1972 LPGA Tour
Duration | January 7, 1972 | – November 5, 1972
---|---|
Number of official events | 29 |
Most wins | 5 Kathy Whitworth |
Money leader | Kathy Whitworth |
Player of the Year | Kathy Whitworth |
Rookie of the Year | Jocelyne Bourassa |
← 1971 1973 → |
The 1972 LPGA Tour was the 23rd season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 7 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 season saw the first tournament with a $100,000 purse, the Dinah Shore Colgate Winner's Circle ($110,000). It also saw the first player to win over $50,000 in a season, Whitworth. There were two first-time winners in 1972: Betty Burfeindt and Betsy Cullen. This season saw the return, for 1972 only, of the LPGA major, the Titleholders Championship. It also saw the last of Betsy Rawls' 55 LPGA wins.
The tournament results and award winners are listed below.
Tournament results
[edit]The following table shows all the official money events for the 1972 season.[1] "Date" is the ending date of the tournament. The numbers in parentheses after the winners' names are the number of wins they had on the tour up to and including that event. Majors are shown in bold.
^ - weather-shortened tournament
Jane Blalock suspension and lawsuit
[edit]After she finished the second round of the Bluegrass Invitational held in Louisville, Kentucky, Jane Blalock was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. Tourney director Gene McAuliff said Blalock did not mark her ball properly on the 17th green and then failed to take a two-stroke penalty for the infraction as required.[2]
Less than two weeks later, the LPGA executive board suspended Blalock for one year "for actions inconsistent with the code of ethics of the organization".[3] The executive board claimed Blalock had been under suspicion for over a year, that she had moved her ball illegally on multiple occasions and that there were witnesses to these happenings, plus that Blalock had admitted to her guilt.[4] Twenty-seven other LPGA Tour players signed a petition arguing that probation, a fine, and disqualification from the Louisville tournament were not enough punishment.[5] LPGA Executive Director Bud Erickson asked Blalock to feign a back injury so to avoid bad publicity but she refused.[6]
Fellow LPGA Tour golfer Sandra Palmer defended Blalock. In addition to saying she had never seen Blalock commit any rules violations, Palmer stated she didn't understand why the alleged infractions weren't reported at the time they happened and why other players signed Blalock's scorecards without reporting the incidents. Palmer also said, "If you see an infraction of the rules, you should point it out immediately. You don't wait until three years later to report something. Once you've signed that card, you're as guilty as the person who committed the violation."[7] The LPGA executive went on to warn Palmer in regards to her statements.[8] Palmer was also placed on probation for one year by the LPGA Tour and ordered not to make further statements of support for Jane Blalock.[9]
Blalock filed a lawsuit against the LPGA. In the suit, Blalock's lawyers motioned the court asking that Blalock be allowed to continue playing while the suit was resolved.[10] U.S. District Court Judge Charles A. Moye Jr. granted the motion.[11] Moye did however rule that any money Blalock earned while her case was being resolved would be placed in a court trust.[12] Blalock went on to win two more times in 1972, at the Dallas Civitan Open[13] and the Lady Errol Classic.[14]
Awards
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "LPGA Tournament Chronology 1970-1979" (PDF). LPGA. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 2, 2010.
- ^ Weston, Bob (May 22, 1972). "Drought over for Kathy Cornelius". Beaver County Times – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "Jane Blalock suspended from LPGA". Schenectady Gazette. Associated Press. June 2, 1972. p. 31 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ McDermott, Barry (June 19, 1972). "Keeping A Close Eye On The Ball". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ "LPGA affidavits accuse Jane Blalock of cheating". The Spartanburg Herald. Associated Press. June 15, 1972. p. D1 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "LPGA needs flamboyancy". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. May 13, 1973. p. 4-C – via Google News Archive.
- ^ Bernstein, Ralph (July 8, 1972). "Sandra Palmer sides with Jane Blalock in latter's battle with LPGA Officials". The Gettysburg Times. Associated Press. p. 9 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "Sandra Palmer warned". Sarasota Journal. Associated Press. June 28, 1972. p. 2-C – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "Sandra Palmer put on probation". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. United Press International. August 3, 1972. p. 3-D – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "Blalock files LPGA lawsuit". Daily News. Associated Press. June 1, 1972. p. 9 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "Court order for Blalock". The Star-Phoenix. Associated Press. June 3, 1972. p. 24 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "LPGA Lashes Out - Ruling in favor of Jane Blalock". Nashua Telegraph. Associated Press. June 29, 1972. p. 14 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "Jane Blalock wins at Dallas". Daily Advance. Associated Press. September 11, 1972. p. 25 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Blalock captures playoff". Tucson Daily Citizen. Associated Press. November 6, 1972. p. 53 – via newspapers.com.