1. Home
  2. Sports
  3. Golf

1970 - The Year in Golf, 1970

By Brent Kelley, About.com

Previous Year | Next Year
Golf Timeline Homepage

At age 30, JoAnne Carner turns professional, joining the LPGA Tour fulltime.

At age 34, Mickey Wright retires from full-time competition on the LPGA Tour.

Doug Sanders misses a three-foot putt on the final hole of the British Open to fall into a playoff with Jack Nicklaus, which Nicklaus wins.

The U.S. Amateur comes down to two future stars, and Lanny Wadkins beats Tom Kite by one stroke.

Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer team to win the National Four-Ball Championship.

In one of their final head-to-head battles on the PGA Tour, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer play the final 36 holes of regulation together at the Byron Nelson Classic before Nicklaus takes the title in a playoff.

Believing that the golf course did not suit his game, and he therefore had no chance to win, Lee Trevino declines an invitation to The Masters.

Gibby Gilbert defeats Bruce Crampton in a playoff for the PGA Houston Champions International, Gilbert's first PGA Tour win. But more interestingly, 57-year-old Ben Hogan plays a tour event for the first time in three years and finishes ninth.

Titleist introduces the icosahedron dimple pattern, an aerodynamically superior design.

Born This Year:


• Rich Beem, PGA Championship winner
Phil Mickelson, PGA Tour
Annika Sorenstam, LPGA Hall of Famer
• Alex Cejka, PGA European Tour and PGA Tour
• Tim Herron, PGA Tour
• Andrew Coltart, PGA European Tour
• Jim Furyk, 2003 U.S. Open champion
• Mike Weir, 2003 Masters champion

Money Leaders:


PGA: Lee Trevino, $157,037.63
LPGA: Kathy Whitworth, $30,235

Scoring Leaders:


PGA (Vardon Trophy): Lee Trevino, 70.64
LPGA (Vare Trophy): Kathy Whitworth, 72.26

Men's Major Championship Winners:


The Masters: Billy Casper
U.S. Open: Tony Jacklin
British Open: Jack Nicklaus
PGA Championship: Dave Stockton

Women's Major Championship Winners:


LPGA: Shirley Englehorn
U.S. Open: Donna Caponi

Amateur Champions:


U.S.: Lanny Wadkins
British: Michael Bonallack
U.S. Women's: Martha Wilkinson
British Women's: Dinah Oxley

Previous Year | Next Year
Golf Timeline Homepage

Explore Golf

About.com Special Features

Learn to Pitch

Strike out the competition with these step-by-step pictorials. More >

Introduction to Pilates

Learning Pilates fundamentals can help you get the most out of your exercise regime. More >

  1. Home
  2. Sports
  3. Golf

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.