Barbara McIntire twice won the U.S. Women’s Amateur title (1959 and ’64) and was the fourth American to win the British Ladies Amateur (1960). She was a playing member of the U.S. Curtis Cup team in 1958, ’60, ’62, ’64, ’66 and ’72, and was the non-playing captain in 1976 and ’98.
Barbara competed in her first U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1950 at the age of 15, and, in her first match, defeated six-time Women’s Amateur champion Glenna Collett Vare, 3 and 1, at the East Lake course of the Atlanta Athletic Club. Although she then lost her second-round match, she went on to finish second in the 1951 and ’52 USGA Girls’ Junior.
In 1956, Barbara nearly became the first amateur to win the U.S. Women’s Open. After 72 holes, she was deadlocked with Kathy Cornelius for the lead, but lost the 18-hole playoff the next day, at the Northland Country Club in Duluth, Minn. She also won six women’s North and South titles, two Western Amateurs, the Doherty Cup, the South Atlantic and Western Junior Girls’ championships.
McIntire also triumphed in the 1962 and ’65 Broadmoor Ladies’ Invitation. By then, she had moved to Colorado Springs, where for 40 years she would own seven stores at The Broadmoor with the inimitable Judy Bell. The pair were Broadmoor Golf Club members, as were fellow national amateur stars Tish Preuss and Nancy Roth Syms.
She chaired the USGA Women’s Committee in 1995-96, demonstrating the hard work and integrity that is the hallmark of a volunteer. She followed that stint in 1998 with a second turn as the U.S. Curtis Cup team captain, leading her team to a 10-8 victory at The Minikahda Club.
Her playing prowess, sportsmanship and passionate support of women’s golf earned McIntire the 2000 Bob Jones Award, the USGA’s highest honor. In 2015, the Colorado Golf Association named her its “Woman Golfer of the Century” as part of the CGA’s 100th Anniversary.
McIntire retired to Southern Pines, N.C., where she passed away on May 6, three months after her 90th birthday.
1976 Golf Person of the Year
An amateur champion in both the U.S. and UK, this six-time Curtis Cup player captained the winning 1976 U.S. Curtis Cup team.
