Babe Zaharias' 1954 US Open Winning Wilson Staff Irons, Woods & Putter - Greatest Victory
"My prayers have been answered. I wanted to show thousands of cancer sufferers that the operation I had, a colostomy, will enable a person to return to normal life. I've received 15,000 inquiries from those who have undergone the operation. This is my answer to them." The Babe's simple message of hope brought the already emotional crowd at the 1954 US Women's Open to tears. It was so much more than a golf tournament and its champion, as is this set of golf clubs.
As the cancer-stricken Babe Zaharias laid in her Beaumont, Texas hospital bed, abundant were uncertainties. Left off that list was not just playing golf, but winning again, at least in her eyes - why bet against who many deem the greatest athlete of all time? Babe's surgeon from a medical perspective said she would never return to championship-level golf. Staging her heroic comeback, Zaharias dreamt up her perfect Wilson Staff club set showcased in her personal 'Babe Didrickson Zaharias' royal blue, silver and red bag and 'BZD' gold stamped headcovers. She did it, at the most important tournament in women's golf! A single month after undergoing surgery for colon cancer she would use this very set of irons, woods and putter to win the 1954 US Women's Open wire-to-wire by 12 strokes - the greatest victory! It was her 10th and final major, the oldest to win it at 43. The crowd was in the palm of Zaharias' hand, famously signing a cast for a suited gentleman with crutches in the first row. Certain sports stories are larger than life, with the legend of Babe Zaharias' 1954 US Women's Open likely the most improbable sports comeback story of all. Babe would pass away just two years later.
In 1955, Zaharias wrote an autobiography 'This Life I've Led' that included the 1954 US Women's Open as she remembered. These quotes are excerpts from one of the final chapters of that publication in her own words. "(Salem Country Club) is a real golf course - 6393 yards long, with a men's par of seventy-two." "The schedule called for eighteen holes on Thursday and eighteen on Friday, then thirty-six holes on Saturday. Having to play two final rounds in a single day was my worry." After posting two course record rounds in 72-71 and following it up with a 73, "In the afternoon fatigue finally began to set in. I was under par for thirteen holes, then I has only one par of the rest of the way. But I still shot seventy-five for the round and 291 for the tournament. Betty Hicks in second place was twelve strokes back." "It's a funny thing, but as tired as I was playing out that last round, I didn't feel tired at all once I came off the course and got in the shower. I was too happy and thrilled over the way I'd come back to win the biggest title in women's golf. All during that 1954 National Women's Open the reporters did everything they could to make things easy for me. Instead of trying to get separate stories from me, they all got together at the end of the day and had me come in for a press conference, and after ten or fifteen minutes of questions I was though."
Hand painted by the Wilson Sporting Goods Co. in-house artist for their staff member 'Babe Didrickson Zaharias' stacked diagonally in silver with red shadowing on the navy blue patriotic bag is just above the "Wilson Sporting Goods Co." across the bottom of the large bag pocket. Eight (8) Wilson Staff Harmonized Top Notch Dyna-Weight stainless irons 2-9, four (4) Wilson Harmonized woods 1,2,3 & 4 and Babe's Spalding Longreen mallet putter with three lead weight inserts in the sole that are photo matched in the reference photo included in this lot, along with the unique putter head shape and flare at the end of her grip. Four 'BZD' gold accented red and black Wilson head covers labeled 1,3,4 and 5. Her Wilson Top Notch wedge, the 14th club, Zaharias donated to the Salem CC president Lionel MacDuff in appreciation of their hospitality this week - since displayed with the letter at the USGA Museum. Founder of the Babe Zaharias Foundation Hal Shaw was very close with Babe, her protégé and employee at this time, and added his own Tampa Golf & CC bag tag to this bag with her blessing, along with a 1953 WGA one. Only one thing is better than Babe's museum worthy 1954 US Women's Open winning irons, woods, putter in her bag before you, her story. 34" - 42"
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