In the summer of 1964, she won a "sudden death" match in the Lyle Chevrolet women's golf tournament. She was considered a favorite in the 1964 United Golf Association (UGA) National Open and went on to take the amateur title that year. Powell graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1964. She went on to attend Ohio University (OU) and then transferred to Ohio State University (OSU). At OU she was majoring in speech and hearing therapy, but changed her major to sociology when she transferred to OSU. Powell captained the women's golf team at both universities and at OSU, her role as captain made her the first African American to lead a major university golf team. When she wanted to play in the Ohio State Golf Association tournament, OSU backed her decision and stated that they would leave the organization if Powell was not allowed to play. Powell competed in more than 250 professional golf tournaments. In 1967, she joined the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). She became the second African American player in the LPGA. When she was a rookie in the LPGA, she received death threats by people who did not want to see a black woman playing golf. There were times she was not allowed to stay inside the official tournament hotels. When she toured with Canadian golfer Sandra Post, the two would work together to ensure that Powell would be able to get a room. Sometimes, however, Powell and Post would not be served at restaurants and left hungry. When they were not served, Powell would joke, "I didn't want to tell you, but it's because you're Canadian." Powell did not make enough money to live just off her golf earnings, so she also worked at Wilson Sporting Goods and doing golf clinics and exhibitions. Her parents were also happy to help her out financially. By 1969, the LPGA insisted that they were an integrated tour and announced this at any towns they were visiting in order to head off problems before they might start for Powell. Powell won the 1973 Kelly-Springfield Tournament in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia. Her win was a course-record when she scored a final-round of 67 strokes. She visited Africa 25 times, and taught golf to heads of state and other people while there. She undertook a USO Tour in 1971, which included meeting troops in Vietnam at the height of the war. She was friends with fellow golfer Patty Berg, who encouraged her career and advised her on how to hold golf clinics.