Sandra Post

Born in Oakville, Ontario, Post was introduced to golf at age five by her father,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M5kuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VaEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3081%2C5495463 |newspaper=Montreal Gazette |last=Thibeault |first=Marc |title=Sandra Post knew as tot she wanted to be golf pro |date=May 29, 1979 |page=53 }} and was a youthful prodigy who learned her golf at the nearby [http://www.trafalgargolf.com Trafalgar Golf & Country Club]. She was competing in Ontario provincial events by age 13 and compiled an outstanding junior and amateur career that included winning the Ontario and Canadian Junior Girls Championships three times each.{{cite book |title=Golf in Canada: A History |first=James A. |last=Barclay |author-link=James A. Barclay |publisher=McClelland & Stewart |location=Toronto |year=1992 |isbn=978-0-7710-1080-4}}

Bypassing college, Post turned professional in the spring of 1968 and joined the LPGA Tour at age 19. In her debut season of 1968, Post became the youngest player to win a women's major title at the LPGA Championship. Her 18-hole playoff victory over defending champion Kathy Whitworth, by 68 to 75, also marked the first victory in the championship by a non-U.S. player. She was the only Canadian to win an LPGA major for 48 years, until 18-year-old Brooke Henderson in 2016.

For her performance on the professional circuit, Post was voted the Tour's Rookie of the Year award. Post did not return to the winner's circle on the Tour until 1978; however, she challenged to win on many occasions during that ten-year period. In December 1974, she won the Colgate Far East Open, a non-tour event in Melbourne, Australia.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3dYpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=h9EEAAAAIBAJ&pg=666%2C4670283 |newspaper=Daytona Beach Morning Journal |location=Florida |agency=Associated Press |title=Sandra Post takes Far East tourney |date=December 9, 1974 |page=5C}}

Post hit her peak form from 1978 to 1981, winning seven of her eight career titles, and became one of the world's top players. She captured back-to-back wins at the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle in 1978 and 1979.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wlxGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GSsNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1192%2C411602 |newspaper=Evening News |location=Newburgh, New York |agency=Associated Press |title=Sandra Post surprised with win |date=April 3, 1978 |page=10B}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oSIoAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tXIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1272%2C1345907 |newspaper=The Day |location=New London, Connecticut |agency=Associated Press |last=Peters |first=Ken |title=Sandra Post outlasts Nancy Lopez |date=April 9, 1979 |page=38 }}

For the 1979 season, she finished second on the LPGA money list, and won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's "Athlete of the Year." During her 16 years on the pro tour, Post also had 20 runner-up finishes, including the U.S. Women's Open in 1975.

Several nagging injuries led Post to retire from most LPGA competition by the mid-1980s, but she competed occasionally after that. In 1988, she was elected to the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. In 1999, she was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.{{cite web |title=Sandra Post |url=http://oshof.ca/index.php/honoured-members/item/62-sandra-post |website=oshof.ca |publisher=Ontario Sports Hall of Fame |access-date=September 24, 2014 |archive-date=December 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229012233/http://www.oshof.ca/index.php/honoured-members/item/62-sandra-post |url-status=dead }} In 2003, she was honored by her country with membership in the Order of Canada. She was voted No. 8 of the females chosen as Canada's Athletes of the 20th Century.

Post has captained Canada's Nations Cup team, serves as a commentator on televised golf events in Canada, and writes golf instructional articles for several Canadian magazines. She is involved in a number of charitable causes, and runs the Sandra Post School of Golf near Toronto. Post has her own golf apparel firm, and has designed a set of women's golf clubs for the Jazz Golf company.

Note: Post's wins in the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle (now ANA Inspiration) were before it became a major championship.

• 1976 Sun Star Ladies

• 1974 Colgate Far East Open

¹Won in a playoff (68 Post, 75 Whitworth).

{{Reflist}}

• {{LPGA player|sandra-post/81611}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060928062901/http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=14257 Sandra Post, History by the Minute]

{{LPGA Champions}}

{{Lou Marsh Trophy}}

{{Bobbie Rosenfeld Award}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Post, Sandra}}

Category:Canadian female golfers

Category:LPGA Tour golfers

Category:Winners of LPGA major golf championships

Category:Canadian golf instructors

Category:Golf commentators

Category:Golfing people from Ontario

Category:Northern Star Award winners

Category:Members of the Order of Canada

Category:Sportspeople from Oakville, Ontario

Category:1948 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century Canadian sportswomen