LPGA legend Kathy Whitworth passes away at the age of 83

Kathy Whitworth, who won the most LPGA titles ever, passed away on Sunday. Whitworth, 83, was celebrating Christmas Eve with her family and friends when she died suddenly.

“Kathy left this world the way she lived her life, loving, laughing and creating memories,” Whitworth's long-time partner Bettye Odle confirmed the news in a an LPGA press release.

Whitworth was the most successful player on the tour, both men and women considered, in golf history. She has won 88 titles, six more than the PGA's Sam Snead and Tiger Woods (82).

Whitworth's first title came in the 1962 Kelly Girls Open. She officially retired in 2005, having won her 88th and final title at the United Virginia Bank Classic in 1985.

Whitworth was the first LPGA golfer to cross the $1 million career earnings bar that she achieved in 1981. She became a "World Golf Hall of Famer" in 1982.

“Kathy was a champion in the truest sense of the word, both on the golf course and off. In the short time I spent with Kathy, I was truly blown away by her and her approach to the game and to life," added Mollie Marcoux Samaan, LPGA Commissioner.

Whitworth was born in September 27, 1939 in a family who owned a hardware store in Jal, New Mexico. Her father, Morris, was a three-time mayor. She started playing golf at the age of 15 after her friend wanted to give it a try.

Whitworth won six majors in her long career Western Open (1), Titleholders C'ship (2), and Women's PGA Championship (3). She came close to winning the Women's US Open in 1971 where she finished T-2.

Rhonda Glenn, the author of The Illustrated History of Women’s Golf, stated that Whitworth’s determination and inability to quit were her biggest strengths.

Not only did Whitworth win the most titles, she had come close to winning 95 other times where she finished runner-up, a record in itself.

Although Whitworth wasn't a founding member of the LPGA, she played an important role in shaping it up and ensuring its success. She served as the tour president four times.

Whitworth was always there for the players and paved the way for the future LPGA generation too.

“The LPGA doesn’t owe us older players anything. The LPGA doesn’t owe me anything. All this stuff about what we’ve done for the LPGA, why, I owe the LPGA everything," Whitworth's word for the Glenn.

"You watch, when I quit, after a couple of years, people will forget who I ever was,” that was her humility.

Another anecdote involves her friend Renee Powell, who became only the second African-American to play in the LPGA after Althea Gibson.

"There was an incident at a hotel where someone told Kathy that they were not going to allow me to stay at the hotel, and Kathy walked out and said, ‘We all stay, or we all go.’ And they suddenly found a room for me," said Powell in her interview to LPGA Women's Network.

Golf shall surely miss Whitworth.

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Tributes pour in for Whitworth

Kathy Whitworth passes away at 83

Annika Sorenstam called Whitworth a "total class act" in her tweet.

NBC's Nicole Gaddie called her the greatest ever.

WTA legend Billie Jean King gave her condolences to the late golfer.