Kathy Cornelius: key obituary facts
Is Kathy Cornelius dead? Yes. Kathy Cornelius died on September 28, 2026, at age 93.
Cause of death: Kathy Cornelius's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Kathy Cornelius known for?
She was a professional golfer.
More about Kathy Cornelius
Born: 27 October 1932.
Place of birth: Boston.
Gender: female.
Occupation: golfer.
Nationality: United States.
Kathy Cornelius, the American golfer who won the 1956 U.S.
Women’s Open, died on September 28, 2026, aged 93. Born Kathy McKinnon in Boston in 1932, she played golf at Florida Southern College, where she competed on the men’s team because the school did not yet have a women’s team.
Cornelius turned professional in 1953 and joined the LPGA Tour in 1956, when she captured two victories in her rookie season. She went on to win six LPGA Tour titles in all, and the U.S. Women’s Open remained her only major championship. Her best finish on the money list came in 1973, when she placed eighth, and she finished among the tour’s top 20 in earnings 12 times.