The legend of JoAnne Carner continues. The 85-year-old who won 43 LPGA titles during her illustrious, Hall of Fame career, shot 14-over 85 on Thursday during the first round of the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, making it the seventh time that she’s shot her age or better in this event over the last six years.
During a hot day at Fox Chapel Golf Club in Pittsburgh, Carner, affectionately known as Big Mama, teed off in the last grouping of the afternoon and was three over par after the first eight holes. That run included a birdie on the par-4 seventh hole. She made bogey on the ninth hole to turn in four-over 40.
The final nine holes, understandably, were more of a struggle as Carner made two pars, four bogeys and three double bogeys, but bogeys on the final two holes got her in just on the magic number of 85. She made a four-footer on the last hole that helped her top six players in the field.
Japan's Kaori Yamamoto shot four-under 67 and leads Christa Johnson and Lisa Grimes by a shot. Annika Sorenstam shot 71.
“It was terrible,” an unhappy Carner said bluntly. “I played really bad on the back. I didn’t putt well. Then I lost my swing temporarily. I hit a couple shots that I thought were good, but not having played the course but one time, I ended up in trouble, in one of those bunkers, and you just have to hit out.”
Carner’s two major championship victories—the U.S. Women’s Open in 1971 and 1976—both came in Pennsylvania, at Kahkwa Club and Rolling Green Golf Club, respectively. She’s won eight USGA championships, including five U.S. Women’s Amateurs (1957, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1968) and the U.S. Girls’ Junior back in 1956. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982.
Back in , at the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open, Carner hit the first tee shot then went on to shoot 79. she broke the record for the oldest person to play in a USGA championship when she was 82. she shot 83 in both the first and second rounds. she opened with an 80.
Each year Carner keeps hinting that it could be her last, but alas, here we are. She was asked again by reporters on Thursday at Fox Chapel why she keeps coming back.
“Well, this will do me in, this one,” she said.
But moments later it was on to bigger and better things. Carner was asked if she would sit around tonight telling stories to others over dinner.
“I go back and cool down, take a shower and sit and have a nice cocktail,” Carner said.
Just like legends do.