
America loves sports heroes, especially improbable ones. That’s why the newest superstar on the scene of women’s sports is garnering such unprecedented accolades (except from the usual Catholic dinosaurs). With 5 victories in her first 10 LPGA events, this previously unknown woman has rocketed to celebrity status in a matter of a few months. But what’s more amazing, she’s done it all since declaring her womanhood only a year ago! Unlike most gender transformations, Hank Purtzel’s was a sudden one. “It was strange,” she says. “I went home after missing another cut on the PGA Tour, knowing that I had