Tribute to Colleen Walker

By Jim Joanos

After courageously fighting off cancer over nine years ago, Colleen Walker, at age 56, died last month from a second bout with the dreaded disease. Her passing, on December 11th, was sad news for many of us who have had the pleasure of knowing her. She was a very special person: a former outstanding professional golfer, a wonderful wife and mother, and a cherished friend of many. In addition, she was a revered alum and very dedicated supporter of Florida State University.

Colleen Walker

As a child, Colleen began playing golf at age 14. During her teen years she became one of the top female amateur golfers in South Florida. In the mid seventies, it was FSU’s good fortune that she chose to take her game to Tallahassee and play for the Seminoles. It was especially important to FSU as the school was early in its establishment of women’s intercollegiate athletics. As it turned out, Colleen played a very important role in the development of that program. At FSU, as the most valuable player, 1977-78, she led the women’s golf teams to new heights and helped to establish the university’s competitiveness among the better college golf programs in the country. After her graduation with a degree in marketing, as she moved up the ladder as a professional golfer, she continued to generously provide support and encouragement to the FSU program as it too moved up the ladder of improvement. She has been given credit for inspiring the national championship that came to FSU women’s golf a few years after her graduation.

After college, her golf game continued to improve and by winning a qualifying tournament, she became a member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour in 1982. During her LPGA career of about 23 years, she won nine titles, including one major tournament, the 1987 du Maurier at the Glen Abbey course in Oakville, Ontario. In the final round of that tournament, she shot 65 which was eight under par and allowed her to win by two shots. Her last tour title was won in 1997. She was one of the tour’s most consistent players compiling a record that included 30 top ten finishes and 38 top twenty finishes.

Colleen was survived by her husband, Ron Bakich, who had been her coach. Her son, Tyler Bakich, at sixteen years old, is already an accomplished golfer and has been very successful in age group and high school competition.

Numerous honors were bestowed upon Colleen during her lifetime. They included induction into the FSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991 and into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. She was awarded the LPGA’s Heather Farr Award in 2004, "given to a player on the Tour who through her hard work, dedication and love of the game of golf, has demonstrated determination, perseverance and spirit."

Her close friend, Dawn Coe-Jones, a three-time LPGA winner, was quoted as saying this about Colleen: “I will always remember Colleen for her fight and determination on the golf course. Off the golf course, I loved her sense of humor.” The report of her death in the New York Times described a very brave person who fought back from her first cancer event in 2003. Another report in a Professional Golfer’s magazine included this: “Known for her tenacious spirit, Walker surprised no one with her determination and strong will as she faced her battle with breast cancer in 2003. After all, it was that same fighting spirit that helped Walker to overcome various injuries throughout her career including tendinitis in both elbows and surgery to repair torn cartilage in her left wrist.”

Since her retirement from the LPGA tour, she has frequently returned to Tallahassee to participate in various FSU Varsity Club activities as well as other events. She will be sorely missed. May she rest in peace.