Kathy Cornelius

United States · born October 27, 1932, Boston, Massachusetts, United States · died 2026

1major championship, LPGA count

U.S. Women's Open1 win, 1 2nd

Summary

First major 1956 U.S. Women's Open
Runner-up in majors 1 time

Wins

1956 U.S. Women's Open Northland Country Club · 302 (+7) · won a playoff against Barbara McIntire

Near misses

1965 U.S. Women's Open Atlantic City Country Club · runner-up to Carol Mann · 292

Rivals

Beat her

Beaten in finals and playoffs

Barbara McIntireLost a playoff to Kathy Cornelius, 1956 U.S. Women's Open

Next in the chain: Carol Mann's rivals →

Moments

1956 U.S. Women's Open Eight strokes behind starting the final round, amateur Barbara McIntire shot a three-under 71 and tied at 302 with an eagle 3 on the 72nd hole - two big wood shots to the green and a downhill 30-foot putt - still the record final-round comeback to tie (book p.16).
1956 U.S. Women's Open Cornelius saved a bogey 6 on the 72nd hole after hitting her second into a ditch to tie at 302, then won Sunday's 18-hole playoff 75-82: one up at the turn, she one-putted the first five greens of the back nine and holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the 15th as McIntire bogeyed.

Records and firsts

various U.S. Women's Open highest winning score · 302 (Betsy Rawls 1953; Kathy Cornelius 1956 (both via playoff))
various U.S. Women's Open highest final round by a champion · 79 (Kathy Cornelius 1956; Catherine Lacoste 1967)

Results by championship

Best day

1956 U.S. Women's Open

Northland Country Club, Duluth, MN · 302 (+7) · won a playoff against Barbara McIntire (18-hole playoff (Sunday))

Eight strokes behind starting the final round, amateur Barbara McIntire shot a three-under 71 and tied at 302 with an eagle 3 on the 72nd hole - two big wood shots to the green and a downhill 30-foot putt - still the record final-round comeback to tie (book p.16).

Cornelius saved a bogey 6 on the 72nd hole after hitting her second into a ditch to tie at 302, then won Sunday's 18-hole playoff 75-82: one up at the turn, she one-putted the first five greens of the back nine and holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the 15th as McIntire bogeyed.

Chosen by rule: her most recent major win. Year page: 1956.

Career line, 1956–1965

U.S. Women's Open

1956 U.S. Women's Open: won 1965 U.S. Women's Open: runner-up to Carol Mann

19601965

2 results. Hover or tap a mark; click it for the year.

Major win
Runner-up

Kathy Cornelius was born on October 27, 1932, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Cornelius won one major championship by the LPGA's official count: the 1956 U.S. Women's Open.

See Kathy Cornelius in our rooms: Every Ground.

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The record

Wins in the majors (1)

Count and list are the LPGA official major-championship record as given in our U.S. Women's Open champions table.

1956 U.S. Women's Open Northland Country Club, Duluth, MN · 302 (+7) · won a playoff against Barbara McIntire (18-hole playoff (Sunday))

Near misses

1965 U.S. Women's Open Atlantic City Country Club · runner-up to Carol Mann · 292

Records and firsts

Rows from our record tables that name this player, worded as the tables word them.

various U.S. Women's Open highest winning score · 302 (Betsy Rawls 1953; Kathy Cornelius 1956 (both via playoff))
various U.S. Women's Open highest final round by a champion · 79 (Kathy Cornelius 1956; Catherine Lacoste 1967)

Sources

Elsewhere: Wikipedia.

Every fact on this page comes from Golf Network News data sets compiled in October 2026 (Masters, PGA Championship, The Open, U.S. Women's Open, Ryder Cup, PGA Tour 2024–2026, major host sites, Champions Dinner menus, and the U.S. Open and state rooms). These are the sources those rows cite.