| Intro | South African golfer |
| Is |
Athlete Golfer |
| From | South Africa |
| Type | Sports |
| Gender | female |
| Birth | 21 September 1951, Durban, South Africa |
| Age: | 68 years |
| Star sign | Virgo |
Alison Sheard (born 21 September 1951) is a South African golfer who played on the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour. As an amateur golfer during the 1970s, Sheard won multiple golf tournaments in South Africa and silver at the 1974 Espirito Santo Trophy. After turning professional in 1976, Sheard played on the Ladies European Tour between the 1970s to 1980s and joined the LPGA Tour in 1980. During her professional career, Sheard became the first-non British champion of the Women’s British Open in 1979 and won three LET events. In other major championships, Sheard tied for 23rd at the 1980 U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship and tied for 10th at the 1981 Peter Jackson Classic.
Biography
Sheard was born on 21 September 1951 in Durban, South Africa. As an amateur golfer, Sheard won multiple South African tournaments throughout the 1970s. Outside of South Africa, Sheard was runner-up at the 1976 British Ladies Amateur. In team events, Sheard won silver with the South African team at the 1974 Espirito Santo Trophy. In 1976, Sheard became a professional golfer and played throughout Europe. Her first wins on the Ladies European Tour were at the Carlsberg and McEwans Welsh Classic tournaments in 1979. That year, Sheard was the leading money winner for the 1979 LET season. In 1980, Sheard joined the LPGA Tour. Between 1980 to 1983, her best performance at the LPGA was a seventh place tie at the 1983 West Virginia LPGA Classic. A few years later, Sheard won an additional LET tournament at the 1985 Spanish Open.
In major championships, Sheard won the 1979 Women’s British Open. With her win, Sheard became the first foreign golfer to win the British Open. In later British Opens, she finished 9th at the 1982 edition and tied for 12th at the 1986 edition. From 1980 to 1984, Sheard participated at the Du Maurier Classic and made the cut three times. Her best finish was at the 1981 Peter Jackson Classic when she tied for 10th place with Jo Ann Washam. In the United States, Sheard was tied for 23rd at the 1980 U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship and cut in the 1983 U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship. Sheard was inducted into the Southern Africa Golf Hall of Fame in 2010.