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Caponi didn't need a comeback
Updated: Monday May 14, 2001 3:24 PM
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- Two years ago Donna Caponi came to me and said she was thinking about making a comeback. My first thought was, OK, why not? She still appeared to be in good in shape, and I'd always wondered why she had ended her illustrious career so early. But quicker than Laura Davies' backswing, Caponi gave me one of her classic big grins and I immediately knew something was up.
Earlier that season, the LPGA had changed the requirements for entrance into the Hall of Fame. Gone was the 30-wins-including-two-majors standard and in was a points system. When she left the tour at age 43, Caponi was six victories shy of her lifetime goal. But had this new system been in place when she captured the 1981 Boston Five Classic, she would have reached the 27 points needed to qualify for the Hall. So, for the last couple of years the two of us had pondered the question: If Caponi were to return as an active player, would she automatically become a Hall of Famer? Fortunately, last Wednesday the LPGA rendered the point moot by electing Caponi into the Hall of Fame in the Veteran's Category. She is the Hall's 19th member. Over the weekend Caponi served as an analyst on the Electrolux USA Championship broadcast, but she still had time Saturday afternoon to sneak over to Brentwood Country Club to work on her game. I caught up with her as she practiced chipping. No, she wasn't still thinking about a comeback. But she was happy to talk about becoming a Hall of Famer. CNNSI.com: When you finished playing full-time in 1988, did you think you had achieved a Hall of Fame career? Caponi: Every time I talk about the Hall of Fame I get so emotional because you've worked your whole life thinking that, you know, is it ever an attainable possibility to ever think that you can get in the Hall of Fame? And when I left the tour -- actually, the last year that I played -- I kept thinking, Well, it is too far away. But I always thought it was a pretty successful career winning 24 times. CNNSI.com: When you got the call that you were finally in the Hall of Fame, what was your first thought? Caponi: The first thought was with my parents because what I am today and what I accomplished I owe all to my parents. My father spending hours and hours on end on the range watching me practice and our parents taking us to junior golf tournaments in Los Angeles. There are just so many things that go through your mind, and the things I think about more than anything are things that happened when I was a kid, not even any part of my career or all the 24 wins. All of the stuff that I did as a kid building up to say, Someday I am going to be in the Hall of Fame. I am going to make this four-footer or I am going to win the U.S. Open by making this shot. Those were the first things that came to my mind. CNNSI.com: While you were joking about making a comeback a couple of years ago, you were more or less just happy about having the points needed to qualify if you were still active, right? Caponi: Yes, the one thing I am proud of is that I have the 27 points, which is the [amount] you need to qualify for the Hall of Fame. That makes me proud, but I hit it right on the number and that last win I had in Boston, really, if I was still an active player, would have gotten me in the Hall of Fame. I think that is exciting to me. CNNSI.com: When you start prioritizing the things you have done, is it the 23-year career, the four major championships, the 24 wins -- what is your most significant accomplishment? Caponi: A lot of people know my first win was the U.S. Open. That was a thrill. But winning the second U.S. Open [was the biggest deal]. I knew a lot more the second time around. And so winning the second U.S. Open I think was very, very important. CNNSI.com: Everyone gives something to the Hall of Fame; Nancy Lopez gave one of her Barbie dolls. Have you though about what you are going to put in there? Caponi: Many people know that Dave Stockton is like my big brother; we grew up in Los Angeles together. During our offseasons, we would practice and work on our games all winter and then we'd go to our respective tours. In 1976, the year he won the PGA Championship at Southern Hills, that winter we were messing around with a bunch of different putters and he said, "Here, try this putter." It happened to be the one that he won the PGA with. He gave that to me and I went on to win 17 or 18 tournaments with that putter. So I am thinking I might give that. CNNSI.com: I'm sure Annika Sorenstam is just glad you are not still in your prime. Caponi: Oh, yeah, sure, she is just shaking in her boots. I think everybody goes through stages. I was around watching Nancy do what she did and competing against her. Before that, obviously, was Mickey Wright and Kathy Whitworth. It is actually really, really fun to be around now watching Annika and Karrie Webb and what the players are doing out there now, also being a player who played and competed. Now we are cheering them on. Even though it came 20 years after the fact, thankfully we have this chance to again cheer Donna Caponi and her great career. Tom Hanson, a regular contributor to Sports Illustrated's Golf Plus section,
is a longtime caddie on the LPGA Tour. Click here
to send him a question or comment.
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