Carol Semple
Encyclopedia
Carol Semple is an American
amateur golf
er.
Semple was born in Sewickley
, Pennsylvania
. She is from a prominent golfing family; her father served as president of the United States Golf Association
(USGA) in 1974 and 1975. Her mother played competitive golf and served on various USGA committees for many years. At age 16, Carol Semple won her first tournament by defeating her mother in the finals of the Western Pennsylvania Women's Championship.
A 1970 graduate of Hollins University
in Roanoke, Virginia
, she defeated Anne Quast
to win the 1973 U.S. Women's Amateur
at the Montclair Golf Club in Montclair, New Jersey
. Semple won the 1974 British Ladies Amateur
. At present, she is one of only eleven golfers to hold both titles. In defense of her U.S. championship, she made it to the 1974 finals but lost to Cynthia Hill. Among her other significant victories in amateur play, she won the 1976 and 1987 North and South Women's Amateur
, two U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur
s, and won the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur
four years in a row from 1999 to 2002. She also was part of the American team that won four Espirito Santo Trophy
s at the World Amateur Golf Team Championships. She is also one of only five people to have won three different USGA individual championship events, the others being JoAnne Carner
, Jack Nicklaus
, Arnold Palmer
, and Tiger Woods
.
Married, she became known as Carol Semple Thompson. She has been on more Curtis Cup
teams and scored more victories than any competitor in the history of the Curtis Cup
. At age 53, she clinched the U.S. team's 2002 victory with a dramatic 27-foot birdie putt on the final hole.
Semple Thompson was voted the 2003 Bob Jones Award
, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. In 2005, she was named recipient of the PGA
"First Lady of Golf Award." In 2008, she was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame
in the Lifetime Achievement category.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
amateur golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er.
Semple was born in Sewickley
Sewickley, Pennsylvania
Sewickley is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, west northwest of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. It is a residential suburb of Pittsburgh. The population was 3,827 at the 2010 census...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. She is from a prominent golfing family; her father served as president of the United States Golf Association
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
(USGA) in 1974 and 1975. Her mother played competitive golf and served on various USGA committees for many years. At age 16, Carol Semple won her first tournament by defeating her mother in the finals of the Western Pennsylvania Women's Championship.
A 1970 graduate of Hollins University
Hollins University
Hollins University is a four-year institution of higher education, a private university located on a campus on the border of Roanoke County, Virginia and Botetourt County, Virginia...
in Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, she defeated Anne Quast
Anne Quast
Anne Quast is an American golfer. She won the U.S. Women's Amateur three times and was runner-up three times . She was married several times and played as Anne Decker, Anne Welts, and Anne Sander.-Career:Quast was born in Everett, Washington...
to win the 1973 U.S. Women's Amateur
United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship
The U.S. Women's Amateur is the leading golf tournament in the United States for female amateur golfers. It is played annually and is one of the 13 United States national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association . Female amateurs from all nations are eligible to compete...
at the Montclair Golf Club in Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
. Semple won the 1974 British Ladies Amateur
British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship
The British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship was founded in 1893 by the Ladies' Golf Union of Great Britain. Until the dawn of the professional era in 1976, it was the most important golf tournament for women in Great Britain and would eventually begin to draw golfers from continental Europe...
. At present, she is one of only eleven golfers to hold both titles. In defense of her U.S. championship, she made it to the 1974 finals but lost to Cynthia Hill. Among her other significant victories in amateur play, she won the 1976 and 1987 North and South Women's Amateur
North and South Women's Amateur Golf Championship
The North and South Women's Amateur Golf Championship is an annual golf tournament held since 1903 at the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina...
, two U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur
U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur
The U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur is one of thirteen United States Golf Association national championships. First played in 1987, it provides amateur women over the age of 25 an opportunity to compete for a national championship. Entrants must have a handicap index of 9.4 or lower.The major amateur...
s, and won the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur
United States Senior Women's Amateur Golf Championship
The United States Senior Women's Amateur Golf Championship was launched in 1962 as an annual tournament for female amateur golfing competitors at least 50 years of age. The format began as a 54-hole stroke play competition over three days until 1997 when it was changed to a match play event....
four years in a row from 1999 to 2002. She also was part of the American team that won four Espirito Santo Trophy
Espirito Santo Trophy
The Espirito Santo Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for women organised by the International Golf Federation. The inaugural event was held in 1964 and recent tournaments have featured teams from around forty countries. It is a strokeplay event, in which the best two...
s at the World Amateur Golf Team Championships. She is also one of only five people to have won three different USGA individual championship events, the others being JoAnne Carner
JoAnne Carner
JoAnne Gunderson Carner is a former American 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 ever to...
, Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
, Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
, and Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
.
Married, she became known as Carol Semple Thompson. She has been on more Curtis Cup
Curtis Cup
The Curtis Cup is the best known team trophy for women amateur golfers, awarded in the biennial Curtis Cup Match . It is co-organised by the United States Golf Association and the Ladies Golf Union and is contested by teams representing the United States and "Great Britain and Ireland"...
teams and scored more victories than any competitor in the history of the Curtis Cup
Curtis Cup
The Curtis Cup is the best known team trophy for women amateur golfers, awarded in the biennial Curtis Cup Match . It is co-organised by the United States Golf Association and the Ladies Golf Union and is contested by teams representing the United States and "Great Britain and Ireland"...
. At age 53, she clinched the U.S. team's 2002 victory with a dramatic 27-foot birdie putt on the final hole.
Semple Thompson was voted the 2003 Bob Jones Award
Bob Jones Award
The Bob Jones Award is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. It is named in honor of Bobby Jones.-Winners:*1955 Francis Ouimet*1956 William C. Campbell*1957 Babe Zaharias...
, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. In 2005, she was named recipient of the PGA
Professional Golfers Association
Professional Golfers' Association, , is the usual term for a professional association in men's golf. It is often abbreviated to PGA...
"First Lady of Golf Award." In 2008, she was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame
World Golf Hall of Fame
The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.The Hall of...
in the Lifetime Achievement category.
Tournament wins
this is be incomplete- 1973 U.S. Women's AmateurUnited States Women's Amateur Golf ChampionshipThe U.S. Women's Amateur is the leading golf tournament in the United States for female amateur golfers. It is played annually and is one of the 13 United States national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association . Female amateurs from all nations are eligible to compete...
- 1974 British Ladies AmateurBritish Ladies Amateur Golf ChampionshipThe British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship was founded in 1893 by the Ladies' Golf Union of Great Britain. Until the dawn of the professional era in 1976, it was the most important golf tournament for women in Great Britain and would eventually begin to draw golfers from continental Europe...
- 1976 North and South Women's AmateurNorth and South Women's Amateur Golf ChampionshipThe North and South Women's Amateur Golf Championship is an annual golf tournament held since 1903 at the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina...
- 1987 North and South Women's AmateurNorth and South Women's Amateur Golf ChampionshipThe North and South Women's Amateur Golf Championship is an annual golf tournament held since 1903 at the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina...
- 1990 U.S. Women's Mid-AmateurU.S. Women's Mid-AmateurThe U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur is one of thirteen United States Golf Association national championships. First played in 1987, it provides amateur women over the age of 25 an opportunity to compete for a national championship. Entrants must have a handicap index of 9.4 or lower.The major amateur...
- 1997 U.S. Women's Mid-AmateurU.S. Women's Mid-AmateurThe U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur is one of thirteen United States Golf Association national championships. First played in 1987, it provides amateur women over the age of 25 an opportunity to compete for a national championship. Entrants must have a handicap index of 9.4 or lower.The major amateur...
- 1999 U.S. Senior Women's AmateurUnited States Senior Women's Amateur Golf ChampionshipThe United States Senior Women's Amateur Golf Championship was launched in 1962 as an annual tournament for female amateur golfing competitors at least 50 years of age. The format began as a 54-hole stroke play competition over three days until 1997 when it was changed to a match play event....
- 2000 U.S. Senior Women's AmateurUnited States Senior Women's Amateur Golf ChampionshipThe United States Senior Women's Amateur Golf Championship was launched in 1962 as an annual tournament for female amateur golfing competitors at least 50 years of age. The format began as a 54-hole stroke play competition over three days until 1997 when it was changed to a match play event....
- 2001 U.S. Senior Women's AmateurUnited States Senior Women's Amateur Golf ChampionshipThe United States Senior Women's Amateur Golf Championship was launched in 1962 as an annual tournament for female amateur golfing competitors at least 50 years of age. The format began as a 54-hole stroke play competition over three days until 1997 when it was changed to a match play event....
- 2002 U.S. Senior Women's AmateurUnited States Senior Women's Amateur Golf ChampionshipThe United States Senior Women's Amateur Golf Championship was launched in 1962 as an annual tournament for female amateur golfing competitors at least 50 years of age. The format began as a 54-hole stroke play competition over three days until 1997 when it was changed to a match play event....
U.S. national team appearances
- Curtis CupCurtis CupThe Curtis Cup is the best known team trophy for women amateur golfers, awarded in the biennial Curtis Cup Match . It is co-organised by the United States Golf Association and the Ladies Golf Union and is contested by teams representing the United States and "Great Britain and Ireland"...
: 1974 (winners), 1976 (winners), 1980 (winners), 1982 (winners), 1988, 1990 (winners), 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998 (winners), 2000 (winners), 2002 (winners), 2006 (non-playing captain, winners), 2008 (non-playing captain, winners) - Espirito Santo TrophyEspirito Santo TrophyThe Espirito Santo Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for women organised by the International Golf Federation. The inaugural event was held in 1964 and recent tournaments have featured teams from around forty countries. It is a strokeplay event, in which the best two...
: 1974 (winners), 1980 (winners), 1988 (winners), 1992, 1994 (winners)