Sally Little

Sally Little (born 12 October 1951) is a professional golfer. She originally had South African nationality, but became a United States citizen in August 1982. 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]

Sally Little
Personal information
Full nameSally Little
Born (1951-10-12) 12 October 1951
Cape Town, South Africa
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Nationality South Africa
 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'shipT13: 1972
ANA InspirationT5: 1984
Women's PGA C'shipWon: 1980
U.S. Women's OpenT2/2nd: 1978, 1986
du Maurier ClassicWon: 1988
Women's British OpenDNP
Achievements and awards
LPGA Tour
Rookie of the Year		1971
South African Hall of Fame2016

Amateur career

Little was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She was the low individual at the 1971 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. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up
1 9 May 1976 Women's International −7 (71-69-71-70=281) 1 stroke Jan Stephenson
2 19 Mar 1978 Kathryn Crosby/Honda Civic Classic −6 (77-70-70-65=282) Playoff Nancy Lopez
3 4 Mar 1979 Bent Tree Classic −10 (72-67-72-67=278) 2 strokes Nancy Lopez
4 20 Aug 1979 Barth Classic −8 (68-69-71=208) 1 stroke Pat Bradley
5 9 Sep 1979 Columbia Savings Classic −7 (66-71-72=209) 2 strokes Beth Daniel
Judy Rankin
6 8 Jun 1980 LPGA Championship −3 (69-70-73-73=285) 3 strokes Jane Blalock
7 27 Jul 1980 WUI Classic −4 (69-71-69-75=284) 4 strokes Amy Alcott
Beth Daniel
8 8 Feb 1981 Elizabeth Arden Classic −5 (71-72-72-68=283) Playoff JoAnne Carner
Judy Rankin
9 2 Mar 1981 Olympia Gold Classic −4 (71-71=142) 1 stroke Lori Garbacz
Kathy Whitworth
10 3 May 1981 CPC Women's International −1 (73-71-73-70=287) Playoff Hollis Stacy
Kathy Whitworth
11 15 Mar 1982 Olympia Gold Classic −4 (75-74-69-70=288) 2 strokes Donna White
12 4 Apr 1982 Nabisco Dinah Shore Invitational −10 (76-67-71-64=278) 3 strokes Sandra Haynie
Hollis Stacy
13 9 May 1982 United Virginia Bank Classic −11 (72-69-67=208) Playoff Kathy Whitworth
14 18 Jul 1982 Mayflower Classic −13 (71-66-70-68=275) 5 strokes Beth Daniel
15 3 Jul 1988 du Maurier Classic −9 (74-65-69-71=279) 1 stroke 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
1 1978 Kathryn Crosby/Honda Civic Classic Nancy Lopez Won with par on first extra hole
2 1981 Elizabeth Arden Classic JoAnne Carner
Judy Rankin		 Won with par on third extra hole
Carner eliminated with par on second hole
3 1981 CPC Women's International Hollis Stacy
Kathy Whitworth		 Won with birdie on first extra hole
4 1982 Arizona Copper Classic Ayako Okamoto Lost to birdie on second extra hole
5 1982 United Virginia Bank Classic Kathy Whitworth Won with birdie on first extra hole
6 1986 U.S. Women's Open Jane Geddes Lost 18-hole playoff (Geddes:71, Little:73)

Major championships

Wins (2)
YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner-up
1980LPGA Championship−3 (69-70-73-73=285)3 strokes Jane Blalock
1988du Maurier Classic−9 (74-65-69-71=279)1 stroke Laura Davies

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

  • Handa Cup (representing World team): 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 (tie)

See also

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
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