Cup teams in 1954, 1956, 1958.