Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By: Ana Kieu

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Pat Hurst, a six-time winner on the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) Tour and the only San Jose State alumna to win a NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship, returns to her alma mater as the women’s golf assistant coach. New San Jose State head coach Dana Dormann made the announcement Tuesday.

Hurst, a San Leandro, Calif. native, is entering college coaching for the first time and can rely on her past experiences as an assistant captain of the 2015 and 2017 United States-winning Solheim Cup teams.

“I am very pleased Pat Hurst is coming back to San Jose State as the assistant coach to the women’s golf team. Her success at every level of competition from junior, to SJSU, and to the LPGA Tour is unmatched in college coaching,” said Dormann, who’s a San Jose State alumna and a two-time LPGA Tour winner herself.

“Her work as the Solheim Cup assistant captain to fellow Spartan alumna Juli Inkster has given Pat knowledge of team building, course strategy and an understanding of the game that will be very valuable to our team. I look forward to working with my fellow Spartan as San Jose State Women’s golf builds our ‘Culture of Champions’ for life.”

Before enrolling at San Jose State, Hurst was the 1986 USGA Girls Junior champion. As a sophomore, Hurst was the 1989 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf medalist and led the Spartans to their second of three national team championships at the Stanford Golf Course in Stanford, Calif.

The two-time first-team All-American would capture the 1990 U.S. Women’s Amateur — Hurst’s second USGA championship in four years. Hurst earned her LPGA Tour Card in 1994 and was named the Tour’s “Rookie of the Year” in 1995. Hurst’s first LPGA Tour win was the 1997 Oldsmobile Classic in East Lansing, Mich.

Hurst has one major championship win to her credit–the 1998 Nabisco Dinah Shore Invitational–and 10 other top-10 finishes at LPGA Major Championship Tour events. She played on eight USA teams in international competition–four of them Solheim Cup winners. Hurst has a 10-7-3 Solheim Cup individual win-loss record.

“I am so excited to be joining the San Jose State University women’s golf team as the assistant coach. I look forward to using my knowledge and experiences to help the team and making an impact on their lives,” said Hurst, who was an inductee into multiple Halls of Fame, including the San Jose State Sports’ Hall of Fame.

Though Hurst has cut back on the number of tournaments she plays in recent years, her $7 million in career earnings still ranks her 33rd all-time among LPGA players.

“Congratulations to Pat Hurst on being named assistant coach for the San Jose State University women’s golf team. She has been my right hand person for the last two Solheim Cups (United States vs. Europe). She is organized, passionate and fun,” said Juli Inkster, a LPGA Hall of Fame golfer who served as the captain of the triumphant 2015 and 2017 U.S. teams after becoming an San Jose State alumna.

“Dana Dormann and Pat will make a amazing team. Their golf knowledge and loyalty to SJSU will be a home run. I wish I had some eligibility left.”