KETTING, Ohio – Four years ago, JoAnne Carner rallied in her opening round of the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open, carding four birdies on the back side at Chicago Golf Club to shoot her age, 79.
Last year, an 82-year-old Carner shot her age in the first round at Brooklawn Country Club and followed it with a 79 in Round 2.
Can she do it once more at the Senior Women’s Open? The now 83-year-old Carner is one of 120 players in the field at NCR Country Club, a stern test by all accounts.
Only five players have shot their age or better in USGA championships more than once: Jerry Barber (9), Tom Watson (3), Hale Irwin (3), Harold ‘Jug’ McSpaden and Carner (3).
2019 Senior Women’s Open champion Helen Alfredsson played two practice rounds with Carner at NCR and marveled that Carner’s 91-year-old older sister, Helen Sherry, walked all 36 holes.
“Whatever they are taking,” said Alfredsson, “I want to get some.”
The goal here is to make the cut
Carner said she comes back every year to this championship because she keeps thinking she’s going to make the cut. That has been the objective since she teed up in the inaugural event in 2018.
“It matters to her what she shoots,” said 2018 winner Laura Davies. “To the rest of us, it doesn’t matter what she shoots. But I know her fighting spirit.
“She’s going to want to put a best run on it as she possibly can and she’ll be thinking if she makes the cut, that would be as big of an achievement as whoever hoists the trophy in my opinion, at 83. Everyone rooting for her, and she’s just a lovely lady.”
Carner is the oldest to ever play in a USGA championship
Carner broke the record for oldest to play a USGA championship last year at this championship, and, at 83, she just keeps moving the bar. Harold “Jug” McSpadden held the previous record. He was 81 when he played in the 1990 U.S. Senior Open.
Everyone has a good Big Mama story
Generations of players have a good Big Mama story, and icon Annika Sorenstam is no different. On the eve of the Senior Women’s Open, Sorenstam recalled a time they were together on tour in the fitness trailer.
“I was in there stretching and doing some weights and getting loose,” said Sorenstam. “Here she comes in and she literally just kind of sits on a bench and is kind of like observing everybody. Then the trainer comes up and said, ‘What can I do for you? And she goes, “Do you have any Advil?’
“She got like two or three, and that was it. That was her trailer fitness moment.”
Winningest female in USGA history
Carner has won more USGA titles than any other woman with eight. Ellen Port and Carol Semple Thompson have won seven. Only Bobby Jones and Tiger Woods have won more with nine.
Carner’s eight USGA titles include: U.S. Girls’ Junior (1956); U.S. Women’s Amateur (1957, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1968); U.S. Women’s Open (1971, 1976).
This might be her last USGA championship ... maybe
During her pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday, Carner said “I think this is finally it.” This week could be her final USGA championship.
“It’s just hard work trying to get the whole game going,” she said. “I let it go too bad.”
Carner said she has lost the 26 pounds she had gained during the COVID-19 pandemic, when lockdowns kept her from a normal routine. She also said she had let her game go to pot.
“Everything was terrible, so it was like starting all over from scratch,” she said. “I went to Justin Thompson, who I have taken lessons from there at Pine Tree in Florida, and he started me … because I just wouldn’t turn. As you age, nothing wants to move, so I did some stretching at home. But basically back to it.”
And how does she feel now?
“There is hope,” she said.
