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LPGA golf icon Mickey Wright dies of heart attack

Mickey Wright's 13 LPGA majors trail only Patty Berg, who won 15 major titles. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Mickey Wright's 13 LPGA majors trail only Patty Berg, who won 15 major titles. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Hall of Fame LPGA golfer Mickey Wright -- who won 13 major championships -- has died of a heart attack. She was 85.

Wright died Monday at a hospital in Port St. Lucie, Fla., according to her attorney, Sonia M. Pawluc. She had been previously hospitalized with an illness before having the heart attack Sunday. Wright also survived breast cancer in 2007.

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She is considered one of the best female golfers of all time, winning at least 10 times annually on the PGA Tour during her prime. Her 82 career victories rank second all-time, trailing only Kathy Whitworth (88).

"We are deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Mickey Wright," LPGA commissioner Michael Whan said in a statement. "We lost a legend, but we may also have lost the best swing in golf history today. Our thoughts are with her family and friends."

Wright was born Mary Kathryn Wright in Feb. 14, 1935, in San Diego. She began playing golf at age 11 and won her first USGA Girls' Junior Championship in 1952. She won the World Amateur title two years later before dropping out of Stanford in 1955 to start her professional golf career.

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Wright won her first LPGA tournament in 1956. She went on to win four U.S. Open titles and four LPGA Championships. Wright retired from the LPGA Tour in 1969. She won her final tournament in 1973 at the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle.

She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1976.

"The PGA of America is deeply saddened by the passing of Mickey Wright, who will forever be one of the greatest to play our game. Her swing put the greats in awe & we are forever thankful for her efforts to advance women's golf." PGA president Suzy Whaley said in a statement.

Wright and Tiger Woods are the only golfers in history to win four consecutive major championships.

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Richard "Dick" Thornburgh, former attorney general of the United States and former governor of Pennsylvania, takes a seat at the witness hearing after U.S. Chief Justice nominee Judge John Roberts testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on September 15, 2005. Thornburgh died on December 31 at age 88. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo

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