Honda Civic Classic on LPGA Tour
First played: 1975
Last played: 1980
The tournament debuted under the name "Golf Inns of America," then was called the Kathryn Crosby/Honda Civic Classic in 1977-78. Kathryn Crosby was an actress and singer and wife of entertainment legend (and talented golfer) Bing Crosby.
Winners of the LPGA Honda Civic Classic
1975 — Mary Bea Porter, 2871976 — Not played
1977 — Sandra Palmer, 281
1978 — Sally Little, 282 (def. Nancy Lopez in playoff)
1979 — JoAnne Carner, 281
1980 — JoAnne Carner, 279
The roster of champions includes LPGA heavyweights of the era Sandra Palmer, Sally Little and JoAnne Carner, who won the last two times the tournament was played. It also includes Mary Bea Porter, who won the inaugural event in 1975.
Porter was not an LPGA heavyweight of the era — this was her only career win on the LPGA. But she did once save a drowning boy's life in the middle of a tournament round, and had a long post-playing career as an organizer and promoter of junior golf and a rules official.
The list of runners-up at the Honda Civic Classic is probably even more-impressive than that of the winners. Starting with 1975 and going forward, the second-place finishers were Donna Caponi; Hollis Stacy; Nancy Lopez; Pat Bradley and Sandra Post (both in 1980); and Judy Rankin. Lopez lost to Little on the first hole of a sudden death playoff in 1978.
Golf courses: Two golf courses were the home to this tournament. In 1975 and 1977 it took place at Whispering Palms Country Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California; in 1978-80 it was played at Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego.
Sources:
LPGA Tour. Tournament Chronology, 1970-79 (via Internet Archive), https://web.archive.org/web/20100102105959/http://www.lpga.com/content/Chronology70-79.pdf.
LPGA Tour. Tournament Chronology, 1980-89 (via Internet Archive), https://web.archive.org/web/20110629095854/http://www.lpga.com/content/Chronology80-89.pdf.
