ASU's 50 Best Professional Athletes No. 35: Golf's JoAnne Carner

With its abundant sunshine and hot climate, Arizona State is a natural golf school. Some of the top young golfers from across the country head to Tempe every fall to continue their education and careers, so it's no wonder that professional tours around the world are littered with former Sun Devils.

A few of those who have donned the maroon and gold on the golf course have made our list of the 50 greatest professional athletes to have attended ASU, and we start that portion of our countdown with JoAnne Carner at No. 35.

A Kirkland, Washington product, Carner didn't even turn pro until age 30. Coming out of high school, Carner became the first-ever woman in the United States to earn a golf scholarship. She dominated in her time with Arizona State, winning multiple tournaments in addition to finishing as a medalist at the 1960 national championship.

Carner would go on to win five U.S. Women Amateur titles, a U.S. Girls Junior, and an LPGA event before finally turning professional in 1969. Her winning ways would soon continue though, as Carner won an incredible 49 events as a professional.

43 of those victories came on the LPGA Tour, including two wins at the U.S. Women's Open in 1971 and 1976.

She also won six tournaments outside of the tour, most notably the 1977 National Team Championship at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland.

Carner's success as both an amateur and professional has cemented her status as one of the top women golfers in the game's history. She remained fairly competitive until age 65, becoming the oldest player in history to make a cut at an LPGA tournament in 2004.

Check back later today to see who will be No. 34 on our list of the 50 best professional athletes to come out of Arizona State.