Donna Caponi
Name:
Donna CaponiCountry:
USABorn:
Jan 29, 1945 in Detroit, Michigan.Original/Home Club:
Occupation:
Professional golfer; TV commentator.Turned Pro:
1965MAJORS (4): US Women's Open (1969, '70); US LPGA Ch'ship (1979, '81). Total professional wins (29), including LPGA Tour (24). Other wins included the 1975 European Open and 1976 Australian Open. World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 2001).
Caponi started playing golf aged 5 and enjoyed a successful amateur career. She moved onto the LPGA Tour as a professional in 1965. Her first win on tour came in the 1969 U.S. Women's Open, a title she successfully defended the following year. During the 1970s and early 80s she would accumulate a total of 24 wins on the LPGA Tour.
From 1971, after marrying Ken Young, she was known as Donna Caponi Young. She reverted to Donna Caponi when they divorced in 1981. In 2006 she married Ted Byrnes, and is now known as Donna Caponi-Byrnes.
America
Desert Inn
Played as the LPGA Desert Inn Pro-Am. Second-placed Pat Bradley (USA) finished 3 shots behind defending champion Caponi (USA; at the time Donna Caponi Young), who recorded her 20th LPGA Tour win. [Wynn Las Vegas, Nevada; at the time known as Desert Inn CC. Earlier rounds also at Las Vegas CC].
America
PING
Played as the Portland PING Team Championship (unofficial LPGA Tr team event). Defending champions Donna Caponi (USA) & Kathy Whitworth (USA) beat JoAnne Carner (USA) & Judy Rankin (USA) with a birdie at the second playoff hole. [Riverside G&CC, Portland, Oregon].
America
American Defender/WRAL
Played as the American Defender/WRAL Golf Classic. Second-placed Cathy Sherk (Can) finished 1 shot behind Caponi (USA). [North Ridge CC, Raleigh, North Carolina].
America
Western Union Intl
Played as the WUI Classic. Julie Stanger (USA) finished 2 shots behind Caponi (USA). [Meadow Brook Club, Jericho, Long Island, NY].
America
Boston Five
Played as the Boston Five Classic. Second-placed Jan Stephenson (Aus) finished 6 shots behind Caponi (USA), who recorded the last of her 24 LPGA Tour wins. [Ferncroft CC, Middleton, nr Boston, MA].
Majors
LPGA
The LPGA Championship (27th) (June 11-14). Second-placed Jerilyn Britz (USA) and Pat Meyers (USA) finished 1 shot behind Caponi (USA), who won the LPGA Championship for the second time in three years. [Grizzly course, The Golf Center at Kings Island, Mason, OH].
America
Colgate
Played as the Colgate Dinah Shore Winners Circle (9th) (April 3-6). Second-placed Amy Alcott (USA) finished 2 shots behind Donna Caponi Young (USA). [Dinah Shore Tournament course, Mission Hills CC, Rancho Mirage, CA].
America
PING
Played as the Portland PING Team Championship (unofficial LPGA Tr team event). Second-placed Janet Alex (USA) & Judy Clark (USA) finished 4 shots behind Donna Caponi (USA) & Kathy Whitworth (USA). [Riverside G&CC, Portland, Oregon].
America
x
Played as the LPGA National Pro-Am. Second-placed and defending champion Nancy Lopez (USA) finished 1 shot behind Caponi (USA). [Wynn Las Vegas, Nevada; at the time known as Desert Inn CC. Earlier rounds also at Las Vegas CC].
America
Corning
Played as the LPGA Corning Classic. Second-placed Myra Van Hoose (USA) finished 2 shots behind Caponi (USA). [Corning CC, Corning, nr Elmira, New York].
America
Utd Virginia Bank
Played as the United Virginia Bank Golf Classic. Second-placed Nancy Lopez (USA) finished 4 shots behind Caponi (USA). [Elizabeth Manor G&CC, Portsmouth, Virginia].
Played as the ERA Real Estate Classic. Shelley Hamlin finished in second place behind Caponi.
Majors
LPGA
The LPGA Championship (25th) (June 7-10). Second-placed Jerilyn Britz (USA) finished 3 shots behind Caponi (USA), who claimed her third major championship win. [Grizzly course, The Golf Center at Kings Island, Mason, OH].
America
PING
Played as the PING Classic Team Championship (Sept 22-24; unofficial LPGA Tr team event). Donna Caponi (USA) & Kathy Whitworth (USA) beat Murle Breer (USA) & Barbara Moxness (USA) with a 20-foot birdie putt at the third playoff hole. [Columbia Edgewater CC, Portland, Oregon].
Played as the Houston Exchange Clubs Classic. Alexandra Reinhart finished in second place behind Caponi.
America
Sarah Coventry
Played as the Sarah Coventry championship. Second-placed and defending champion Jane Blalock (USA) finished 5 shots behind Caponi (USA). [Round Hill CC, Alamo, CA]. Note: from 1979 to 1981 The Sarah Coventry moved to Locust Hill CC, to be renamed the Rochester International in 1982 and then Wegmans LPGA in 2006. See "Wegmans LPGA" history for the 1979-81 Sarah Coventry results.
Aus/NZ
Wills/Qantas
Played as the Wills-Qantas Australian Ladies Open (March 12-14). Won by Donna Caponi Young (USA). [Victoria GC, Melbourne, Aus].
Played as The Carlton. Jane Blalock and Judy Rankin finished in second place behind Caponi.
America
Peter Jackson
Played as the Peter Jackson Classic (June 11-13). Donna Caponi Young (USA) beat Judy Rankin (USA) with a par at the first playoff hole. [Cedar Brae G&CC, Scarborough, Ontario].
America
x
Played as the Portland Classic (Sept 17-19). Donna Caponi Young (USA) beat Clifford Ann Creed (USA) with a birdie at the second playoff hole. [Portland GC, Portland, Oregon].
Asia
Mizuno
Played as the LPGA/Japan Mizuno Classic (LPGA & Jpn LPGA Trs event). Hisako "Chako" Higuchi (Jpn) finished in second place behind Caponi (USA), who claimed her third LPGA Tour win in as many starts. [Hanayashiki GC, Miki, Hyogo, Japan].
America
Burdine's
Played as Burdine's Invitational. Second-placed Kathy Cornelius (USA) finished 3 shots behind Caponi (USA). [Kendale Lakes CC, nr Miami, FL; now called Miccosukee G&CC].
Europe
Colgate
Played as the Colgate European Women's Open (Aug 6-9; unofficial LPGA Tr event). Second-placed Sandra Palmer (USA) finished 2 shots behind Donna Caponi Young (USA). [Old course, Sunningdale GC, Sunningdale, Berks].
America
Tara
Played as the Lady Tara Classic. Second-placed Sandra Palmer (USA) and Gloria Ehret (USA) finished 1 shot behind Caponi (USA). [Indian Hills CC, Marietta, Georgia].
Played as the Bluegrass Invitational. Sandra Spuzich finished in second place behind Caponi.
Played as the Bluegrass Invitational. Mary Mills finished in second place behind Caponi.
Majors
USGA
The US Women's Open (25th) (July 2-5). Second-placed Sandra Haynie (USA) and Sandra Spuzich (USA) finished 1 shot behind defending champion Caponi (USA). [Muskogee CC, Muskogee, Okla.].
Majors
USGA
The US Women's Open (24th) (June 26-29). Second-placed Peggy Wilson (USA) finished 1 shot behind 24-year-old Caponi (USA), who recorded her first major championship win. [Scenic Hills CC, Pensacola, FL].
America
Lincoln
Played as the inaugural Lincoln-Mercury Open. Caponi (USA) beat Kathy Whitworth (USA) with a par at the first playoff hole, to claim her second LPGA Tour win. [Round Hill CC, Alamo, California].
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