Fort Worth's Kathy Whitworth Foundation offers $25,000 to women chasing pro golf careers

Before Kathy Whitworth won a record 88 LPGA Tour titles, she nearly left the game. Poor results and money troubles threatened to end her career. The support she got back then made it possible for her to keep going. Now the Fort Worth-based Kathy Whitworth Foundation is offering that same kind of help to the next generation.

Through the 2027 KW88 Gift Award, five women pursuing professional golf careers will each receive $5,000, for a total of $25,000. The award is for women who have shown a commitment to professional golf and who need financial help. Applications are due Oct. 26, 2026. The award can be received only once, so past recipients can't apply again.

The application asks about more than scores. Candidates are asked how they've handled adversity, who helped them keep going and what success would mean to them even if they never won on the LPGA Tour. One question, as reported by Fort Worth Inc., asks: "Tell us about a time when quitting would have been the easier choice. Why did you continue?" Applicants are also asked how they've helped others through golf and how they might one day "pay it forward" to another young player.

Last year's recipients show what the money can do. Samantha Wagner, one of five women who received the 2026 award, has earned her way back to the LPGA Tour, according to The Golf Wire. Foundation president Cathy Harbin called it "Kathy's legacy in motion in a very tangible way."

Finalists will be chosen Nov. 16, and interviews will follow through Dec. 2. The online application has to be completed in one sitting, so organizers suggest preparing answers ahead of time. More information is available at kathywhitworthfoundation.org.

This story is based on original reporting by Fort Worth Inc., with additional details from The Golf Wire.