Bonnie Bryant (golfer)
Encyclopedia
Bonnie Bryant is an American professional golfer
who played on the LPGA Tour
. She is the only player in LPGA Tour history to win a tournament left-handed
.
Bryant was born in Tulare, California
. She did not take up golf until age 20, learning from Vic Lombardi
, a National League
pitcher
for Brooklyn and Pittsburgh. Prior to taking up golf, she played five years of AAA-fast pitch softball.
Bryant joined the LPGA Tour in 1971. She won once on the LPGA Tour. Her win came at the 1974 Bill Branch LPGA Classic in Fort Myers, Florida
. She shot a 7-under-par
, 209 to claim the $5,700 first prize. She also also lost to Nancy Lopez in a five-way sudden death playoff at the 1979 Coca-Cola Classic
.
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who played on the LPGA Tour
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
. She is the only player in LPGA Tour history to win a tournament left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
.
Bryant was born in Tulare, California
Tulare, California
Tulare is a city in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 59,278 at the 2010 census.Just eight miles south of Visalia, it is part of the Census Bureau's designation of the Visalia Metropolitan Area. The city is named for the currently dry Tulare Lake, once the largest...
. She did not take up golf until age 20, learning from Vic Lombardi
Vic Lombardi
Victor Alvin Lombardi was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched from 1945-1950 with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was the starting pitcher in two games of the 1947 World Series for the Dodgers.-External links:**** at Find a Grave...
, a National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for Brooklyn and Pittsburgh. Prior to taking up golf, she played five years of AAA-fast pitch softball.
Bryant joined the LPGA Tour in 1971. She won once on the LPGA Tour. Her win came at the 1974 Bill Branch LPGA Classic in Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
. She shot a 7-under-par
Par (score)
The word "par" is a term in the game of golf used to denote the pre-determined number of strokes that a scratch golfer should require to complete a hole, a round , or a tournament...
, 209 to claim the $5,700 first prize. She also also lost to Nancy Lopez in a five-way sudden death playoff at the 1979 Coca-Cola Classic
Chrysler-Plymouth Classic
The Chrysler-Plymouth Classic was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1976 to 1989. It was played at several courses, mostly in New Jersey.-Tournament locations:-Winners:Chrysler-Plymouth Classic*1989 Cindy Rarick*1988 Nancy Lopez*1987 Ayako Okamoto...
.
LPGA Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 17, 1974 1974 LPGA Tour The 1974 LPGA Tour was the 25th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from February 1 to November 24. The season consisted of 32 official money events. JoAnne Carner and Sandra Haynie won the most tournaments, six each. Carner led the money list with earnings of... |
Bill Branch LPGA Classic | 3 strokes |  Maria AstrologesMaria Astrologes Maria Elana Astrologes Combs is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. She played under her maiden name, Maria Astrologes, until her marriage in 1979.Astrologes won once on the LPGA Tour in 1975.... Jane BlalockJane Blalock Jane Blalock is a retired American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1969 and won 27 LPGA Tour events in all.-Amateur career:... Shelley HamlinShelley Hamlin Shelley Lee Hamlin is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Hamlin was born in San Mateo, California. As an amateur golfer she won the California Women's Amateur four times. She played at Stanford University and won the 1971 AIAW National Collegiate Championship... Hollis StacyHollis Stacy Hollis Stacy is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1974, winning four major championships and 18 LPGA Tour events. She was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2011 in the veterans category and will be inducted in May 2012.-Amateur career:Stacy... |