| Colleen Walker |
Full Name: Colleen Walker
Born: August 16, 1956, Jacksonville, Fla.
Died: December 11, 2012, Valrico, Fla.
School: John I. Leonard High School in Greenacres, Florida
Seminole Relations: Mother of Tyler Bakich
Awards: 2006 Champions Beyond the Game
Legacy Bricks: Legacy Walk Map Link
1991 Golf HOF - Loc 44
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| Click On Photo To Enlarge |
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| FSU Career |
| Golf | |
Year Hgt Wgt Cl Ltr Hometown 1977 Jr * West Palm Beach 1978 Sr * West Palm Beach |
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| Member of the FSU Hall of Fame |
| Elected into the FSU Hall of Fame in 1991 |
| Collen Walker has proven to be one of the most successful golfers in Lady Seminole history. Tabbed most valuable player at Florida State in 1977 and '78, Walker was a catalyst in leading her team to anational collegiate championship. She joined the LPGA in 1982 and captured her first LPGA title at the 1987 Mayflower Classic. One of the most consistent players on the Tour, she has claimed 25top-ten finishes and 28 top-20 finishes since joining. In 1990 alone, Walker won the Circle K LPGA Tucson Open, tied for second in the Sara Lee Classic, finished fifth in the Nabisco Dinah ShoreClassic, tied for sixth in the McDonald's Championship and recorded 14 additional top-20 finishes. Following the McDonald's Championship, Colleen became only the 21st LPGA player to reach the $1million mark in career earnings. Additionally, Colleen's consistency has placed her in the LPGA record books in several categories. She's posted a string of seven consecutive rounds in the 60s,setting an all-time LPGA record, and also led the Tour in birdies (325), rounds under par (55) and rounds in the 60s. |
| Obiturary for Colleen Walker from lpga.com December 11, 2012 NINE-TIME LPGA TOUR WINNER COLLEEN WALKER PASSES AWAY AT AGE 56 DAYTONA BEACH, FL – Nine-time LPGA Tour winner Colleen Walker passed away on Tuesday night at her home in Valrico, Fla. following a second battle with cancer. She was 56 years old. Walker, who played on the LPGA Tour from 1982-2004, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2003. Her cancer subsequently went into remission and she returned to professional golf that September. But in late 2011, Walker’s cancer returned, this time resurfacing in her hips and pelvis while continuing to spread throughout her body. Walker is survived by her husband, Ron Bakich, and their 16-year-old son, Tyler Walker Bakich. “Colleen was not only a great ambassador for the LPGA and the game of golf, but more importantly was a true and faithful friend,” said five-time LPGA Tour winner Barb Mucha. “From her caring smile, unselfish ways and deep devotion to her family, her life touched all those she knew. She will be dearly missed, but her love will live on forever in our hearts. I am blessed to have called her friend.” The Jacksonville, Fla. native started playing golf at the age of 14. Four years later, Walker was named the 1974 Palm Beach Post Athlete and Player of the Year. She went on to attend Florida State University where she earned a degree in marketing and earned Most Valuable Player honors on the women’s golf team in 1977 and 1978. Walker joined the LPGA Tour 1982 after winning the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament in December of 1981. She won the first of her nine titles on the LPGA Tour in 1987 at the Mayflower Classic. The following year, 1988, she captured the LPGA’s Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average and finished a career-high fifth on the LPGA Official Money List, one of four times she finished in the top 10 in her 23-year career. Walker led the Tour in top-10 finishes (18), birdies (325), rounds under par (55) and rounds in the 60s (29) that same year and was also named the Most Improved Player by Golf Digest. In 1992, Walker tallied a career-high three victories in a season and in 1997, she won her first major title at the du Maurier Classic – just 10 months after giving birth to her son, Tyler. 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. She was also awarded with 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. Walker was inducted into the Florida State University Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. She joined the Legends Tour in 2001, winning her first tournament that year. Walker’s son, Tyler, is carrying on his mother’s golfing legacy. He is a standout junior golfer who competed in the Florida Class 2A State Championship with the Newsome High School golf team in October. Tyler also won the Florida State Golf Association Junior Match Play Championship in his age group this past July. “I will always remember Colleen for her fight and determination on the golf course,” said three-time LPGA winner and close friend of Walker’s, Dawn Coe-Jones. “Off the golf course, I loved her sense of humor. I will miss walking the fairways with her as we watched our sons compete. Rest in peace, Colleen.”
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| FSU Statistics |
| Golf |
Year Tournaments Rounds Par Low Strokes Wins Top10 Ave =========================================================== 1976-77 7 18.0 0 74 1,415 0 2 78.61 1977-78 4 10.5 0 76 831 0 0 79.14 ----------------------------------------------------------- Total 11 29 0 74 2,246 0 2 78.81 |
Date Opponent/Tournament Place Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Total Par
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1976-77 Season
10/13/1976 Lady Seminole Invitational 81 77 158
10/24/1976 Beacon Woods Invitational 78 78
02/08/1977 Miami Invitational 11 80 78 78 236
02/22/1977 Rollins Invitational 7t 81 74 155
04/01/1977 Lady Paladin Invitational 82 80 79 241
04/13/1977 FAIAW State Championship 2 74 77 74 225
06/18/1977 AIAW Championship 42t 82 79 81 80 322
1977-78 Season
11/12/1977 Beacon Woods Invitational 77 77
03/19/1978 Betsy Rawls Invitational 79 79 79 237
04/19/1978 Florida State Championship 18t 79 84 37 200
06/17/1978 AIAW Championship 57t 84 78 79 76 317
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