Pat Bradley (golfer) explained

Pat Bradley
Birth Date:24 March 1951
Birth Place:Westford, Massachusetts, U.S.
Residence:Hyannis, Massachusetts, U.S.
College:Florida International
Yearpro:1974
Prowins:36
Lpgawins:31
Jlpgawins:1
Otherwins:5
Majorwins:6
Nabisco:Won: 1986
Lpga:Won: 1986
Wusopen:Won: 1981
Dumaurier:Won: 1980, 1985, 1986
Wbritopen:DNP
Wghofid:pat-bradley
Wghofyear:1991
Award1:LPGA Tour
Money Winner
Year1:1986, 1991
Award2:LPGA Tour
Player of the Year
Year2:1986, 1991
Award3:LPGA Tour Vare Trophy
Year3:1986, 1991
Award4:GWAA Female
Player of the Year
Year4:1986
Award5:LPGA William and
Mousie Powell Award
Year5:1991
Award7:LPGA Patty Berg Award
Year7:2001
Award8:NH Golf Hall of Fame
Year8:2018

Pat Bradley (born March 24, 1951) is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1974 and won 31 tour events, including six major championships. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Early life and family

Bradley was born on March 24, 1951, in Westford, Massachusetts. She was the only daughter among six children of Richard and Kay Bradley.[1] Her father was an avid golfer, and her brothers include Mark, a PGA club professional in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, whose son Keegan Bradley won the PGA Championship in 2011. The Bradleys were named "Golf Family of the Year" in 1989 by the National Golf Foundation.[2] As a teenager, she was also an accomplished alpine ski racer.[3]

Amateur career

Bradley won the New Hampshire Amateur in 1967 and 1969 and the New England Amateur in 1972 and 1973. As a member of the golf team of Florida International University in Miami, she was named an All-American in 1970.[3] In early 1973, Bradley tied for twelfth as an amateur at the Burdine's Invitational on the LPGA Tour.[4] [5]

Professional career

Bradley joined the LPGA Tour in 1974 and got her first win at the Girl Talk Classic in 1976 (she also finished second six times that year). Her breakout year was 1978, when she won three times. Her most fertile years came in the early to mid-1980s. She led the LPGA in wins in 1983 (4) and 1986 (5). Her first major came at the 1980 Peter Jackson Classic, followed by the U.S. Women's Open in 1981, and the du Maurier Classic in 1985.[4]

In 1986, Bradley won three of the four LPGA majors - the du Maurier Classic, Nabisco Dinah Shore, and LPGA Championship.[6] She finished fifth in the U.S. Women's Open, three strokes back, to narrowly miss the grand slam. Bradley won the money title and Vare Trophy that year, as well. In 1988, she was diagnosed with Graves' disease, and she played in 17 tournaments but made the cut in only eight. But she returned to form in 1989, winning once. Three more wins followed in 1990.[4]

Bradley won four times in 1991 and captured her second money and scoring titles, and was also named LPGA Tour Player of the Year for a second time. She was also inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. A New York Times survey of other LPGA Tour players published July 22, 1992 ranked Bradley as the tour's best long putter and best course manager as well as the best player on tour. The last of her LPGA victories came in 1995.

Sports psychologist Bob Rotella wrote in his 1996 book, Golf Is a Game of Confidence, that Bradley was the most mentally tough athlete he knew. She won a total of 31 tournaments on the LPGA Tour.[4] She was the third woman, behind Mickey Wright and Louise Suggs, to have completed the LPGA "Career Grand Slam". Bradley played on three U.S. Solheim Cup teams (1990, 1992, 1996) and captained the team in 2000. She was inducted into the New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame in 2018.[7]

Professional wins

LPGA Tour (31)

Legend
LPGA Tour major championships (6)
Other LPGA Tour (25)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin
of victory
Runner(s)-up
1Jun 6, 1976Girl Talk Classic+1 (72-73-72=217)Playoff Bonnie Lauer
Sandra Post
Judy Rankin
2Jul 10, 1977Bankers Trust Classic−6 (75-68-70=213)2 strokes JoAnne Carner
Carol Mann
Kathy Whitworth
3Jun 25, 1978Lady Keystone Open−10 (70-69-67=206)4 strokes Jane Blalock
4Jul 30, 1978Hoosier Classic−10 (69-69-68=206)3 strokes JoAnne Carner
5Sep 4, 1978Rail Charity Classic−12 (67-66-73-71=276)4 strokes Sharon Miller
6Jul 20, 1980Greater Baltimore Golf Classic−13 (69-70-67=206)1 stroke Nancy Lopez
7Aug 10, 1980Peter Jackson Classic−15 (65-72-69-71=277)1 stroke JoAnne Carner
8Mar 29, 1981Women's Kemper OpenE (71-75-68-70=284)5 strokes Debbie Massey
9Jul 26, 1981U.S. Women's Open−9 (71-74-68-66=279)1 stroke Beth Daniel
10Jan 30, 1983Mazda Classic of Deer Creek−16 (68-69-69-66=272)7 strokes Beth Daniel
11May 22, 1983Chrysler-Plymouth Charity Classic−7 (73-73-66=212)1 stroke Stephanie Farwig
12Aug 28, 1983Columbia Savings Classic−11 (71-69-70-67=277)Playoff Beth Daniel
13Nov 13, 1983Mazda Japan Classic−10 (72-70-64=206)7 strokes Laurie Rinker
14Jun 16, 1985Rochester International−8 (74-67-67-72=280)2 strokes Nancy Lopez
15Jul 28, 1985du Maurier Classic−10 (70-73-67-68=278)1 stroke Jane Geddes
16Aug 25, 1985LPGA National Pro-Am−4 (71-74-71-68=284)Playoff Amy Alcott
17Apr 6, 1986Nabisco Dinah Shore−8 (68-72-69-71=280)2 strokes Val Skinner
18Apr 27, 1986S&H Golf Classic−16 (69-67-71-65=272)1 stroke Janet Coles
19Jun 1, 1986LPGA Championship−11 (67-72-70-68=277)1 stroke Patty Sheehan
20Jul 27, 1986du Maurier Classic−12 (73-70-67-66=276)Playoff Ayako Okamoto
21Aug 17, 1986Nestle World Championship−9 (72-72-72-63=279)2 strokes Betsy King
Nancy Lopez
22Mar 29, 1987Standard Register Turquoise Classic−6 (75-74-67-70=286)2 strokes Christa Johnson
23Apr 16, 1989AI Star/Centinela Hospital Classic−8 (72 69-67=208)1 stroke Nancy Lopez
Hollis Stacy
24Feb 4, 1990Oldsmobile LPGA Classic−7 (66-65-74-76=281)Playoff Dale Eggeling
25Mar 25, 1990Standard Register Turquoise Classic−12 (70-71-68-71=280)1 stroke Ayako Okamoto
26May 27, 1990LPGA Corning Classic−10 (69-70-66-69=274)3 strokes Patty Sheehan
27May 19, 1991Centel Classic−10 (70-68-69-71=278)1 stroke Ayako Okamoto
28Sep 3, 1991Rail Charity Golf Classic−19 (67-65-65=197)6 strokes Danielle Ammaccapane
29Sep 22, 1991Safeco Classic−8 69-67-72-72=280)Playoff Rosie Jones
30Sep 29, 1991MBS LPGA Classic−11 (72-70-67-68=277)1 stroke Michelle Estill
31Jan 22, 1995HealthSouth Inaugural−5 (71-72-68=211)1 stroke Beth Daniel

LPGA Tour playoff record (6–4)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
11975Greater Ft. Myers Classic Sandra HaynieLost to par on second extra hole
21976Girl Talk Classic Bonnie Lauer
Sandra Post
Judy Rankin
Won with par on second extra hole
Lauer and Post eliminated by birdie on first hole
31976Wheeling Classic Jane BlalockLost to par on first extra hole
41983 Columbia Savings Classic Beth DanielWon with birdie on first extra hole
51984Nabisco Dinah Shore Juli InksterLost to par on first extra hole
61985 LPGA National Pro-Am Amy AlcottWon with birdie on second extra hole
71985Konica San Jose Classic Val SkinnerLost to par on first extra hole
81986 du Maurier Classic Ayako OkamotoWon with birdie on first extra hole
91990 Oldsmobile LPGA Classic Dale EggelingWon with birdie on first extra hole
101991 Safeco Classic Rosie JonesWon with birdie on second extra hole

LPGA of Japan Tour (1)

1Co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour

Legends Tour (1)

Other (4)

Major championships

Wins (6)

YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner-up
−15 (65-72-69-71=277)1 stroke JoAnne Carner
−9 (71-74-68-66=279)1 stroke Beth Daniel
−10 (70-73-67-68=278)1 stroke
−8 (68-72-69-71=280)2 strokes Val Skinner
−11 (67-72-70-68=277)1 stroke Patty Sheehan
−12 (73-70-67-66=276)Playoff1 Ayako Okamoto
1Won in a sudden-death playoff on the first playoff hole with a birdie.

Results timeline

Tournament 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980
LPGA ChampionshipT22T26T2T54T10T15
U.S. Women's OpenCUTT16T17T4T16T26T16
du Maurier Classic........................T181
Tournament 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
Kraft Nabisco Championship......T152613T74T6T9
LPGA ChampionshipT24T12T6T2T31T21T4T9
U.S. Women's Open1T21T8T13T12T5CUTCUTT3T19
du Maurier ClassicT2T38T5T1911T25T39T2T8
Tournament 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Kraft Nabisco ChampionshipT3T17T12T19T16T23T35T42T13CUT
LPGA ChampionshipT2T15CUTT3T8T51T11T4465T23
U.S. Women's Open2T29T4T25T3T3T28T46CUT
du Maurier ClassicT23CUTT52CUTT53CUTCUTT66T33
Tournament 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Kraft Nabisco Championship77CUTCUT
LPGA ChampionshipDQT56CUT
U.S. Women's Open
Women's British Open ^
^ The Women's British Open replaced the du Maurier Classic as an LPGA major in 2001.CUT = missed the half-way cut.
DQ = disqualified
"T" = tied

Summary

Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts made
1 1 2 4 7 14 21 18
1 3 2 7 10 19 28 25
1 1 3 8 10 18 26 22
3 2 0 6 7 11 21 17
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 6 7 7 25 34 63 96 82

Team appearances

Professional

Solheim Cup record

Year Total
matches
Total
W-L-H
Singles
W-L-H
Foursomes
W-L-H
Fourballs
W-L-H
Points
won
Points
%
Career82-5-1 1-2-0 0-2-0 1-1-1 3.037.5%
199032-1-0 1-0-0 def. T. Johnson 8&7 0-1-0 lost w/ N. Lopez 2&11-0-0 won w/ N. Lopez 2&12.066.6%
199230-2-1 0-1-0 lost to P. Wright 4&3 0-1-0 lost w/ D. Mochrie 2&10-0-1 halved w/ D. Mochrie0.516.6%
199620-2-0 0-1-0 lost to A. Sörenstam 2&1 0-0-0 0-1-0 lost w/ K. Robbins 6&50.00.0%

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pat Bradley . 2021-12-27 . Britannica Kids.
  2. [Palm Beach Post]
  3. News: Pat Bradley plans professional golf career . Nashua Telegraph . (New Hampshire) . Bryant . Ted . December 17, 1973 . 31.
  4. http://golf.about.com/od/golferswomen/p/pat_bradley.htm Pat Bradley at about.com
  5. News: Prentice 1 better in Burdine golf . St. Petersburg Times . (Florida) . Associated Press . January 8, 1973 . 3C.
  6. Now they call her Payday Pat . Sports Illustrated. McDermott . Barry . September 29, 1986 . 82 . July 17, 2013.
  7. Web site: Bradley, Blalock to enter New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame . Legends Tour . October 18, 2018 . Lisa D. . Mickey.