1968 LPGA Championship
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | June 20–24, 1968 |
| 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 | 50 players |
| Cut | none |
| Prize fund | $20,000 [2] |
| Winner's share | $3,000 |
| Champion | |
 Sandra Post | |
| 294 (+2), playoff | |
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The 1968 LPGA Championship was the fourteenth LPGA Championship, held June 20–24 at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, Massachusetts, southeast of Worcester.
In an 18-hole Monday playoff, Sandra Post won her only major title, defeating defending champion and LPGA president Kathy Whitworth by seven strokes.[2][3] Post turned 20 earlier in the month; it was the first of her eight victories on the LPGA Tour. Through 2013, it remains the only women's major won by a Canadian.
This was the second consecutive LPGA Championship held at Pleasant Valley, and the second of seven in an eight-year stretch.
Past champions in the field
| Player | Country | Year(s) won | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Total | To par | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kathy Whitworth |  United States |
1967 | 74 | 74 | 73 | 73 | 294 | +2 | 2 |
| Sandra Haynie | United States |
1965 | 73 | 76 | 75 | 75 | 299 | +7 | 6 |
| Betsy Rawls | United States |
1959 | 80 | 76 | 73 | 71 | 300 | +8 | 7 |
| Mickey Wright | United States |
1958, 1960, 1961, 1963 |
78 | 80 | 73 | 72 | 303 | +11 | 10 |
| Mary Mills | United States |
1964 | 78 | 80 | 75 | 75 | 308 | +16 | 18 |
| Marlene Hagge | United States |
1956 | 79 | 77 | 76 | 77 | 309 | +17 | 19 |
| Judy Kimball | United States |
1962 | 78 | 75 | 79 | 78 | 310 | +18 | T20 |
| Gloria Ehret | United States |
1966 | 82 | 81 | 72 | 77 | 312 | +20 | T22 |
| Louise Suggs | United States |
1957 | 79 | 77 | 84 | 74 | 314 | +22 | T28 |
Source:[4]
Final leaderboard
Sunday, June 23, 1968
Defending champion Kathy Whitworth sank a three-foot (0.9 m) putt on the final hole to tie Sandra Post and force a Monday playoff. Both shot even-par 73 on Sunday to finish at 294 (+2).[5][6]
| Place | Player | Country | Score | To par | Money ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Sandra Post | Canada |
72-75-74-73=294 | +2 | Playoff |
| Kathy Whitworth | United States |
74-74-73-73=294 | |||
| 3 | Gerda Whalen |  West Germany |
72-76-74-73=295 | +3 | 1,800 |
| 4 | Sandra Spuzich | United States |
74-75-73-74=296 | +4 | 1,500 |
| 5 | Clifford Ann Creed | United States |
77-78-71-72=298 | +6 | 1,250 |
| 6 | Sandra Haynie | United States |
73-76-75-75=299 | +7 | 1,000 |
| 7 | Betsy Rawls | United States |
80-76-73-71=300 | +8 | 850 |
| T8 | Murle Lindstrom | United States |
75-74-81-72=302 | +10 | 713 |
| Beth Stone | United States |
76-75-72-79=302 | |||
| 10 | Mickey Wright | United States |
78-80-73-72=303 | +11 | 600 |
Source:[4]
Playoff
Monday, June 24, 1968
| Place | Player | Country | Score | To par | Money ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sandra Post | Canada |
34-34=68 | −5 | 3,000 |
| 2 | Kathy Whitworth | United States |
35-40=75 | +2 | 2,300 |
Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Post |
−1 | −2 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −2 | −3 | −4 | −4 | −5 | −6 | −6 | −6 | −7 | −7 | −6 | −5 |
 Whitworth |
E | −2 | −2 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 | +2 | +2 |
Source:[3]
References
- ^ O'Hara, Dave (June 23, 1968). "Whitworth ties for golf lead". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. p. 49.
- ^ a b c "Sandra Post 1st in playoff". Lodi News-Sentinel. UPI. June 25, 1968. p. 8.
- ^ a b c "Sandra Post takes PGA with eight birds for 68". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. June 25, 1968. p. 25.
- ^ a b "Canadian rookie wins LPGA title". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. June 24, 1968. p. 15.
- ^ "Gals force golf playoff". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 24, 1968. p. 24.
- ^ a b "Sandy Post LPGA champ". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. June 25, 1968. p. 10.