Sandra Post

Sandra Post,  (born June 4, 1948) 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.

Over her 16 year career on the LPGA Tour, Post won 8 championships and became the first Canadian to win multiple times in the same season, doing so twice in each of 1978 and 1979. The next time a two-win season by a Canadian occurred was in 2000 by Lorie Kane. In 1988, Post was named to both the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. In 2004, she was inducted into the Order of Canada as a Member with the designation, CM.

Early years
Born in Oakville, Ontario, Post was introduced to golf at age five by her father, and was a youthful prodigy who learned her golf at the nearby Trafalgar Golf & Country Club. She was competing in Ontario provincial events by age 13 and compiled an outstanding junior and amateur career that included winning the Ontario and Canadian Junior Girls Championships three times each.

Professional career

Wins major, LPGA Rookie of the Year
Bypassing college, Post turned professional in the spring of 1968 and joined the LPGA Tour at age 19. In her debut season of 1968, Post became the youngest player to win a women's major title at the LPGA Championship. Her 18-hole playoff victory over defending champion Kathy Whitworth, by 68 to 75, also marked the first victory in the championship by a non-U.S. player. She was the only Canadian to win an LPGA major for 48 years, until 18-year-old Brooke Henderson in 2016.

For her performance on the professional circuit, Post was voted the Tour's Rookie of the Year award. Post did not return to the winner's circle on the Tour until 1978; however, she challenged to win on many occasions during that ten-year period. In December 1974, she won the Colgate Far East Open, a non-tour event in Melbourne, Australia.

Second on 1979 money list
Post hit her peak form from 1978 to 1981, winning seven of her eight career titles, and became one of the world's top players. She captured back-to-back wins at the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle in 1978 and 1979.

For the 1979 season, she finished second on the LPGA money list, and won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's "Athlete of the Year." During her 16 years on the pro tour, Post also had 20 runner-up finishes, including the U.S. Women's Open in 1975.

Honors
Several nagging injuries led Post to retire from most LPGA competition by the mid-1980s, but she competed occasionally after that. In 1988, she was elected to the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. In 1999, she was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. In 2003, she was honored by her country with membership in the Order of Canada. She was voted No. 8 of the females chosen as Canada's Athletes of the 20th Century.

Post has captained Canada's Nations Cup team, serves as a commentator on televised golf events in Canada, and writes golf instructional articles for several Canadian magazines. She is involved in a number of charitable causes, and runs the Sandra Post School of Golf near Toronto. Post has her own golf apparel firm, and has designed a set of women's golf clubs for the Jazz Golf company.

Professional wins

LPGA Tour wins (8)

Note: Post's wins in the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle (now ANA Inspiration) were before it became a major championship.

LPGA Tour playoff record (4–2)

LPGA of Japan Tour wins (1)
1976 Sun Star Ladies

Other wins (1)
1974 Colgate Far East Open (in Melbourne, Australia)

Major championships

Wins (1)

1Won in a playoff (68 Post, 75 Whitworth).

References

External links

Sandra Post, History by the Minute

Canadian female golfers
LPGA Tour golfers
Winners of LPGA major golf championships
Canadian golf instructors
Golf writers and broadcasters
Golfing people from Ontario
Northern Star Award winners
Members of the Order of Canada
Sportspeople from Oakville, Ontario
1948 births
Living people