Susie Maxwell Berning

With a career spanning 26 years, Susie Maxwell Berning made history in the world of women's golf both in her collegiate and professional career.

While a student at Northeast High School in Oklahoma City, Susie collected three straight Oklahoma State High School Championships and three straight Oklahoma City Women's Amateur Championships from 1959 to 1961.

Mentored by Oklahoma City's head professional golfer, U.C. Ferguson, Susie scored a scholarship to Oklahoma City University, who at the time did not have a women's golf team. In the 1960s there were few women's teams at the collegiate level and after much convincing, OCU athletic director Abe Lemons provided Susie a spot on the men's team.

She was one of their best players, however did not get a lot of playing time because the male players did not want to compete against her. After graduating with a degree in business in 1963, Susie took her talent to the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

Susie joined the LPGA in 1964, earning Rookie of the Year honors and wins at the Muskogee Citivan (1965), Louise Sugga Invitational (1967), U.S. Open (1968), Lady Carling and Pabst Classic (1969) and the Lady Keystone Open in 1976.

Berning is one of three women to win the U.S. Open three times and one of four women to have recorded consecutive Open victories (1972, 1973). She is recognized for having a low career round of 65 and career earnings exceeding $300,000. She was inducted into the Oklahoma City University Sports Hall of Fame in 1982 and the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1986.

Berning and her daughter Robin made LPGA history in 1989 when Robin qualified for the San Jose Konica Classic, marking the first time a mother and daughter have played together in the LPGA.

Berning only spent part-time on the course with the other half of her time dedicated to raising her family. She continued to sporadically compete well into her 50s. She was also known for public speaking, illustrating her love for the game of golf and her desire to compete.