Penny Grice-Whittaker Explained

Penny B. Grice-Whittaker
Birth Date:11 October 1964
Birth Place:Sheffield, England
Yearpro:1985
Extour:Ladies European Tour
Prowins:4
Letwins:3
Alpgwins:1

Penny B. Grice-Whittaker (Grice, 11 October 1964)[1] is a former English golfer turned singer. As an amateur golfer, Grice-Whittaker won multiple events in England and was a bronze medalist for the Great Britain and Ireland team at the 1984 Espirito Santo Trophy. She also participated at the Curtis Cup that year for Great Britain before turning professional in 1985. As a professional golfer, Grice-Whittaker won her first Ladies European Tour event at the 1986 Belgian Ladies Godiva Open. She later won additional LET events in 1991 at the Weetabix Women's British Open and Longines Classic. On the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour, Grice-Whittaker won the 1992 Hisiki Ladies Queensland Open. After retiring from golf in 1998, Grice-Whittaker became a member of the female musical duo Bits-n-Pieces in the early 2000s.

Early life

In 1964, Grice-Whittaker was born in Sheffield, England. She began to play golf when she was thirteen.[2]

Amateur career

Grice-Whittaker began her amateur career as a runnerup at the 1981 Girls Amateur Championship.[3] As an amateur, Grice-Whittaker won her first amateur events in Yorkshire between 1981 and 1983. At events held by England Golf, Grice-Whittaker won the 1983 English Girls' Open Championship and the 1984 English Women's Strokeplay.[4] [5] In amateur team events held in 1984, Grice-Whittaker was a participant at the Curtis Cup and a bronze medalist at the Espirito Santo Trophy for the Great Britain and Ireland team.[6] [7]

Professional career

After turning professional in 1985, Grice-Whittaker played on the Ladies European Tour. Her first win was at the 1986 Belgian Ladies Open with a course record of seventeen under par.[8] [9] During the 1990s, additional European wins for Grice-Whittaker came at the 1991 Women's British Open and the 1991 Longines Classic. Outside of the LET, Grice-Whittaker won the 1992 Hisiki Ladies Queensland Open on the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour.[10] [11]

Private life

In 1998, Grice-Whittaker ended her golf career to become a singer. In the early 2000s, she started singing as a member of the female musical duo Bits-n-Pieces.[12]

On 8 October 2021, Grice-Whittaker appeared on The Chase. Chaser Paul Sinha remarked that she was the first person he'd faced on the show with a bigger Wikipedia entry than he had - aside from the Celebrity edition.

Professional wins (4)

Ladies European Tour wins (3)

ALPG Tour wins (1)

Team appearances

Amateur

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Grice-Whittaker, Mrs Penny (nee Grice) . Women Golfers' Museum . 20 March 2022.
  2. News: Jane aims for repeat . The Guardian . 22 August 1981 . 20.
  3. News: Grice has potential . The Guardian . 24 August 1981 . 16.
  4. Web site: English Girls' Open Championship . England Golf . 5 August 2019.
  5. Web site: English Women's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship . England Golf . 5 August 2019.
  6. News: Kahn . Liz . Curtis Cup duo in the lead . The Guardian . 9 May 1985 . 27.
  7. Web site: Women's Records . International Golf Federation . 18 July 2019.
  8. Web site: Famous Golfers: G . Women Golfers Museum . 18 July 2019.
  9. News: Whittaker wins Belgian Open . The Index-Journal . 23 June 1986 . 12.
  10. News: Gregg . Kim . Late run wins it for Grice-Whittaker . The Age . 10 February 1992 . 30.
  11. Web site: 1992 Hisiki Ladies Queensland Open . Australian Ladies Professional Golf . 18 July 2019.
  12. News: Mair . Lewine . Swapping clubs to become the newest swinger in town . Daily Telegraph . 12 February 2002 . 6.
  13. August 1983 . Mästerskap, JEM Flickor . Championships, European Lady Junior's Team Championship . Svensk Golf . sv . 59,78 . 6/1983 . 2022-12-20.
  14. Lars-Åke . Persson . August 1984 . Guldtjejerna . The Golden Girls . Svensk Golf . sv . 20–21 . 8/1984 . 2022-12-21.
  15. News: Scots girls crash . . 30 . 12 July 1986 . Newspapers.com.
  16. Lars-Åke . Persson . August 1986 . Svenskt favoritfall i flickornas JEM . Swedish favourites fell in European Lady Junior's Team Championship . Svensk Golf . sv . 68–69 . 8/1986 . 2022-12-25.