Judy Rankin was born on February 18, 1945, in St. Louis, Missouri. She joined the LPGA Tour at age 17 and achieved 26 victories, becoming the first player to earn more than $100,000 in a single LPGA season. A prominent figure in golf, Rankin was named LPGA Player of the Year in 1976 and 1977 and won the Vare Trophy three times. Although she never secured a major championship, she claimed titles at the Colgate Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle in 1976 and the Peter Jackson Classic in 1977. Rankin retired in 1983 due to back issues and later captained Solheim Cup teams to victory. She was inducted into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame in 2000 and received the Bob Jones Award in 2002. After her playing career, she worked as a broadcaster for ESPN, ABC, and the Golf Channel. Residing in Midland, Texas, Rankin and her husband, Walter “Yippy” Rankin, raised their son, Walter Jr. Despite facing cancer, Rankin demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout her life and career.