1970 LPGA Championship
The 1970 LPGA Championship was the 16th LPGA Championship, held June 11–15 at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, Massachusetts, southeast of Worcester.
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | June 11–15, 1970 |
| Location | Sutton, Massachusetts |
| Course(s) | Pleasant Valley Country Club |
| Tour(s) | LPGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play – 72 holes |
| Statistics | |
| Par | 73 |
| Length | 6,130 yards (5,605 m)[1] |
| Field | 67 players |
| Cut | none |
| Prize fund | $30,000 |
| Winner's share | $4,500 |
| Champion | |
 | |
| 285 (−7), playoff | |
In an 18-hole Monday playoff, Shirley Englehorn won her only major title, defeating 1967 champion Kathy Whitworth by four strokes.[2] Englehorn bogeyed the second hole and parred the rest for a 74 (+1).[3] Three years earlier Pleasant Valley, Whitworth had bested Englehorn by a stroke in 1967, after the pair had co-led after 54 holes. It was Englehorn's fourth consecutive victory during the 1970 season;[1] defending champion Betsy Rawls tied for 26th, 21 strokes back.[4]
This was the third LPGA Championship held at Pleasant Valley in four years, and the third of seven in an eight-year stretch.
Past champions in the field
| Player | Country | Year(s) won | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Total | To par | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kathy Whitworth | | 1967 | 69 | 71 | 73 | 72 | 285 | −7 | 2 |
| Sandra Haynie | | 1965 | 73 | 72 | 72 | 75 | 292 | E | T6 |
| Mary Mills | | 1964 | 69 | 76 | 78 | 74 | 297 | +5 | T12 |
| Louise Suggs | | 1957 | 74 | 76 | 76 | 75 | 301 | +9 | T19 |
| Marlene Hagge | | 1956 | 78 | 76 | 75 | 76 | 305 | +13 | 25 |
| Gloria Ehret | | 1966 | 75 | 76 | 76 | 79 | 306 | +14 | T26 |
| Judy Kimball | | 1962 | 73 | 82 | 77 | 74 | 306 | +14 | T26 |
| Betsy Rawls | | 1959, 1969 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 73 | 306 | +14 | T26 |
| Sandra Post Elliott | .svg.png){kind=small} | 1968 | 78 | 75 | 83 | 80 | 316 | +24 | T48 |
Source:[4]
Final leaderboard
Sunday June 14, 1970
Whitworth had a four-stroke lead after 58 holes, but Englehorn was four-under on the back nine on Sunday, including a birdie on the final hole to force the Monday playoff.[4][5]
| Place | Player | Country | Score | To par | Money ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Shirley Englehorn | | 70-70-75-70=285 | −7 | Playoff |
| Kathy Whitworth | | 69-71-73-72=285 | |||
| 3 | Sandra Palmer | | 73-72-73-70=288 | −4 | 2,600 |
| 4 | Murle Breer | | 75-71-70-74=290 | −2 | 2,150 |
| 5 | Sharon Miller | | 74-74-72-71=291 | −1 | 1,800 |
| T6 | JoAnne Carner | | 71-76-70-75=292 | E | 1,400 |
| Sandra Haynie | | 73-72-72-75=292 | |||
| T8 | Gerda Whalen |  | 73-73-73-74=293 | +1 | 1,050 |
| Sharron Moran | | 73-71-75-74=293 | |||
| Marilynn Smith | | 74-69-73-77=293 |
Playoff
Monday, June 15, 1970
No birdies were scored in the playoff: both bogeyed the second hole and Whitworth had another at the ninth to fall one back at the turn. She had a double bogey at the twelfth and dropped three back, while Englehorn had seventeen pars on the way to a one-over 74 for a four-stroke win and the title.[1][3]
| Place | Player | Country | Score | To par | Money ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shirley Englehorn | | 39-35=74 | +1 | 4,500 |
| 2 | Kathy Whitworth | | 40-38=78 | +5 | 3,410 |
Source:[1]
References
- "Shirley Englehorn wins playoff easily". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. June 16, 1970. p. 13.
- "Englehorn wins LPGA golf crown". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 16, 1970. p. 3B.
- "Miss Englehorn wins Open golf". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. June 16, 1970. p. 10.
- "Shirley forces LPGA showdown". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. June 15, 1970. p. 11.
- "Playoff needed in women's PGA". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. June 15, 1970. p. 8.
- "Ladies PGA". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). June 15, 1970. p. 5B.