Margaret Abbott
(1878 – 1955)
Amateur Golfer • First American Woman Olympic Champion • Member of Chicago Golf Club
Profile Overview
Meet Margaret Abbott — member of the historic Chicago Golf Club and trailblazing athlete who became the first American woman ever to win an Olympic event, taking gold in golf at the 1900 Paris Olympic Games.
Born in Calcutta, India, Margaret was the daughter of U.S. merchant Charles Abbott and writer Mary Perkins Ives. After her father’s early death, the family returned to the United States, settling first in Boston and later in Chicago. Her mother, an accomplished literary editor at The Chicago Herald, supported the family through writing — and passed on her passion for golf to her children.
Margaret quickly took to the game, alongside her brother Sprague Abbott, a Harvard student who frequently partnered with her in mixed foursomes. By 1897, she was training with leading male amateurs at the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois — one of America’s oldest clubs, founded by Charles Blair Macdonald in 1892. It’s believed that her mother Mary was among the club’s earliest female members.
Standing at 5’11”, Margaret was known for her athletic build, strong driving, and fierce competitiveness. Playing off a two handicap, she excelled in local and regional tournaments, earning recognition in newspaper reports for her skill and grace on the course.
Her historic Olympic victory came almost by chance — entered while studying art in Paris at the Académie Julian, she joined what she believed to be a local ladies’ competition at Compiègne Golf Club. Only later was it confirmed as part of the 1900 Paris Olympic Games, making Abbott not only the first American woman Olympic champion, but also golf’s first female gold medallist.
Although she died without knowing her Olympic status, her legacy has endured — a story of talent, independence, and quiet pioneering spirit that continues to inspire women golfers and athletes today.
Recognition and Honours
Margaret’s score of 47 secured first place, making her the first American woman to win an Olympic event, and the first female Olympic golf champion. Abbott’s remarkable achievement was only recognised decades later, as she had passed away long before realising her place in sporting history. It took a researcher, Paula Welch, from the Univeristy of Florida to investigate and trace her family, who knew nothing of her success.
Her belated obituary was published in the New York Times in 2018.
Margaret Abbott – Achievements
| Year | Event | Location | Result / Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | Women’s Golf – Olympic Games | Compiègne Golf Club, Paris, France | 🥇 1st Place | First American woman to win an Olympic event; score 47 over 9 holes
Awarded a porcelain bowl instead of a medal — Olympic medals were not yet standardized. |
| 1900 | Ladies’ Championship of Paris | Paris, France | Winner | Same event later confirmed as part of the Olympic programme |
| 1900 | Artistic Study – Académie Julian | Paris, France | — | Balanced sport and art; represented a new generation of educated, international women |
👑 Legacy and Recognition
Margaret Abbott’s victory remained largely unknown until the 1990s, when historians confirmed her Olympic status.
She never realized she was an Olympian, passing away before her place in history was restored.
Today, she is recognized as a trailblazer for women in both golf and the Olympic movement, representing a generation of women whose talents helped shape sport’s future even before they were fully acknowledged.
Her quiet but groundbreaking triumph embodies the spirit of early women’s golf — courage, curiosity, and commitment to play.