NorCal native Kay Cockerill may be known more today for her work as a golf reporter for Golf Channel, but there was a time when she was the player being celebrated.
In 1986-1987, Cockerill, who grew up in Los Gatos, won back-to-back U.S. Women’s Amateur titles.
At the 1986 championship, Cockerill—playing just over the Santa Cruz Mountains at Pasatiempo GC in Santa Cruz—cruised to a 9 and 7 win over Kathleen McCarthy.
A year later at Rhode Island CC, Cockerill defeated Tracy Kerdyk, 3 and 2.
At the time Cockerill made it five wins in eight years at the U.S. Women’s Am for a NorCal player. From 1980-1982, Juli Inkster, who grew up in a home along Pasatiempo, won three straight U.S. Women’s Am crowns.
Cockerill and Inkster are today both members of the NCGA Hall of Fame.