Catégorie
Athlete
Sport
Golf
Ville natale
Moncton
Année d'intronisation
2024
athlete
Heather Wilbur
MEMBRE HONORÉ
Biographie
Any conversation about New Brunswick golf icons should include Moncton native Heather Wilbur. Though leukemia claimed her life at age 27, she dominated women’s golf in the mid-1990s. In 1994, she won the national championship with the provincial junior women’s golf team. Then, from 1995 to 1998, she won four straight New Brunswick women’s amateur golf championships, earning Sport New Brunswick female athlete of the year in 1997.
She realized her dream of turning pro with the LPGA’s Futures (Now Epson) Tour in 2000 and qualified to compete in the Ladies U.S. Open in 2001: the first New Brunswicker to ever compete at that level. Toward the end of her life, she established the Heather Wilbur Scholarships which, to date, have funded the education of 55 junior golfers. Prior to her passing in 2003, the Epson Tour created the Heather Wilbur Spirit Award, honouring the player who best exemplifies dedication, courage, grit, professional aspiration, and a love of the game; the first winner: Heather Wilbur.
Faits rapides
· Dominant player on the provincial women’s golf scene in the mid-1990’s
· Winner of the NB Women’s Amateur Championship and Female Player of the Year in 1995 through 1998.
· Nova Scotia Amateur Ladies Champion 1996-1998
· Sport NB Female Athlete of the Year in 1997.
· Joined the FUTURES Golf Tour (now Epson) – played 20 events in 2000, played 10 events in 2001.
· May 2001, finished second at US Women’s Open Sectional Qualifier and played in the US Women’s Open, the first NB woman to play in an LPGA event.