University of Georgia Athletics
Goetze-Ackerman Inducted Into Georgia Golf HOF
January 21, 2012 | Women's Golf
Jan. 21, 2012
ATHENS, Ga. --- Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, a two-time National Player of the Year and the 1992 NCAA individual medalist for the Georgia Bulldogs, will be inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame by the Georgia State Golf Association on Saturday night.
"Vicki enjoyed one of the greatest amateur and collegiate careers ever," said Georgia women's golf coach Kelley Hester, who also was Goetze's roommate at UGA. "She had an excellent professional career and continues to play a major role as player-president of the LPGA. Vicki is a great ambassador not only for the University of Georgia but for women's golf in general."
A native of Hull, Ga., Goetze arrived in Athens as a freshman in 1991 following a spectacular amateur run. In the U.S. Girls Junior, she advanced to the quarterfinals at age 13, the semifinals at ages 14, 15 and 16, and the finals at 17. She was also a runner-up (to fellow UGA player Cindy Schreyer) in the 1986 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links before her 14th birthday. Her amateur career was topped by victories in the 1989 and 1992 U.S. Women's Amateurs.
Goetze also represented the United States in two Curtis Cup and two Women's World Amateur Team competitions, both in 1990 and '92. In 1990, she was the individual medalist in the Women's World Amateur for the victorious USA team.
In the two years she played at Georgia, Goetze won the 1992 NCAA individual title and earned National Player of the Year honors in 1992 and 1993. She shot a school-record 65 in the final round of the 1992 NCAAs to defeat Annika Sorenstam by three strokes. Despite only playing two seasons, Goezte establish the Georgia record for individual titles with seven victories.
Professionally, Goetze-Ackerman qualified for the LPGA Tour on her first attempt in the fall of 1993 and played for 16 years before retiring as a full-time member. Her best finish was a tie for second in the 2000 and 2004 Corning Classics. She served on the LPGA Player Executive Committee and Board of Directors in 2005-2007 and was President of the Association in 2007. In 2006, she was honored with the William and Mousie Powell Award, chosen by her peers, as the player whose behavior and deeds best exemplifies the spirit, ideals and values of the LPGA. In December, she was elected to a three-year term as player president of the LPGA.
The other inductees into the Hall of Fame are Richard Crawford, Alfred "Tup" Holmes and Gene Sauers.
