Sally Little

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Sally Little
Personal information
Born (1951-10-12) 12 October 1951 (age 72)
Cape Town, South Africa
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Sporting nationalityFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Career
Turned professional1971
Former tour(s) LPGA Tour (1971–2005)
Professional wins15
Number of wins by tour
LPGA Tour15
Best results in LPGA major championships
(wins: 2)
Titleholders C'ship T13: 1972
Chevron Championship T5: 1984
Women's PGA C'ship Won: 1980
U.S. Women's Open T2/2nd: 1978, 1986
du Maurier Classic Won: 1988
Women's British Open DNP
Achievements and awards
LPGA Tour
Rookie of the Year
1971
South African Hall of Fame2016

Sally Little (born 12 October 1951) is a South African-born professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1971 and won 15 LPGA Tour events, including two major championship, during her career. In 2016, she became the first female golfer from South Africa inducted into the South African Hall of Fame. [1]

Contents

Personal life

Little was born in Cape Town. She became a United States citizen in August 1982.

Amateur career

She was the low individual at the 1970 World Amateur Team Championship and won the South African Match Play and Stroke Play titles that same year. As an amateur, she tied for fifth at the 1971 Lady Carling Open.

Professional career

Little joined the LPGA Tour in 1971 and was named LPGA Rookie of the Year. Her first professional win was at the 1976 Women's International. Little holed a shot from a greenside bunker on the 72nd hole to edge Jan Stephenson by one shot. [2]

Little's best season was 1982, when she finished third on the money list. She has won 15 times on the tour, including two major championships, the 1988 du Maurier Classic and the 1980 LPGA Championship. She was awarded the 1989 Ben Hogan Award from the Golf Writers Association of America and was recognised during the LPGA's 50th Anniversary in 2000 as one of the LPGA's top-50 players and teachers.

Professional wins

LPGA Tour (15)

Legend
LPGA Tour major championships (2)
Other LPGA Tour (13)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
19 May 1976 Women's International −7 (71-69-71-70=281)1 stroke Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jan Stephenson
219 Mar 1978 Kathryn Crosby/Honda Civic Classic −6 (77-70-70-65=282)Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Lopez
34 Mar 1979 Bent Tree Classic −10 (72-67-72-67=278)2 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Lopez
420 Aug 1979 Barth Classic −8 (68-69-71=208)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Pat Bradley
59 Sep 1979 Columbia Savings Classic −7 (66-71-72=209)2 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Beth Daniel
Flag of the United States.svg Judy Rankin
68 Jun 1980 LPGA Championship −3 (69-70-73-73=285)3 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jane Blalock
727 Jul 1980 WUI Classic −4 (69-71-69-75=284)4 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Amy Alcott
Flag of the United States.svg Beth Daniel
88 Feb 1981 Elizabeth Arden Classic −5 (71-72-72-68=283)Playoff Flag of the United States.svg JoAnne Carner
Flag of the United States.svg Judy Rankin
92 Mar 1981 Olympia Gold Classic −4 (71-71=142)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Lori Garbacz
Flag of the United States.svg Kathy Whitworth
103 May 1981 CPC Women's International −1 (73-71-73-70=287)Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Hollis Stacy
Flag of the United States.svg Kathy Whitworth
1115 Mar 1982 Olympia Gold Classic −4 (75-74-69-70=288)2 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Donna White
124 Apr 1982 Nabisco Dinah Shore Invitational −10 (76-67-71-64=278)3 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Sandra Haynie
Flag of the United States.svg Hollis Stacy
139 May 1982 United Virginia Bank Classic −11 (72-69-67=208)Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Kathy Whitworth
1418 Jul 1982 Mayflower Classic −13 (71-66-70-68=275)5 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Beth Daniel
153 Jul 1988 du Maurier Classic −9 (74-65-69-71=279)1 stroke Flag of England.svg Laura Davies

Note: Little won the Nabisco Dinah Shore Invitational (now known as the Kraft Nabisco Championship) before it became a major championship.

LPGA Tour playoff record (4–2)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
11978 Kathryn Crosby/Honda Civic Classic Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Lopez Won with par on first extra hole
21981 Elizabeth Arden Classic Flag of the United States.svg JoAnne Carner
Flag of the United States.svg Judy Rankin
Won with par on third extra hole
Carner eliminated by par on second hole
31981 CPC Women's International Flag of the United States.svg Hollis Stacy
Flag of the United States.svg Kathy Whitworth
Won with birdie on first extra hole
41982 Arizona Copper Classic Flag of Japan.svg Ayako Okamoto Lost to birdie on second extra hole
51982 United Virginia Bank Classic Flag of the United States.svg Kathy WhitworthWon with birdie on first extra hole
61986 U.S. Women's Open Flag of the United States.svg Jane Geddes Lost 18-hole playoff (Geddes:71, Little:73)

Major championships

Wins (2)

YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner-up
1980 LPGA Championship −3 (69-70-73-73=285)3 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jane Blalock
1988 du Maurier Classic −9 (74-65-69-71=279)1 stroke Flag of England.svg Laura Davies

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

See also

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This article summarizes the highlights of professional and amateur golf in the year 2010.

References

  1. "Sally Little First Female Golfer Inducted Into South African Hall of Fame". LPGA. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  2. Sand Trap shot wins for Little