Pepper, Dottie D.
Golf
b. Aug. 17, 1965, Saratoga Springs, NY
The low amateur in the U. S. Women's Open in 1984, when she was a freshman at Furman University, Pepper was a three-time All-American. She finished second in the 1985 NCAA championships and became the first amateur to win a tournament on the LPGA Futures Tour that year.
After graduating in 1987, she spent a season on the Futures Tour and then joined the LPGA tour. Pepper had just two victories in her first four years as a pro, but in 1992 she won four tournaments, including the Dinah Shore, where she beat Juli Inkster in a sudden-death playoff. Pepper was the top money winner with $693,335, the winner of the Vare Trophy with a 70.80 strokes per round average, and player of the year.
She won the Nabisco Dinah Shore again in 1999, when she shot 19 under par, a record for the lowest score in relation to par in a major championship.
Pepper was bothered by a variety of physical problems over the last several years of her career, including a shoulder injury that required surgery, wrist and back injuries, severe sinus infections, and Lyme disease.
At the 2004 U. S. Women's Open, Pepper announced that she would retire at the end of the season. She had 17 tour wins. Pepper ranks ninth all-time with $6,824,353 in career earnings.
Pepper had an outstanding 13-5-2 record in Solheim Cup competition, where she was 5-1 in singles. She's tied with Meg Mallon for the most career points earned by a U. S. team member, 14.