The best golfer from every U.S. state

Nevada: Patty Sheehan

While Patty Sheehan may not have been born in Nevada, she certainly set her roots there, moving to the state in her younger years after being born in Vermont. She’s stayed in Reno since, still calling the town her residence to this day. And it was in Nevada where she first started making noise as a golfer, which included winning the Nevada high school championships for three-straight years. That was only the beginning for her, however.

After her illustrious high school golf career, Sheehan went on to win the Nevada State Amateur Championship in 1975 and decided that she’d like to three-peat in that tournament as well, winning the next two times she played. Following that run, she finished second at the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1979 before ultimately turning pro and joining the LPGA Tour in 1980.

Her professional career went off like gangbusters as she was named the LPGA Rookie of the Year for the 1981 season. Soon after, she was earning her first major championship victory as Sheehan captured the 1983 LPGA Championship title. Ever the one to go back-to-back, she replicated the feat in 1984. It would be another eight years before her next major victory, but Sheehan reeled off more in the early 1990s, with two wins at the U.S. Women’s Open (1992, 1994), another win at the LPGA Championship (1993) and a 1996 victory at the ANA Inspiration.

All in all, Sheehan won 35 times on the LPGA Tour and her exploits on the course rightfully earned her a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame.