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Year in Review

1980 in golf

Weeks

Thirteen championships in our record: seven majors (four men’s, three women’s), four amateur championships and two women’s tour events. Jack Nicklaus won two of them: PGA Championship and U.S. Open.

1980, developed the way it was shot: on colour film, with its grain.

The year, week by week

Each dot is a championship at the week it finished. Click a dot for its front page, or a week to see it on the world.

This week

    Every championship of 1980 in our record, in full

    The majors

    4 Men’s majors

    1. Men's major

      Masters

      Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Seve Ballesteros

      275Total
      −13To par
      4 strokesMargin

      Runner-up: Gibby Gilbert, Jack Newton

      The golfer

      b. 1957-04-09, Pedrena, Spain; Spain; age 23 at the win (year page); 2nd major (card's count)

      Seve Ballesteros’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    2. Men's major

      PGA Championship

      Oak Hill Country Club (East Course), Rochester

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Jack Nicklaus

      274Total
      −6To par
      7 strokesMargin

      Runner-up: Andy Bean

      The golfer

      b. 1940-01-21, Columbus, Ohio, USA; United States; age 40 at the win (year page); 17th major (card's count)

      Jack Nicklaus’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    3. Men's major

      The Open

      Muirfield, Gullane

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Tom Watson

      271Total
      −13To par
      4 strokesMargin

      Runner-up: Lee Trevino

      The golfer

      b. 1949-09-04, Kansas City, Missouri, USA; United States; age 30 at the win (year page); 4th major (card's count)

      Tom Watson’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    3 Women’s majors

    1. Women's major

      LPGA Championship

      Jack Nicklaus Sports Center (Grizzly Course), Kings Island

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Sally Little

      285Total
      −3To par
      3 strokesMargin

      Runner-up: Jane Blalock

      The golfer

      b. 1951, Cape Town, South Africa; South Africa; United States; age 28 at the win (year page); 1st major (card's count)

      Sally Little’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    2. Women's major

      Peter Jackson Classic

      St. George's Golf and Country Club, Toronto

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Pat Bradley

      277Total
      −15To par
      1 strokeMargin

      Runner-up: JoAnne Carner

      The golfer

      b. 1951-03-24, Westford, Massachusetts, United States; United States; age 29 at the win (year page); 1st major (card's count)

      Pat Bradley’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    3. Women's major

      U.S. Women's Open

      Richland C.C., Nashville

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Amy Alcott

      280Total
      −4To par
      9 strokesMargin

      Runner-up: Hollis Stacy

      The golfer

      b. 1956-02-22, Kansas City, Missouri, United States; United States; age 24 at the win (year page); 2nd major (card's count)

      Amy Alcott’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    The amateurs

    2 Men’s amateur

    2. Men's amateur championship

      U.S. Amateur

      Country Club of North Carolina, Pinehurst

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Hal Sutton

      9 & 8Final

      Runner-up: Bob Lewis

      To par and margin not yet researched.

      The golfer

      b. 1958-04-28, Shreveport, Louisiana; United States; age 22 at the win (year page)

      Hal Sutton’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    2 Women’s amateur

    1. Women's amateur championship

      The Women's Amateur

      Woodhall Spa, Woodhall Spa

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Anne Quast Sander

      3 & 1 (18-hole final)Final

      Runner-up: Liv Wollin

      To par and margin not yet researched.

      The golfer

      b. 1937-08-31, Everett, Washington, U.S.; United States

      Anne Quast Sander’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    2. Women's amateur championship

      U.S. Women's Amateur

      Prairie Dunes C.C., Hutchinson

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Juli Inkster

      2 upFinal

      Runner-up: Patti Rizzo

      To par and margin not yet researched.

      The golfer

      b. 1960-06-24, Santa Cruz, California, United States; United States; age 20 at the win (year page)

      Juli Inkster’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    The women’s tour events

    Women’s championships played before they were counted as majors.

    2 Women’s tour events

    1. Women's tour event

      Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle

      Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Donna Caponi

      275Total
      −13To par
      2 strokesMargin

      Runner-up: Amy Alcott

      The golfer

      b. 1945-01-29, Detroit, Michigan, United States; United States; age 35 at the win (year page)

      Donna Caponi’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    2. Women's tour event

      Pretty Polly Women's British Open

      Wentworth Club (East Course), Virginia Water

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Debbie Massey

      294Total
      +2To par
      1 strokeMargin

      Runner-up: Marta Figueras-Dotti, Belle Robertson

      The golfer

      b. 1950-11-05, Grosse Pointe, Michigan, U.S.; United States

      Debbie Massey’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    Year in Review

    1980 in golf: the year in review

    Thirteen championships in our record: seven majors (four men’s, three women’s), four amateur championships and two women’s tour events. Jack Nicklaus won two of them: PGA Championship and U.S. Open.

    To be written The synopsis of 1980: 150 to 250 words on the season’s story, its turning points and why it mattered, written from sourced research.

    The men’s majors

    • Masters: Seve Ballesteros, Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
    • PGA Championship: Jack Nicklaus, Oak Hill Country Club (East Course), Rochester
    • The Open: Tom Watson, Muirfield, Gullane
    • U.S. Open: Jack Nicklaus, Baltusrol G.C., Springfield

    To be written How each was won: the leader after 54 holes, the decisive shot, the runner-up, the weather.

    The women’s majors

    • LPGA Championship: Sally Little, Jack Nicklaus Sports Center (Grizzly Course), Kings Island
    • Peter Jackson Classic: Pat Bradley, St. George's Golf and Country Club, Toronto
    • U.S. Women's Open: Amy Alcott, Richland C.C., Nashville

    To be written How each was won, and where the women’s game stood in 1980.

    The amateur championships

    • The Amateur: Duncan Evans, Porthcawl, Porthcawl
    • The Women's Amateur: Anne Quast Sander, Woodhall Spa, Woodhall Spa
    • U.S. Amateur: Hal Sutton, Country Club of North Carolina, Pinehurst
    • U.S. Women's Amateur: Juli Inkster, Prairie Dunes C.C., Hutchinson

    To be written The amateur season: champions, finals, and who went on to turn professional.

    Women’s tour events

    • Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle: Donna Caponi, Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage
    • Pretty Polly Women's British Open: Debbie Massey, Wentworth Club (East Course), Virginia Water

    To be written The women’s tour season around these events.

    Around the tours

    12 tour events are laid out week by week for 1980.

    To be written Money lists, players of the year, rookies and the shape of each tour’s season, from the tours’ own records.

    Players of the year

    Jack Nicklaus won two championships in our record (PGA Championship and U.S. Open).

    To be written Who defined 1980: their wins, their near misses, and what the year meant for their career.

    Firsts, records and farewells

    To be written First-time major winners, scoring records, youngest and oldest champions, last appearances, events played for the first or last time.

    The game in 1980

    To be written Equipment, rules and course changes, prize money, television and the business of golf that year.

    Questions about 1980 in golf

    Who won the 1980 Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle?
    Donna Caponi won the 1980 Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle at Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage.
    Who won the 1980 LPGA Championship?
    Sally Little won the 1980 LPGA Championship at Jack Nicklaus Sports Center (Grizzly Course), Kings Island.
    Who won the 1980 Masters?
    Seve Ballesteros won the 1980 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia.
    Who won the 1980 PGA Championship?
    Jack Nicklaus won the 1980 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club (East Course), Rochester.
    Who won the 1980 Peter Jackson Classic?
    Pat Bradley won the 1980 Peter Jackson Classic at St. George's Golf and Country Club, Toronto.
    Who won the 1980 Pretty Polly Women's British Open?
    Debbie Massey won the 1980 Pretty Polly Women's British Open at Wentworth Club (East Course), Virginia Water.
    Who won the 1980 Amateur?
    Duncan Evans won the 1980 Amateur at Porthcawl, Porthcawl.
    Who won the 1980 Open?
    Tom Watson won the 1980 Open at Muirfield, Gullane.
    Who won the 1980 Women's Amateur?
    Anne Quast Sander won the 1980 Women's Amateur at Woodhall Spa, Woodhall Spa.
    Who won the 1980 U.S. Amateur?
    Hal Sutton won the 1980 U.S. Amateur at Country Club of North Carolina, Pinehurst.
    Who won the 1980 U.S. Open?
    Jack Nicklaus won the 1980 U.S. Open at Baltusrol G.C., Springfield.
    Who won the 1980 U.S. Women's Amateur?
    Juli Inkster won the 1980 U.S. Women's Amateur at Prairie Dunes C.C., Hutchinson.
    Who won the 1980 U.S. Women's Open?
    Amy Alcott won the 1980 U.S. Women's Open at Richland C.C., Nashville.
    Who won the most championships in 1980?
    In Golf Network News’s record, Jack Nicklaus won two (PGA Championship and U.S. Open).
    How many majors were played in 1980?
    Seven in our record: four men’s and three women’s.

    Every count above is from Golf Network News’s record; the parts marked “To be written” are filled only from sourced research.

    How this page works

    Every championship here comes from Golf Network News's own record: the rooms for the majors, the women's majors, the amateur championships and the team cups. A part that says it is not yet researched is exactly that. We fill it from sourced material, never with a guess.

    The picture at the top is drawn in code for each year. It is printed the way golf was printed that year: wood engravings before 1900, newsprint halftones to 1945, hand-tinted plates to 1969, colour film to 1999, and digital light since. The names engraved in the numerals are that year's champions.

    Every view has its own address: the year, the tours, the event and a traced champion are kept in the link, so you can share exactly what you see.