Donna Caponi


Donna Caponi-Byrnes is an American LPGA Tour professional golfer. She became a member of the tour in 1965 and won four major championships and 24 LPGA Tour career events. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Amateur career

Caponi was born in Detroit, Michigan. She started playing golf at the age of 5. She learned golf from her father, Harry, and won the Los Angeles Junior title in 1956. She tied for 21st as an amateur at the 1964 Hillside House Ladies' Open on the LPGA Tour.

Professional career

Caponi joined the LPGA Tour in 1965. She won her first tournament in 1969 at the U.S. Women's Open. She is one of 14 players to make the U.S. Women’s Open her first LPGA victory. She would repeat as champion in 1970. Only Mickey Wright had ever won back-to-back U.S. Women's Opens before Caponi, who also matched Wright's 72-hole scoring record of 287. She would go on to win a total of 24 events on the LPGA Tour, including four major championships.
Caponi was named Female Player of the Year by Golf Writers Association of America in 1981. She finished in the top ten on the money list ten times between 1968 and 1981, including second-place finishes in 1976 and 1980. She retired from full-time competition in 1988. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2009, she was the recipient of the PGA First Lady of Golf Award.
She is currently an announcer on the Golf Channel, covering the Champions Tour.

Personal life

From 1971 to 1981, Caponi was married to Ken Young and was known as Donna Caponi Young. After her divorce in 1981, she changed her name back to Donna Caponi. She married her longtime boyfriend Edward "Ted" Byrnes on July 29, 2006, and changed her name to Donna Caponi-Byrnes.

Professional wins (29)

LPGA Tour wins (24)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1Jun 29, 1969U.S. Women's Open+2 1 stroke Peggy Wilson
2Sep 21, 1969Lincoln-Mercury Open−2 Playoff Kathy Whitworth
3May 24, 1970Bluegrass Invitational−2 1 stroke Mary Mills
4Jul 5, 1970U.S. Women's Open+3 1 stroke Sandra Haynie
Sandra Spuzich
5May 20, 1973Bluegrass Invitational−3 2 strokes Sandra Spuzich
6Feb 2, 1975Burdine's Invitational−8 3 strokes Kathy Cornelius
7May 11, 1975Lady Tara Classic−5 1 stroke Gloria Ehret
Sandra Post
8Jun 13, 1976Peter Jackson Classic−4 Playoff Judy Rankin
9Sep 19, 1976Portland Classic−2 Playoff Clifford Ann Creed
10Sep 26, 1976The Carlton−6 5 strokes Jane Blalock
Judy Rankin
11Nov 3, 1976LPGA/Japan Mizuno Classic−5 4 strokes Chako Higuchi
12Sep 17, 1978The Sarah Coventry−10 5 strokes Jane Blalock
13Oct 22, 1978Houston Exchange Clubs Classic−9 3 strokes Alexandra Reinhardt
14Jun 10, 1979LPGA Championship−9 3 strokes Jerilyn Britz
15Mar 23, 1980LPGA National Pro-Am−2 1 stroke Nancy Lopez
16Apr 6, 1980Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle−13 2 storkes Amy Alcott
17May 25, 1980Corning Classic−7 2 strokes Myra Blackwelder
18Sep 14, 1980United Virginia Bank Classic−11 4 strokes Nancy Lopez
19Sep 21, 1980ERA Real Estate Classic−9 5 strokes Shelley Hamlin
20Mar 22, 1981LPGA Desert Inn Pro-Am−3 3 strokes Pat Bradley
21Apr 12, 1981American Defender/WRAL Golf Classic−8 1 stroke Cathy Sherk
22Jun 14, 1981LPGA Championship−8 1 stroke Jerilyn Britz
Pat Meyers
23Jul 19, 1981WUI Classic−6 2 strokes Julie Pyne
24Aug 2, 1981Boston Five Classic−12 6 strokes Jan Stephenson

LPGA Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11969Lincoln-Mercury Open Kathy WhitworthWon with par on first extra hole
21974Lady Tara Classic Sandra Spuzich
Kathy Whitworth
Spuzich won with par on fifth extra hole
Whitworth eliminated with par on third hole
31976Peter Jackson Classic Judy RankinWon with par on first extra hole
41976Portland Classic Clifford Ann CreedWon with birdie on second extra hole
51979Women's Kemper Open JoAnne Carner
Chako Higuchi
Nancy Lopez
Jan Stephenson
Carner won with par on second extra hole
Caponi, Lopez, and Stephenson eliminated with par on first hole
61980West Virginia LPGA Classic Sandra PostLost to birdie on third extra hole
71981Florida Lady Citrus Beth Daniel
Cindy Hill
Patti Rizzo
Patty Sheehan
Daniel won with birdie on second extra hole
Hill, Rizzo, and Sheehan eliminated with par on first hole
81981Inamori Classic Amy Alcott
Hollis Stacy
Jan Stephenson
Stacy won with birdie on first extra hole

Other wins (5)

Wins (4)