Olympia Gold Classic
The Olympia Gold Classic was a women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour, held in southern California in Los Angeles County from 1978 to 1982.[2] It was played in late winter at the Rancho Park Golf Course in the city of Los Angeles from 1978 to 1980 as the "Sunstar Classic," then moved east to Industry Hills Golf Club in City of Industry in 1981 and 1982, in a renamed event sponsored by Olympia Brewing Company.
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Industry, California, U.S. |
| Established | 1978 (as Sunstar Classic) |
| Course(s) | Industry Hills Golf Club Eisenhower Course |
| Par | 73 |
| Length | 6,006 yards (5,492 m)[1] |
| Tour(s) | LPGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play - 72 holes |
| Prize fund | $150,000 |
| Month played | March |
| Final year | 1982 |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 280 Nancy Lopez (1979) |
| To par | −9 JoAnne Carner (1980) |
| Final champion | |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Sally Little | |
Golf Club
Golf Club
History
Nancy Lopez, age 21, won the inaugural edition by a stroke for her second career win;[3] she won her first at the previous tournament in Florida two weeks earlier and won nine times in 1978, including five consecutive in late spring.[4] Lopez successfully defended the title in 1979, sinking a ten-foot (3 m) birdie putt on the final hole to edge Hollis Stacy by a stroke.[5]
The last three editions were hampered by heavy rains; 1980 was 54 holes as the first round was washed out,[6] and 1981 was reduced to 36 holes with no weekend play.[7] The next year it went the full 72 holes, but the final round was postponed a day to Monday.[1] Sally Little was the champion the last two years.
It was not succeeded by any event in the Los Angeles area in 1983.
Tournament names
- Olympia Gold Classic – (1981–1982), at Industry Hills Golf Club in City of Industry
- Sunstar Classic – (1978–1980), at Rancho Park Golf Course in Los Angeles
Winners
| Year | Dates | Champion | Country | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory | Winner's share ($) | Purse ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia Gold Classic | |||||||||
| 1982 | Mar 11–15 | Sally Little (2) | South Africa | 75-74-69-70=288 | −4 | 2 strokes | 22,500 | 150,000 | [1] |
| 1981 | Feb 26–27 | Sally Little | South Africa | 71-71=142 | −4 | 1 stroke | 22,500 | 150,000 | [7] |
| Sunstar Classic | |||||||||
| 1980 | Mar 6–9 | Joanne Carner |  United States | 69-71-67=207 | −9 | 3 strokes | 18,750 | 125,000 | [6] |
| 1979 | Mar 8–11 | Nancy Lopez (2) | United States | 70-71-70-69=280 | −8 | 1 stroke | 15,000 | 100,000 | [3] |
| 1978 | Mar 9–12 | Nancy Lopez | United States | 72-72-70-71=285 | −3 | 1 stroke | 15,000 | 100,000 | [5] |
- Due to heavy rain, final round in 1982 was held on Monday; no weekend rounds in 1981, and no opening round in 1980.
References
- "Little draws big paycheck with no guilt". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 16, 1982. p. 2C.
- LPGA Tournament Chronology 1980-1989
- "Lopez bids for premier rank in golf". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. March 13, 1978. p. 3C.
- "Lopez pulls miracle out of her golf bag". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 19, 1978. p. 1D.
- "Lopez sinks putt on 18th to capture LPGA victory". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 12, 1979. p. 4B.
- "Carner at top of game and the Sunstar Classic". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. March 10, 1980. p. 5B.
- "Weather plagues LPGA". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 2, 1981. p. 4B.