In an 18-hole Monday playoff, Shirley Englehorn won her only major title, defeating 1967 champion Kathy Whitworth by four strokes.[2] Englehorn bogeyed the second hole and parred the rest for a 74 (+1).[3] Three years earlier Pleasant Valley, Whitworth had bested Englehorn by a stroke in 1967, after the pair had co-led after 54 holes. It was Englehorn's fourth consecutive victory during the 1970 season;[1] defending champion Betsy Rawls tied for 26th, 21 strokes back.[4]
This was the third LPGA Championship held at Pleasant Valley in four years, and the third of seven in an eight-year stretch.
Final leaderboard
Sunday June 14, 1970
Whitworth had a four-stroke lead after 58 holes, but Englehorn was four-under on the back nine on Sunday, including a birdie on the final hole to force the Monday playoff.[4][5]
No birdies were scored in the playoff: both bogeyed the second hole and Whitworth had another at the ninth to fall one back at the turn. She had a double bogey at the twelfth and dropped three back, while Englehorn had seventeen pars on the way to a one-over 74 for a four-stroke win and the title.[1][3]
