‘Big Momma’ Will Be 47 : Carner’s Birthday April 4, During the Dinah Shore

Arnold Palmer has earned the nickname of “The King” on the Professional Golfers Assn. tour. On the Ladies PGA tour, the title of “The Queen” may be up for grabs, but a strong contender to hold it is JoAnne Carner.

Big Momma, as Carner is affectionately called by her peers, moves easily through locker rooms and practice range areas with unflagging high spirits and humor.

“What did you shoot today?” she asks a young player she has been tutoring. “Not too good, a 74,” is the reply. “Hey, that’s a good number, a very good number,” says Carner, who also shot the same score in competition that day.

The oldest winner of an LPGA tournament when she won the Safeco event in Seattle last fall at age 46 and 5 months, Carner will celebrate her 47th birthday on April 4 when she will be competing in the $430,000 Nabisco Dinah Shore tournament at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, April 3-6.

“I really don’t know why I haven’t won the Dinah Shore,” she said. “I like the course and the atmosphere. I finished second once and have been close a few times . . . Sometimes when I really want to win a certain tournament real bad, I tend to try too hard and press too much. Maybe that’s the reason.”

Carner should be in considerable better physical condition this year than in the ’85 tournament, which is one of the LPGA’s four major events each year.

“I had the flu and other ailments here last year and really shouldn’t have played. Doctors said I had two secondary infections, one bronchial and one nasal. With the bronchial infections, the muscles spasm, and I had a tough time breathing and just getting around the course.”

Carner tied for 24th last year and then returned to her home in Florida for a two-week rest.

Practically a chain smoker in past years, Carner says she has given up smoking. “Yeah, that’s right. I quit about three months ago.”

Her husband, Don, said, “She’s got it whipped now.”

“I don’t know about that,” Carner said. “If I don’t start to putt better, I may go back to smoking. My putting is absolutely wiping me out. I’ve been driving the ball good and hitting the irons, so, basically it’s just been the putting that’s killing me.”

In her characteristic throaty chuckle, Carner recalled the last time she gave up smoking. “It was about five years ago. On this particular day, I wasn’t playing too hot and was getting jumpier by the minute. On the ninth hole, I made a 9 and promptly reached into my golf bag for a cigarette. That nonsmoking period lasted nine holes.”

A World Hall of Fame member (she was inducted last year), Carner had victories last year at both ends of the calendar and country. She won the Elizabeth Arden tournament in January-February in Florida and the Safeco last September in her native state of Washington.

Her earnings of $141,941 last year boosted her lifetime total to $1,931,189, ranking her the 15th all-time money winner in golf--male or female. That $1.93 million ranks her just behind Ben Crenshaw ($1,948,722) and just ahead of “The King,” Palmer at $1,891,200.

Carner’s immediate goal is to become the first woman to pass the $2 million mark. Through the Women’s Kemper this year, her career total was $1,950,630. Her closest pursuer is Pat Bradley with $1,857,997.

“Sure I want that record,” Carner said. “It’s always nice to be the first in something, but at the rate I’m going ($19,440 and 26th on the 1986 money list), I may not get there until 1991.”

Carner ruled women’s amateur golf with five U.S. Amateur championships and did not turn professional until 1970 when she was 30 years old. Why the delay in turning professional?

“Amateur golf was pretty important in those days, with a lot of good players around. There was too much fun out there to think about going pro. But pretty soon my amateur friends started to turn pro, and I followed them.”

Carner thinks many of the young players coming on tour now are much too serious. “Maybe it’s all that money we’re playing for, but they’re not having any fun out there.”