Sandra Palmer (golfer)

Last updated

Sandra Palmer
Personal information
Full nameSandra Palmer
Born (1943-03-10) March 10, 1943 (age 80)
Fort Worth, Texas
Height5 ft 1.5 in (1.56 m)
Sporting nationalityFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Residence Sammamish, Washington
Career
College North Texas State University
Turned professional1964
Former tour(s) LPGA Tour (1964–1997)
Professional wins28
Number of wins by tour
LPGA Tour19
LPGA of Japan Tour2
Other7
Best results in LPGA major championships
(wins: 2)
Western Open T18: 1967
Titleholders C'ship Won: 1972
Chevron Championship T10: 1986
Women's PGA C'ship 3rd: 1970, 1974
U.S. Women's Open Won: 1975
du Maurier Classic T9: 1982
Achievements and awards
LPGA Tour
Money Winner
1975
LPGA Tour
Player of the Year
1975
GWAA Female
Player of the Year
1975
World Golf Hall of Fame 2023

Sandra Palmer (born March 10, 1943) is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1964 and won 19 LPGA Tour events, including two major championships, during her career. She was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2023 and will be inducted in 2024. [1]

Contents

Amateur career

Palmer was born in Fort Worth, Texas, but grew up (and first played golf) in Bangor, Maine. She attended North Texas State University where she was a cheerleader and Homecoming Queen. [2] Palmer attended North Texas State University, where she was runner-up in the 1961 National Collegiate Championship. While at North Texas State, Palmer joined Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She was a four-time winner of the West Texas Amateur and won the Texas State Amateur in 1963.

Professional career

Palmer turned professional and became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1964. She won 19 events on the Tour, and also several other professional events, including some as a senior. Her two wins in major championships came at the 1972 Titleholders Championship and the 1975 U.S. Women's Open. She topped the money list for 1975 and was awarded the LPGA Player of the Year title. Her ten top-10 finishes on the money list came in ten straight years from 1968 to 1977. She played her last event on the Tour in 1997.

Professional wins

LPGA Tour wins (19)

Legend
LPGA Tour major championships (2)
Other LPGA Tour (17)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1May 16, 1971 Sealy LPGA Classic −3 (77-69-72-71=289)2 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Donna Caponi
2Jun 20, 1971 Heritage Open −8 (71-70-70=211)1 stroke Flag of Japan.svg Chako Higuchi
3May 29, 1972 Titleholders Championship −1 (71-68-72-72=283)10 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Judy Rankin
Flag of the United States.svg Mickey Wright
4Feb 18, 1973 Pompano Beach Classic −1 (72-73-70=215)Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Betty Burfeindt
5May 19, 1973 St. Paul Open −7 (70-68-71=209)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Jane Blalock
Flag of the United States.svg Judy Rankin
6Aug 26, 1973 National Jewish Hospital Open −3 (73-69-68=210)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Betty Burfeindt
7Sep 30, 1973 Cameron Park Open −7 (73-72-67=212)2 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Susie Maxwell
Flag of the United States.svg Gail Toushin
8Feb 4, 1974 Burdine's Invitational −3 (70-69-76=215)Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Kathy Whitworth
9Oct 21, 1974 Cubic Corporation Classic −1 (72-72-71=215)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Kathy McMullen
10Apr 20, 1975 Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle −5 (70-70-70-73=283)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Kathy McMullen
11Jul 20, 1975 U.S. Women's Open +7 (78-74-71-72=295)4 strokes Flag of the United States.svg JoAnne Carner
Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Lopez (a)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Sandra Post
12Jul 4, 1976 Bloomington Bicentennial Classic −7 (71-67-71=209)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Laura Baugh
Flag of the United States.svg JoAnne Carner
13Aug 29, 1976 National Jewish Hospital Open −10 (69-70-67=206)2 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Pat Bradley
14Sep 5, 1976 Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Classic −3 (71-68-74=213)Playoff Flag of the United States.svg JoAnne Carner
Flag of the United States.svg Mary Lou Crocker
Flag of England.svg Michelle Walker
15Mar 27, 1977 Kathryn Crosby/Honda Civic Classic −7 (70-68-69-74=281)4 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Hollis Stacy
16Apr 17, 1977 Women's International −7 (70-72-69-70=281)2 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jane Blalock
17Feb 1, 1981 Whirlpool Championship of Deer Creek −8 (66-69-74-75=284)2 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Amy Alcott
18Aug 8, 1982 Boston Five Classic −7 (74-67-71-69=281)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Terri Moody
19Jun 29, 1986 Mayflower Classic −8 (68-68-72-72=280)Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Christa Johnson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jan Stephenson

LPGA Tour playoff record (4–5)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
11972 Corpus Christi Civitan Open Flag of the United States.svg JoAnn Prentice
Flag of the United States.svg Kathy Whitworth
Prentice won with birdie on tenth extra hole
Whitworth eliminated by birdie on third hole
21972 Lady Errol Classic Flag of the United States.svg Jane Blalock
Flag of the United States.svg Kathy Whitworth
Blalock won with birdie on third extra hole
31973 Pompano Beach Classic Flag of the United States.svg Betty Burfeindt Won with birdie on first extra hole
41973 GNA Classic Flag of Germany.svg Gerda Boykin
Flag of the United States.svg Judy Rankin
Rankin won with par on third extra hole
Boykin eliminated by par on first hole
51974 Burdine's Invitational Flag of the United States.svg Kathy Whitworth Won with birdie on fifth extra hole
61976 Orange Blossom Classic Flag of the United States.svg JoAnne Carner Lost to par on fourth extra hole
71976 U.S. Women's Open Flag of the United States.svg JoAnne Carner Lost 18-hole playoff (Carner:76, Palmer.:78)
81976 Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Classic Flag of the United States.svg JoAnne Carner
Flag of the United States.svg Mary Lou Crocker
Flag of England.svg Michelle Walker
Won with birdie on third extra hole
Crocker and Walker eliminated by par on first hole
91986 Mayflower Classic Flag of the United States.svg Christa Johnson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jan Stephenson
Won with birdie on first extra hole

LPGA majors are shown in bold.
Note: Palmer won the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle (now known as the Kraft Nabisco Championship) before it became a major championship.

LPGA of Japan Tour wins (2)

Other wins (7)

Major championships

Wins (2)

YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunners-up
1972 Titleholders Championship −1 (71-68-72-72=283)10 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Judy Rankin, Flag of the United States.svg Mickey Wright
1975 U.S. Women's Open +7 (78-74-71-72=295)4 strokes Flag of the United States.svg JoAnne Carner, Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Lopez (a), Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Sandra Post

See also

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References

  1. "Padraig Harrington, LPGA founders join '24 Golf Hall of Fame class". ESPN. Associated Press. March 9, 2023.
  2. Sandra Palmer is new Open champ