# JoAnne Carner

JoAnne Gunderson Carner (born April 4, 1939) 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 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.
Carner was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame in 1969. In 1981, Carner was voted the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. She captained the 1994 U.S. Solheim Cup team.

## Amateur career

Born in Kirkland, Washington, a suburb east of Seattle, "The Great Gundy" (as she was known before she married Don Carner) remained an amateur until age 30. In 1960, while attending Arizona State University, she won the national intercollegiate individual golf championship. From 1956 to 1968, she was the dominant woman in amateur golf, and accumulated five U.S. Women's Amateur titles (1957, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1968), ranking her second only to Glenna Collett Vare who had six. She was runner-up two other times (1956, 1964). In 1966, Carner needed 5 extra holes (41 holes in total) to beat Marlene Stewart Streit in the longest final match in U.S. Women's Amateur history. She also won the U.S. Girls' Junior in 1956.
While still an amateur in 1969, Carner won an LPGA Tour event, the Burdine's Invitational. She was the last amateur to win on the LPGA Tour until 15-year-old New Zealander Lydia Ko won the CN Canadian Women's Open in 2012.

## Professional career

Carner's greatest professional victories were her two U.S. Women's Opens, in 1971 and 1976. She led after each round in 1971 and won easily, finishing seven shots better than Kathy Whitworth who finished in second. In 1976, Carner needed an 18-hole playoff to defeat Sandra Palmer.
Big Mama (her other nickname) was the second player in LPGA history to cross the $1 million mark in career earnings. She had an unusually long career, remaining competitive through the late 1990s. During 2004, she still played 10 tournaments and became the oldest player to make a cut on the LPGA Tour at age 65.
On July 29 and 30, 2021, Carner played in the U.S. Senior Women's Open at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, Connecticut and shot her age (82) in the first round, and bettered that by shooting 79 in the second round. Although she did not make the cut, she became the fifth golfer ever to shoot their age or better multiple times in a USGA championship while also being the oldest golfer ever to play in a USGA championship.

## Personal

Carner is a graduate of Arizona State University, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. She married Don Carner in 1963, and he also served as her coach and business manager. They were married 36 years until his death at age 83 in 1999 after a long illness. The couple was known for driving from tournament to tournament and staying in an Airstream trailer.

## Amateur wins (7)

* 1956 U.S. Girls' Junior
* 1957 U.S. Women's Amateur
* 1959 Women's Western Amateur
* 1960 U.S. Women's Amateur
* 1962 U.S. Women's Amateur
* 1966 U.S. Women's Amateur
* 1968 U.S. Women's Amateur

## Professional wins (49)
### LPGA Tour wins (43)

* Legend
* LPGA Tour major championships (2)
* Other LPGA Tour (41)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
| 1 | Jan 19, 1969 | Burdine's Invitational | E (73-73-70=216) | 1 stroke | Shirley Englehorn |
| 2 | Sep 12, 1970 | Wendell-West Open | −2 (72-73-69=214) | Playoff | Marilynn Smith |
| 3 | Jun 27, 1971 | U.S. Women's Open | E (70-73-72-73=288) | 7 strokes | Kathy Whitworth |
| 4 | Aug 1, 1971 | Bluegrass Invitational | −6 (71-71-68=210) | 3 strokes | Sandra Haynie |
| 5 | May 19, 1974 | Bluegrass Invitational (2) | −4 (72-70-73=215) | Playoff | Sandra Spuzich |
| 6 | May 26, 1974 | Hoosier LPGA Classic | −6 (73-72-68=213) | 2 strokes | Donna Caponi Judy Rankin |
| 7 | Jun 9, 1974 | Desert Inn Classic | −4 (74-68-72-70=284) | 1 stroke | Carole Jo Kabler |
| 8 | Aug 18, 1974 | St. Paul Open | −7 (68-70-74=212) | 4 strokes | Laura Baugh |
| 9 | Sep 8, 1974 | Dallas Civitan Open | +1 (71-72-74=217) | 1 stroke | Kathy Whitworth |
| 10 | Sep 29, 1974 | Portland Ladies Classic | −5 (70-70-71=211) | 2 strokes | Donna Caponi |
| 11 | May 25, 1975 | American Defender Classic | −10 (69-68-69=206) | Playoff | Judy Rankin |
| 12 | Jun 8, 1975 | Girl Talk Classic | −6 (68-72-73=213) | 6 strokes | Sandra Spuzich |
| 13 | Jun 29, 1975 | Peter Jackson Classic | −5 (73-69-72=214) | Playoff | Carol Mann |
| 14 | Feb 15, 1976 | Orange Blossom Classic (2) | −7 (65-71-73=209) | Playoff | Sandra Palmer |
| 15 | June 21, 1976 | Lady Tara Classic | −10 (72-67-70=209) | 3 strokes | Silvia Bertolaccini |
| 16 | Jun 20, 1976 | Hoosier Classic (2) | −6 (72-70-68=210) | 2 strokes | Debbie Austin Pat Bradley |
| 17 | Jul 11, 1976 | U.S. Women's Open (2) | +8 (71-71-77-73=292) | Playoff | Sandra Palmer |
| 18 | Jun 5, 1977 | Talk Tournament '77 | −4 (72-70-68-74=284) | 5 strokes | Kathy McMullen |
| 19 | Jul 17, 1977 | Borden Classic | −9 (66-70-71=207) | 1 stroke | Pat Meyers |
| 20 | Sep 11, 1977 | National Jewish Hospital Open | −6 (69-72-69=210) | 2 strokes | Hollis Stacy |
| 21 | Jul 4, 1978 | Peter Jackson Classic (2) | −14 (73-70-71-64=278) | 8 strokes | Hollis Stacy |
| 22 | Jul 16, 1978 | Borden Classic (2) | −7 (71-67-71=209 | 1 stroke | Betsy King Pat Bradley |
| 23 | Mar 18, 1979 | Honda Civic Classic | −7 (72-71-69-69=281) | 3 strokes | Pat Bradley Sandra Post |
| 24 | Apr 1, 1979 | Women's Kemper Open | +2 (72-71-72-71=286) | Playoff | Donna Caponi Hisako Higuchi Nancy Lopez Jan Stephenson |
| 25 | Feb 4, 1980 | Whirlpool Championship of Deer Creek | −10 (69-71-69-73=282) | 2 strokes | Sandra Post |
| 26 | Feb 24, 1980 | Bent Tree Ladies Classic | −8 (72-71-68-69=280) | 1 stroke | Sandra Post |
| 27 | Mar, 9, 1980 | Sunstar Classic | −9 (69-71-67=207) | 3 strokes | Debbie Massey Kathy Postlewait |
| 28 | Mar 16, 1980 | Honda Civic Golf Classic (2) | −71-69-70-69=279) | 4 strokes | Judy Rankin |
| 29 | Jun 22, 1980 | Lady Keystone Open | −9 (67-69-71=207) | 4 strokes | Jo Ann Washam |
| 30 | Feb 15, 1981 | S&H Golf Classic (2) | −1 (69-74-72=215) | Playoff | Dot Germain |
| 31 | Jun 21, 1981 | Lady Keystone Open (2) | −13 (68-69-66=203) | 8 strokes | Martha Nause |
| 32 | Aug 30, 1981 | Columbia Savings LPGA Classic (2) | −10 (70-70-67-71=278) | 2 strokes | Janet Anderson Patty Sheehan Kathy Whitworth |
| 33 | Sep 7, 1981 | Rail Charity Golf Classic | −11 (70-69-66=205) | 2 strokes | Kyle O'Brien |
| 34 | Feb 7, 1982 | Elizabeth Arden Classic (2) | −5 (70-70-71-72=283) | 1 stroke | Jo Ann Washam |
| 35 | Jun 6, 1982 | McDonald's Classic | −12 (68-73-68-67=276) | 6 strokes | Sandra Haynie |
| 36 | Aug 22, 1982 | Chevrolet World Championship of Women's Golf | −4 (72-70-71-71=284) | 5 strokes | Ayako Okamoto |
| 37 | Aug 29, 1982 | Henredon Classic | −6 (70-71-69-72=282) | Playoff | Sandra Haynie |
| 38 | Sep 6, 1982 | Rail Charity Golf Classic (2) | −14 (69-66-67=202) | 6 strokes | Susie McAllister |
| 39 | Aug 21, 1983 | Chevrolet World Championship of Women's Golf (2) | −6 (73-73-67-69=282) | 2 strokes | Ayako Okamoto |
| 40 | Sep 11, 1983 | Portland Ping Championship (2) | −4 (72-70-70=212) | Playoff | Charlotte Montgomery |
| 41 | May 27, 1984 | LPGA Corning Classic | −7 (71-69-71-70=281) | 4 strokes | Ayako Okamoto |
| 42 | Feb 3, 1985 | Elizabeth Arden Classic (3) | −8 (70-66-74-70=280) | 6 strokes | Jane Blalock |
| 43 | Sep 15, 1985 | Safeco Classic | −9 (71-71-69-68=279) | 2 strokes | Jan Stephenson |
$^1$ Carner won the Burdine's Invitational as an amateur.
    Note: Carner won the Peter Jackson Classic (which became the du Maurier Classic) twice before it became a major championship.
LPGA Tour playoff record (10–10)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
| 1 | 1970 | Wendell-West Open | Marilynn Smith | Won with bogey on first extra hole |
| 2 | 1974 | Bluegrass Invitational | Sandra Spuzich | Won with bogey on first extra hole |
| 3 | 1975 | Birmingham Classic | Maria Astrologes Judy Rankin | Astrolges won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 4 | 1975 | American Defender Classic | Judy Rankin | Won with par on first extra hole |
| 5 | 1975 | Peter Jackson Classic | Carol Mann | Won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 6 | 1976 | Orange Blossom Classic | Sandra Palmer | Won with par on fourth extra hole |
| 7 | 1976 | U.S. Women's Open | Sandra Palmer | Won an 18-hole playoff (Carner:76, Palmer.:78) |
| 8 | 1976 | Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Classic | Mary Lou Crocker Sandra Palmer Michelle Walker | Palmer won with birdie on third extra hole Crocker and Walker eliminated by par on first hole |
| 9 | 1978 | Coca-Cola Classic | Nancy Lopez | Lost to par on first extra hole |
| 10 | 1979 | Women's Kemper Open | Donna Caponi Chako Higuchi Nancy Lopez Jan Stephenson | Won with par on second extra hole Caponi, Lopez, and Stephenson eliminated by par on first hole |
| 11 | 1979 | Florida Lady Citrus | Jane Blalock | Lost to par on second extra hole |
| 12 | 1981 | Elizabeth Arden Classic | Sally Little Judy Rankin | Little won with par on third extra hole Carner eliminated by par on second hole |
| 13 | 1981 | S&H Golf Classic | Dot Germain | Won with par on first extra hole |
| 14 | 1982 | Whirlpool Championship of Deer Creek | Hollis Stacy | Lost to birdie on fifth extra hole |
| 15 | 1982 | Henredon Classic | Sandra Haynie | Won with par on fifth extra hole |
| 16 | 1983 | McDonald's Kids Classic | Beth Daniel | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| 17 | 1983 | Portland Ping Championship | Charlotte Montgomery | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 18 | 1986 | Henredon Classic | Betsy King | Lost to par on second extra hole |
| 19 | 1987 | U.S. Women's Open | Laura Davies Ayako Okamoto | Davies won 18-hole playoff (Davies:71, Carner:73, Okamoto:74) |
| 20 | 1993 | HealthSouth Palm Beach Classic | Tammie Green | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |

### Other wins (6)

* 1975 Wills Qantas Australian Ladies Open
* 1977 LPGA National Team Championship (with Judy Rankin)
* 1978 Colgate Triple Crown Match-Play Championship
* 1979 Colgate Triple Crown
* 1982 JCPenney Mixed Team Classic (with John Mahaffey)
* 1996 Sprint Titleholders Senior Challenge

## Major championships
### Wins (2)

| Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
| 1971 | U.S. Women's Open | E (70-73-72-73=288) | 7 strokes | Kathy Whitworth |
| 1976 | U.S. Women's Open | +8 (71-71-77-73=292) | Playoff$^1$ | Sandra Palmer |
$^1$ In an 18-hole playoff, Carner 76, Palmer 78.

### Results timeline

| Tournament | 1962 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 |
| LPGA Championship | | T6 | 39 | T12 | T47 | 2 | T9 | | T5 | 4 |
| U.S. Women's Open | T15 | T21 | 1 | T29 | T49 | T4 | T3 | 1 | 3 | T2 |
| Tournament | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 |
| Nabisco Dinah Shore † | ... | ... | ... | ... | T4 | T5 | T26 | T42 | T47 | T12 | T2 | T31 |
| LPGA Championship | T6 | T3 | T5 | 2 | T4 | T56 | CUT | T40 | T28 | T18 | T54 | DQ |
| U.S. Women's Open | | T10 | T6 | T2 | T2 | T20 | T48 | T35 | T2 | T16 | T17 | 18 |
| du Maurier Classic | | 2 | T7 | T3 | T2 | 5 | T29 | T14 | | CUT | T10 | CUT |
| Tournament | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
| Nabisco Dinah Shore | CUT | T17 | T40 | T48 | CUT | T79 | CUT | T18 | CUT | |
| LPGA Championship | 8 | T2 | T37 | T26 | T38 | | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Women's Open | T11 | T42 | T11 | T31 | CUT | CUT | CUT | | | |
| du Maurier Classic | T69 | CUT | T71 | CUT | CUT | | CUT | CUT | T53 | CUT |
| Tournament | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Kraft Nabisco Championship † | DQ | | CUT | T70 | CUT |
| LPGA Championship | | CUT | CUT | CUT | |
| U.S. Women's Open | | | | | |
| Women's British Open ^ | | | | | |
† The Kraft Nabisco Championship was the Nabisco Dinah Shore Championship through 1999. It became the Nabisco Championship in 2000 and adopted the Kraft Nabisco Championship name in 2002. ^The Women's British Open replaced the du Maurier Classic as an LPGA major in 2001.
CUT = missed the half-way cut DQ = disqualified ... = not yet a major "T" = tied for place

### Summary

| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
| Kraft Nabisco Championship | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 21 | 14 |
| LPGA Championship | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 32 | 23 |
| U.S. Women's Open | 2 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 19 | 28 | 25 |
| du Maurier Classic | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 11 |
| Totals | 2 | 10 | 4 | 24 | 32 | 46 | 100 | 73 |
* Most consecutive cuts made – 37 (1962 U.S. Women's Open – 1985 Nabisco Dinah Shore)
* Longest streak of top-10s – 24 (1974 LPGA – 1984 Nabisco Dinah Shore)

## Team appearances

Amateur
* Curtis Cup (representing the United States): 1958 (tie), 1960 (winners), 1962 (winners), 1964 (winners)
Professional
* Handa Cup (representing the United States): 2006 (winners), 2007 (winners), 2008 (winners), 2009 (winners), 2010 (winners), 2011 (winners)
* Solheim Cup (representing the United States): 1994 (non-playing captain, winners)