al ock ▁left ▁her ▁job ▁as ▁a ▁history ▁teacher ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁professional ▁gol fer . ▁Her ▁first ▁pur se ▁was ▁in ▁Louis ville , ▁Kentucky ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁for ▁$ 2 6 4 . ▁ ▁She ▁earned ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁LP GA ▁Tour ▁Ro ok ie ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁Bl al ock ▁won ▁her ▁first ▁professional ▁tour ▁victory ▁at ▁the ▁Lady ▁Car ling ▁Event ▁in ▁Atlanta , ▁Georgia ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁be ating ▁B ets y ▁Raw ls ▁by ▁one ▁stroke . ▁Bl al ock ▁won ▁Most ▁Im pro ved ▁Gol fer ▁at ▁the ▁L G PA ▁G olf ▁Awards ▁in ▁both ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁and ▁those ▁same ▁years ▁G olf ▁Dig est ▁named ▁her ▁their ▁" most ▁improved ▁professional ." ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁won ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁Din ah ▁Sh ore ▁Col gate ▁W inner ' s ▁Circle , ▁ear ning ▁" the ▁rich est ▁prize ▁in ▁women ' s ▁gold ▁history " ▁with ▁the ▁$ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁first ▁place ▁award . ▁ ▁The ▁Din ah ▁Sh ore ▁event ▁would ▁later ▁be ▁upgrad ed ▁to ▁a ▁women ' s ▁major ▁golf ▁championship . ▁That ▁moment ▁for ▁[ f em ale ▁golf ers ] ▁was ▁ 4 0 ▁years ▁ago ▁[ at ▁Din ah ▁Sh ore ]. ▁We ▁began ▁getting ▁corpor ate - type ▁spons ors