Who's who: Sally Little

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

Who's who: Sally Little

  • Name:

    Sally Little
  • Country:

    South Africa
  • Born:

    Oct 12, 1951 in Cape Town, South Africa.
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer
  • Turned Pro:

    1971

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (2): US LPGA Championship (1980); du Maurier Classic (1988). Total LPGA Tour wins (15). LPGA Tour leading money winner (1988).

Did you know?

Former LPGA Tour player, who retired from the Tour in 2005. Originally from South African, Little became a U.S. citizen in 1982.

Top tournaments won by Sally Little

1988
Majors
Vancouver GC
279 (-9)
$75,000
du Maurier

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Venue

Vancouver GC

Score

279 (-9)

Prize money

$75,000

Title sponsor

du Maurier

Played as the du Maurier Classic (Jun 30-Jul 3). Second-placed Laura Davies (Eng) finished 1 shot behind Sally Little (RSA/USA), who claimed her second major championship title, and the last of her 15 LPGA Tour wins. [The Vancouver GC, Coquitlam, nr Vancouver, BC].

1982
America
Indianapolis CC
275 (-13)
$30,000
Mayflower

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Venue

Indianapolis CC

Score

275 (-13)

Prize money

$30,000

Title sponsor

Mayflower

Played as the Mayflower Classic. Second-placed Beth Daniel (USA) finished 5 shots behind Little (RSA/USA). [CC of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana].

1982
America
Sleepy Hole, VA
208 (-11)
$18,750
Utd Virginia Bank

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Venue

Sleepy Hole, VA

Score

208 (-11)

Prize money

$18,750

Title sponsor

Utd Virginia Bank

Played as the United Virginia Bank Golf Classic. Little (RSA) beat Kathy Whitworth (USA) with a birdie at the first playoff hole. [Sleepy Hole GC, Suffolk, Virginia].

1982
America
288 (-4)
$22,500
Olympia Brewing

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Score

288 (-4)

Prize money

$22,500

Title sponsor

Olympia Brewing

Played as the Olympia Gold Classic (March 11-15). Second-placed Donna White (USA) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Little (RSA). Monday finish required after rain washed out Sunday's play. [Eisenhower course, Industry Hills GC at Pacific Palms, nr Los Angeles, CA].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Score

278 (-10)

Prize money

$45,000

Title sponsor

Nabisco

Played as the Nabisco Dinah Shore Invitational (11th) (April 1-4; formerly the Colgate Dinah Shore; designated a major championship from 1983). Second-placed Hollis Stacy (USA) and Sandra Haynie (USA) finished 3 shots behind Sally Little (RSA), who became a U.S. citizen later in the year. [Dinah Shore Tournament course, Mission Hills CC, Rancho Mirage, CA].

1981
America
142 (-4)
$22,500
Olympia Brewing

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Score

142 (-4)

Prize money

$22,500

Title sponsor

Olympia Brewing

Played as the Olympia Gold Classic (Feb 26-Mar 1). Second-placed Kathy Whitworth (USA) and Lori Garbacz (USA) finished 1 shot behind Little (RSA). Event reduced to 36 holes when last two rounds were rained out. [Eisenhower course, Industry Hills GC at Pacific Palms, nr Los Angeles, CA].

1981
America
Moss Creek Plantn
287 (-1)
$18,750
CPC

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Venue

Moss Creek Plantn

Score

287 (-1)

Prize money

$18,750

Title sponsor

CPC

Played as the CPC Women's International. Little (RSA) beat Kathy Whitworth (USA) and defending champion Hollis Stacy (USA) with a 9-foot birdie putt at the first playoff hole. [Moss Creek Plantation, Hilton Head Island, SC; now called Moss Creek GC].

1981
America
283 (-5)
$18,750
Elizabeth Arden

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Score

283 (-5)

Prize money

$18,750

Title sponsor

Elizabeth Arden

Played as the Elizabeth Arden Classic. Little (RSA) beat Judy Rankin (USA) with a par at the third playoff hole. JoAnne Carner (USA) was eliminated at the second playoff hole. [Soffer course, Turberry Isle Resort, Aventura, FL; at the time called the South course].

1980
America
Meadow Brook, NY
284 (-4)
$18,750
Western Union Intl

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Venue

Meadow Brook, NY

Score

284 (-4)

Prize money

$18,750

Title sponsor

Western Union Intl

Played as the WUI Classic. Beth Daniel (USA) and Amy Alcott (USA) finished 4 shots behind Little (RSA). [Meadow Brook Club, Jericho, Long Island, NY].

1980
Majors
Kings Island
285 (-3)
$22,500
LPGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Venue

Kings Island

Score

285 (-3)

Prize money

$22,500

Title sponsor

LPGA

The LPGA Championship (26th) (June 5-8). Second-placed Jane Blalock (USA) finished 3 shots behind first-time major championship winner Little (RSA). [Grizzly course, The Golf Center at Kings Island, Mason, OH].

1979
America
209 (-7)
$15,000
Columbia Savings

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Score

209 (-7)

Prize money

$15,000

Title sponsor

Columbia Savings

Played as the Columbia Savings LPGA Classic (formerly Natl Jewish Hospital Open). Second-placed Judy Rankin (USA) and Beth Daniel (USA) finished 2 shots behind Little (RSA). [Green Gables CC, Denver, Colorado; now permanently closed].

1979
America
208
$15,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Venue

Score

208

Prize money

$15,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Barth Classic. Pat Bradley finished in second place behind Little.

1979
America
Bent Tree CC, FL
278 (-10)
$15,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Venue

Bent Tree CC, FL

Score

278 (-10)

Prize money

$15,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Bent Tree Ladies Classic. Second-placed and defending champion Nancy Lopez (USA) finished 2 shots behind Little (RSA). [Bent Tree CC, nr Sarasota, Florida].

1978
America
282
$22,500
Honda

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Venue

Score

282

Prize money

$22,500

Title sponsor

Honda

Played as the Kathryn Crosby / Honda Civic Golf Classic. Nancy Lopez finished in second place behind Little.

1976
America
Moss Creek Plantn
281 (-7)
$10,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Venue

Moss Creek Plantn

Score

281 (-7)

Prize money

$10,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the inaugural Women's International. Second-placed Jan Stephenson (Aus) finished 1 shot behind Little (RSA), who holed an 80-foot bunker shot for birdie at the final hole. After six years on the LPGA Tour this was Little's first win. The LPGA intended to call the event the "Ladies Masters" until objections and legal threats rained down from the organisers of the Augusta National Masters Tournament. [Moss Creek Plantation, Hilton Head Island, SC; now called Moss Creek GC].

1971
Awards
x
LPGA Tr

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Little, Sally

Venue

Score

x

Prize money

Title sponsor

LPGA Tr

Little (RSA) won the LPGA Tour 1971 Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year Award as the leading first-season player.

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Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

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Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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