Sandra Palmer (golfer)

Last updated

Sandra Palmer
Personal information
Full nameSandra Palmer
Born (1943-03-10) March 10, 1943 (age 81)
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Height5 ft 1.5 in (1.56 m)
Sporting nationalityFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Residence Sammamish, Washington, U.S.
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

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patty Berg</span> American professional golfer

Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer. She was a founding member and the first president of the LPGA. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Kathrynne Ann Whitworth was an American professional golfer. During her playing career she won 88 LPGA Tour tournaments, more than anyone else on the LPGA or PGA Tours. Whitworth was also a runner-up 93 times, giving her 181 top-two finishes. In 1981, she became the first woman to reach career earnings of $1 million on the LPGA Tour. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The Legends of the LPGA, formerly known as the Women's Senior Golf Tour (2000–2005) and the Legends Tour (2006–2021), is a professional golf tour for women aged 45 and older. It is based in the United States and is the official senior tour of the LPGA Tour. The tour was founded in 2000, and is intended to allow women to prolong their competitive golf careers on the model of the PGA Tour Champions for men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandra Post</span> Canadian professional golfer

Sandra Post, is a retired professional golfer, the first Canadian to play on the LPGA Tour. In 1968 at age 20 in her rookie professional year, she won a women's major – the LPGA Championship, and was the youngest player at the time to win a major.

Pat Bradley is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1974 and won 31 tour events, including six major championships. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

JoAnne Gunderson Carner is an American former professional golfer. Her 43 victories on the LPGA Tour led to her induction in the World Golf Hall of Fame. She is the only woman to have won the U.S. Girls' Junior, U.S. Women's Amateur, and U.S. Women's Open titles, and was the first person ever to win three different USGA championship events. Tiger Woods is the only man to have won the equivalent three USGA titles. Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Carol Semple Thompson have also won three different USGA titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carol Mann</span> American professional golfer

Carol Mann was an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1961 and won two major championships and 38 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Sandra Jane Haynie is an American former professional golfer on the LPGA Tour starting in 1961. She won four major championships, 42 LPGA Tour career events, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patty Sheehan</span> American professional golfer

Patty Sheehan is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1980 and won six major championships and 35 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Elizabeth Earle Rawls was an American professional golfer who played on LPGA Tour. She won eight major championships and 55 LPGA Tour career events. She was a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Barbara Jane Blalock is an American business executive and retired professional golfer. After winning several New England golf tournaments in her youth, Blalock joined the LPGA Tour as a professional in 1969, being named LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 1969 and Most Improved Golfer in 1970 and 1971. She won the historically notable Dinah Shore Colgate Winner's Circle in 1972, earning "the richest prize in women's golf history." After successfully fighting a suspension from the LPGA for allegedly signing an incorrect scorecard a month after Dinah Shore, by 1977 she was the sixth-highest paid female golfer of all time. The Evening Independent described her as "one of the foremost women golfers of her time" the following year. Nursing a herniated disc, Blalock failed to win a tournament from 1981 until 1984, though after two wins in 1985 she was named Comeback Player of the Year by Golf Digest.

Jane Geddes is a retired American professional golfer. She joined the LPGA Tour in 1983 and won two major championships and 11 LPGA Tour events overall. Geddes was the Vice President of Talent Relations of WWE.

Susie Maxwell Berning is a retired American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1964 and won four major championships and eleven LPGA Tour victories in all. She also competed under her maiden name Susie Maxwell from 1964 to 1968. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2022.

Elizabeth May Jameson was an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) in 1950. She won three major championships and a total of thirteen events during her career, one as amateur and twelve as a professional. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Beverly Hanson was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.

This article summarizes the highlights of professional and amateur golf in the year 2011.

The 1972 LPGA Tour was the 23rd season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 5 to November 5. The season consisted of 29 official money events. Kathy Whitworth won the most tournaments, five. Whitworth led the money list with earnings of $65,063.

The 1975 LPGA Tour was the 26th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 31 to November 23. The season consisted of 27 official money events. Sandra Haynie and Carol Mann won the most tournaments, four each. Sandra Palmer led the money list with earnings of $76,374.

Jane Blalock v. Ladies Professional Golf Association was an ongoing lawsuit that took place between 1972 and 1975, following a professional golf incident in 1972. A month after winning the Dinah Shore Colgate Winner's Circle in 1972, American golfer Jane Blalock was allegedly observed replacing her marker incorrectly at the Bluegrass Invitational during the 1972 LPGA Tour. Blalock was fined and suspended by the LPGA Tour executive board. The suspension led to a fair degree of press coverage, with Blalock filing an antitrust countersuit in United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia shortly afterwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 U.S. Senior Women's Open</span> Golf tournament

The 2018 U.S. Senior Women's Open was the inaugural U.S. Senior Women's Open. It was a professional golf tournament organized by the United States Golf Association, open to women over 50 years of age. The championship was played at the Chicago Golf Club, Wheaton, Illinois, from July 12 to 15 and was won by Laura Davies, England.

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