Age has no limits! 85-year-old golf pro, JoAnne Carner, has been a standing testament to it, breaking her records every year. Often dubbed as Big Mama, she is known for her style on the course. Carner is currently teeing off at the US Senior Women’s Open at the Fox Chapel Golf Club, Pittsburgh. She carded a 14-over 85 in the opening round on Thursday, which was the seventh time JoAnne Carner has managed to shoot her age at the US Senior Open. When complimented for her round at the course, Carner said, “That’s cause I’m headed to the bar.”

Well, the bar is not the only place she hits. The 85 YO is often seen smoking cigarettes on the course and still playing. She has tried to quit but it is impossible for her. Well, there is no doubt in the fact that Big Mama has indeed still got it in her, smoking and drinking cocktails. Not to forget that she has had an amazing illustrious career in golf.

A peek into JoAnne Carner’s golfing journey

JoAnne Carner turned professional in 1970 and has been playing on the LPGA Tour since then. She has played in the league for over three decades (1970-2005) carding a total of 49 victories in her span, and has also been rewarded player of the year three times (1974,1982, 1983).

The 1994 US Solheim Cup team captain has time and again demonstrated her love and passion for golf, and is still doing the same. Here are some of JoAnne Carner’s career highlights so far:

1. Carded highest USGA titles

Big Mama was also given the decorated title of becoming the woman with the highest number of USGA titles. She bagged her eighth victory at the US Women’s Open back in 1976 and topped Ellen Port and Carol Semple Thompson’s number, who had bagged the title seven times. Only two players have won the championships more than her – Tiger Woods, and Bobby Jones. Nonetheless, JoAnne Carner is still pretty close, since both the pros have won it only one time more than her! Her eight USGA titles include U.S. Girls’ Junior (1956); U.S. Women’s Amateur (1957, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1968); and U.S. Women’s Open (1971, 1976).

2. The oldest golfer to play in a USGA event

JoAnne Carner broke the record for being the oldest player to play a USGA Champion at the 2021 US Women’s Senior Open at the age of 83, and well, moved to the bar to celebrate it. Earlier it was Harold “Jug” McSpadden who held the record, playing the 1990 US Senior Open when he was 81. She carded a 10-over 82 at the Brooklawn Country Club, which was the second time the 75 YO has done so in a USGA Championship. JoAnne Carner shot a 79 at the age of 79 at the Inaugural Senior Women’s Open in 2018. Her last exemption to the Senior Open was last year, and ever since 2021, she has been breaking her record.

3. Won 3 different USGA events

Winning the US Women’s Open for the first time, JoAnne Carner became the only woman to have won three different USGA events (US Girl’s Junior, US Women’s Amateur, and US Women’s Open). Including her, only five players have been able to achieve this feat. The other four are Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Carol Semple Thompson. However, Carner believes that had there been a US Seniors Women’s Open fifteen years ago, she could have easily surpassed the record. “Yeah. And if they had a U.S. Senior Women’s Open, I’d be the only person with four different championships,” said Big Mama.

4. Oldest golfer to make the cut in an LPGA event

JoAnne Carner had played in a total of ten tournaments in the same year and had also bagged the third career tournament hole-in-one. At the Kraft Nabisco Championship, when she was in her late 63 that year, she cut into the first two rounds. Late in the year, when Carner turned 64 almost two months later, she made the cut at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, for one last time, and once again broke her record. JoAnne was 64 years and 26 days old, and nothing could have been a better birthday gift for herself.

Although JoAnne Carner finished 90th on the leaderboard after the ultimate round, she had already established a record for the second time. This year being her last exemption for the major, she has a probability of breaking the record once again at 85. Big Mama’s love affair with golf is indeed one for a lifetime. She is currently sitting on T110 with Kathy Harteiger, Yuko Ogura, Kaori Shimura, and Kim Shek. Carner bagged a birdie, three bogeys, and a double bogey in the front nine.

It was going pretty much alright, but the back nine was what put JoAnne all the more behind with three double bogeys, and four bogeys. Nonetheless, swinging the club at 85 is what still does the trick for her gameplay! Do you think JoAnne Carner will be able to make the cut this weekend? Let us know in the comments section below!m