Jump to content

Women's major golf championships

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from LPGA major championship)

Annika Sörenstam won ten women's major golf championships, the most in the third era of women's majors.
Yani Tseng won five majors in four years in the third era.
Lorena Ochoa won two women's majors.

Women's golf has a set of major championships, a series of tournaments designated to be of a higher status than other tournaments. Five tournaments are currently designated as 'majors' in women's golf by the LPGA.

The LPGA's list of majors has changed in constitution since the first major was held at the Women's Western Open in 1930. There have been four different periods, 1930 to 1972, 1973 to 2000, 2001 to 2013, and the current version which began in 2014. The current version of tournaments is the Chevron Championship, The Evian Championship, U.S. Women's Open, Women's PGA Championship, The Women's Open.

LPGA majors

[edit]
  • In 2001, the du Maurier Classic, held in Canada, lost its primary sponsorship after that country passed severe restrictions on tobacco advertising. The tournament, now known as the Canadian Women's Open, is still a regular event on the LPGA Tour, but no longer designated as a major. The LPGA elevated the Women's British Open to major status to replace the du Maurier Classic.
  • In 2013, The Evian Championship, held in Évian-les-Bains, France, became the fifth LPGA major. Known before 2013 as the Evian Masters, it is one of two events recognized as majors by the LPGA's European counterpart, the Ladies European Tour (LET). The elevation of this event to LPGA major status and the name change were announced by the LPGA on July 20, 2011.[1]

As of 2023, the order in which women's majors are played is:

Before The Evian Championship became the fifth LPGA major, the setup of women's majors closely paralleled that of the men's majors. In both cases, the United States hosted three majors and the United Kingdom one.

The Evian Championship is held in France. The U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and the PGA Championship match their male equivalents. The Chevron Championship is the first major of the season and through 2022 was held at a single host course (the Mission Hills Country Club), similarly to the Masters Tournament, in 2023 it was held at The Club at Carlton Woods

Unlike the mainstream men's equivalents, all but one of the women's majors have title sponsors. Each of the five majors falls under a different jurisdiction. The LPGA organizes The Chevron Championship. Through 2014, it also organized the LPGA Championship, but since 2015 that tournament has been taken over by the PGA of America, the body that organizes the men's PGA Championship, and has been renamed the Women's PGA Championship.[2] The U.S. Women's Open, is operated by the United States Golf Association. The Women's Open is operated by The R&A since a 2016 merger with the Ladies Golf Union. The Evian Championship is operated by the Ladies European Tour.

From 2006 through 2008, the winners of the four women's majors received automatic entry to the LPGA's season championship, the LPGA Tour Championship. Beginning in 2009, the Tour Championship extended entry to all players in the top 120 on the official LPGA Money List. Starting in 2011, the Tour Championship was replaced by the CME Group Titleholders; from that point through 2013, the top three finishers at all official tour events, including the majors, who had not already qualified for the Titleholders earned entries. Starting in 2014, the LPGA adopted a points race similar in some ways to the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup. In the new system, officially called the "Race to the CME Globe", the top 72 points earners during the season, plus all tournament winners, qualify for the renamed final event, the CME Group Tour Championship, in which the top nine points earners will have at least a mathematical chance of winning the season title.

History

[edit]

Eight different events are classified as having been LPGA majors at some time. The number in each season has fluctuated between two and five. The first tournament which is now included in the LPGA's official list of major victories is the 1930 Women's Western Open, although this is a retrospective designation as the LPGA was not founded until 1950.[3]·The Titleholders was played from 1937 to 1966 with a gap due to World War II. In 1967 there were three majors, then from 1968 to 1971 this decreased and went back to two majors. Then in 1979, the du Maurier Classic was first played and immediately considered a major leading to three majors again from 1979 to 1982. In 1983, when Nabisco Dinah Shore gained major championship status, there were four majors.[4]

LPGA major winners

[edit]
Fourth era (beginning in 2013)
Year Chevron Championship U.S. Women's Open Women's PGA Championship The Evian Championship The Women's Open
2024 United States Nelly Korda (2/2) Japan Yuka Saso (2/2) South Korea Amy Yang Japan Ayaka Furue New Zealand Lydia Ko (3/3)
Year Chevron Championship Women's PGA Championship U.S. Women's Open The Evian Championship The Women's Open
2023 United States Lilia Vu (1/2) China Ruoning Yin United States Allisen Corpuz France Céline Boutier United States Lilia Vu (2/2)
Year Chevron Championship U.S. Women's Open Women's PGA Championship The Evian Championship The Women's Open
2022 United States Jennifer Kupcho Australia Minjee Lee (2/2) South Korea Chun In-gee (3/3) Canada Brooke Henderson (2/2) South Africa Ashleigh Buhai
Year ANA Inspiration U.S. Women's Open Women's PGA Championship The Evian Championship The Women's Open
2021 Thailand Patty Tavatanakit Philippines Yuka Saso (1/2) United States Nelly Korda (1/2) Australia Minjee Lee (1/2) Sweden Anna Nordqvist (3/3)
2020 South Korea Mirim Lee South Korea Kim A-lim South Korea Kim Sei-young Canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic[5] Germany Sophia Popov
Year ANA Inspiration U.S. Women's Open Women's PGA Championship The Evian Championship Women's British Open
2019 South Korea Ko Jin-young (1/2) South Korea Lee Jeong-eun Australia Hannah Green South Korea Ko Jin-young (2/2) Japan Hinako Shibuno
2018 Sweden Pernilla Lindberg Thailand Ariya Jutanugarn (2/2) South Korea Park Sung-hyun (2/2) United States Angela Stanford England Georgia Hall
2017 South Korea Ryu So-yeon (2/2) South Korea Park Sung-hyun (1/2) United States Danielle Kang Sweden Anna Nordqvist (2/3) South Korea In-Kyung Kim
2016 New Zealand Lydia Ko (2/3) United States Brittany Lang Canada Brooke Henderson (1/2) South Korea Chun In-gee (2/3) Thailand Ariya Jutanugarn (1/2)
2015 United States Brittany Lincicome (2/2) South Korea Chun In-gee (1/3) South Korea Inbee Park (6/7) New Zealand Lydia Ko (1/3) South Korea Inbee Park (7/7)
Year Kraft Nabisco Championship U.S. Women's Open LPGA Championship The Evian Championship Women's British Open
2014[6] United States Lexi Thompson United States Michelle Wie South Korea Inbee Park (5/7) South Korea Kim Hyo-joo United States Mo Martin
2013[7] South Korea Inbee Park (2/7) South Korea Inbee Park (4/7) South Korea Inbee Park (3/7) Norway Suzann Pettersen (2/2) United States Stacy Lewis (2/2)
Third era (2001–2012)
Year Kraft Nabisco Championship LPGA Championship U.S. Women's Open Women's British Open
2012 South Korea Sun-Young Yoo China Shanshan Feng South Korea Na Yeon Choi South Korea Jiyai Shin (2/2)
2011 United States Stacy Lewis (1/2) Taiwan Yani Tseng (4/5) South Korea Ryu So-yeon (1/2) Taiwan Yani Tseng (5/5)
2010 Taiwan Yani Tseng (2/5) United States Cristie Kerr (2/2) United States Paula Creamer Taiwan Yani Tseng (3/5)
2009 United States Brittany Lincicome (1/2) Sweden Anna Nordqvist (1/3) South Korea Ji Eun-hee Scotland Catriona Matthew
2008 Mexico Lorena Ochoa (2/2) Taiwan Yani Tseng (1/5) South Korea Inbee Park (1/7) South Korea Jiyai Shin (1/2)
2007 United States Morgan Pressel Norway Suzann Pettersen (1/2) United States Cristie Kerr (1/2) Mexico Lorena Ochoa (1/2)
2006 Australia Karrie Webb (7/7) South Korea Se Ri Pak (5/5) Sweden Annika Sörenstam (10/10) United States Sherri Steinhauer (2/2)
2005 Sweden Annika Sörenstam (8/10) Sweden Annika Sörenstam (9/10) South Korea Birdie Kim South Korea Jeong Jang
2004 South Korea Grace Park Sweden Annika Sörenstam (7/10) United States Meg Mallon (4/4) England Karen Stupples
2003 France Patricia Meunier-Lebouc Sweden Annika Sörenstam (5/10) United States Hilary Lunke Sweden Annika Sörenstam (6/10)
2002 Sweden Annika Sörenstam (4/10) South Korea Se Ri Pak (4/5) United States Juli Inkster (7/7) Australia Karrie Webb (6/7)
Year Nabisco Championship LPGA Championship U.S. Women's Open Women's British Open
2001 Sweden Annika Sörenstam (3/10) Australia Karrie Webb (4/7) Australia Karrie Webb (5/7) South Korea Se Ri Pak (3/5)
Second era (1973–2000)
Year Nabisco Championship LPGA Championship U.S. Women's Open du Maurier Classic
2000 Australia Karrie Webb (2/7) United States Juli Inkster (6/7) Australia Karrie Webb (3/7) United States Meg Mallon (3/4)
Year Nabisco Dinah Shore LPGA Championship U.S. Women's Open du Maurier Classic
1999 United States Dottie Pepper (2/2) United States Juli Inkster (4/7) United States Juli Inkster (5/7) Australia Karrie Webb (1/7)
1998 United States Pat Hurst South Korea Se Ri Pak (1/5) South Korea Se Ri Pak (2/5) United States Brandie Burton (2/2)
1997 United States Betsy King (6/6) United States Christa Johnson England Alison Nicholas United States Colleen Walker
1996 United States Patty Sheehan (6/6) England Laura Davies (3/4) Sweden Annika Sörenstam (2/10) England Laura Davies (4/4)
1995 United States Nanci Bowen United States Kelly Robbins Sweden Annika Sörenstam (1/10) Peru Jenny Lidback
1994 United States Donna Andrews England Laura Davies (2/4) United States Patty Sheehan (5/6) United States Martha Nause
1993 Sweden Helen Alfredsson United States Patty Sheehan (4/6) United States Lauri Merten United States Brandie Burton (1/2)
1992 United States Dottie Mochrie (1/2) United States Betsy King (5/6) United States Patty Sheehan (3/6) United States Sherri Steinhauer (1/2)
1991 United States Amy Alcott (5/5) United States Meg Mallon (1/4) United States Meg Mallon (2/4) United States Nancy Scranton
1990 United States Betsy King (3/6) United States Beth Daniel United States Betsy King (4/6) United States Cathy Johnston
1989 United States Juli Inkster (3/7) United States Nancy Lopez (3/3) United States Betsy King (2/6) United States Tammie Green
1988 United States Amy Alcott (4/5) United States Sherri Turner Sweden Liselotte Neumann United States Sally Little (2/2)
1987 United States Betsy King (1/6) United States Jane Geddes (2/2) England Laura Davies (1/4) United States Jody Rosenthal
1986 United States Pat Bradley (4/6) United States Pat Bradley (5/6) United States Jane Geddes (1/2) United States Pat Bradley (6/6)
1985 United States Alice Miller United States Nancy Lopez (2/3) United States Kathy Baker United States Pat Bradley (3/6)
1984 United States Juli Inkster (1/7) United States Patty Sheehan (2/6) United States Hollis Stacy (4/4) United States Juli Inkster (2/7)
Year Nabisco Dinah Shore LPGA Championship U.S. Women's Open Peter Jackson Classic
1983 United States Amy Alcott (3/5) United States Patty Sheehan (1/6) Australia Jan Stephenson (3/3) United States Hollis Stacy (3/4)
1982 Not considered a major Australia Jan Stephenson (2/3) United States Janet Anderson United States Sandra Haynie (4/4)
1981 United States Donna Caponi (4/4) United States Pat Bradley (2/6) Australia Jan Stephenson (1/3)
1980 South Africa Sally Little (1/2) United States Amy Alcott (2/5) United States Pat Bradley (1/6)
1979 United States Donna Caponi (3/4) United States Jerilyn Britz United States Amy Alcott (1/5)
1978 United States Nancy Lopez (1/3) United States Hollis Stacy (2/4) Not considered a major
1977 Japan Chako Higuchi United States Hollis Stacy (1/4)
1976 United States Betty Burfeindt United States JoAnne Carner (2/2)
1975 United States Kathy Whitworth (6/6) United States Sandra Palmer (2/2)
1974 United States Sandra Haynie (2/4) United States Sandra Haynie (3/4)
1973 United States Mary Mills (3/3) United States Susie Berning (4/4)
First era (1930–72)
Year Women's Western Open LPGA Championship U.S. Women's Open Titleholders Championship
1972 Defunct United States Kathy Ahern United States Susie Berning (3/4) United States Sandra Palmer (1/2)
1971 United States Kathy Whitworth (5/6) United States JoAnne Carner (1/2) Not played
1970 United States Shirley Englehorn United States Donna Caponi (2/4)
1969 United States Betsy Rawls (8/8) United States Donna Caponi (1/4)
1968 Canada Sandra Post United States Susie Berning (2/4)
1967 United States Kathy Whitworth (3/6) United States Kathy Whitworth (4/6) France Catherine Lacoste
1966 United States Mickey Wright (13/13) United States Gloria Ehret United States Sandra Spuzich United States Kathy Whitworth (2/6)
1965 United States Susie Maxwell (1/4) United States Sandra Haynie (1/4) United States Carol Mann (2/2) United States Kathy Whitworth (1/6)
1964 United States Carol Mann (1/2) United States Mary Mills (2/3) United States Mickey Wright (12/13) United States Marilynn Smith (2/2)
1963 United States Mickey Wright (10/13) United States Mickey Wright (11/13) United States Mary Mills (1/3) United States Marilynn Smith (1/2)
1962 United States Mickey Wright (8/13) United States Judy Kimball United States Murle Lindstrom United States Mickey Wright (9/13)
1961 United States Mary Lena Faulk United States Mickey Wright (5/13) United States Mickey Wright (6/13) United States Mickey Wright (7/13)
1960 United States Joyce Ziske United States Mickey Wright (4/13) United States Betsy Rawls (7/8) Uruguay Fay Crocker (2/2)
1959 United States Betsy Rawls (5/8) United States Betsy Rawls (6/8) United States Mickey Wright (3/13) United States Louise Suggs (11/11)
1958 United States Patty Berg (15/15) United States Mickey Wright (1/13) United States Mickey Wright (2/13) United States Beverly Hanson (3/3)
1957 United States Patty Berg (13/15) United States Louise Suggs (10/11) United States Betsy Rawls (4/8) United States Patty Berg (14/15)
1956 United States Beverly Hanson (2/3) United States Marlene Hagge United States Kathy Cornelius United States Louise Suggs (9/11)
1955 United States Patty Berg (11/15) United States Beverly Hanson (1/3) Uruguay Fay Crocker (1/2) United States Patty Berg (12/15)
1954 United States Betty Jameson (3/3) Not yet founded United States Babe Zaharias (10/10) United States Louise Suggs (8/11)
1953 United States Louise Suggs (7/11) United States Betsy Rawls (3/8) United States Patty Berg (10/15)
1952 United States Betsy Rawls (2/8) United States Louise Suggs (6/11) United States Babe Zaharias (9/10)
1951 United States Patty Berg (9/15) United States Betsy Rawls (1/8) United States Pat O'Sullivan
1950 United States Babe Zaharias (6/10) United States Babe Zaharias (7/10) United States Babe Zaharias (8/10)
1949 United States Louise Suggs (4/11) United States Louise Suggs (5/11) United States Peggy Kirk
1948 United States Patty Berg (7/15) United States Babe Zaharias (5/10) United States Patty Berg (8/15)
1947 United States Louise Suggs (3/11) United States Betty Jameson (2/3) United States Babe Zaharias (4/10)
1946 United States Louise Suggs (1/11) United States Patty Berg (6/15) United States Louise Suggs (2/11)
1945 United States Babe Zaharias (3/10) Not yet founded Not played (World War II)
1944 United States Babe Zaharias (2/10)
1943 United States Patty Berg (5/15)
1942 United States Betty Jameson (1/3) United States Dorothy Kirby (2/2)
1941 United States Patty Berg (4/15) United States Dorothy Kirby (1/2)
1940 United States Babe Zaharias (1/10) United States Helen Hicks (2/2)
1939 United States Helen Dettweiler United States Patty Berg (3/15)
1938 United States Bea Barrett United States Patty Berg (2/15)
1937 United States Helen Hicks (1/2) United States Patty Berg (1/15)
1936 United States Opal Hill (2/2) Not yet founded
1935 United States Opal Hill (1/2)
1934 United States Marian McDougall
1933 United States June Beebe (2/2)
1932 United States Jane Weiller
1931 United States June Beebe (1/2)
1930 United States Lucia Mida

The "Grand Slam"

[edit]

No woman has completed a four-major Grand Slam, much less one with five majors. Babe Zaharias won all three majors contested in 1950 and Sandra Haynie won both majors in 1974.

During the four-major era, six women have completed a "Career Grand Slam" by winning four different majors . There are variations in the set of four tournaments involved as the players played in different eras. The six are: Pat Bradley; Juli Inkster; Annika Sörenstam; Louise Suggs; Karrie Webb; and Mickey Wright. During the five-major era, Inbee Park became the first woman to complete the "Career Grand Slam." Even though there has been some debate surrounding whether Park has actually accomplished this feat, as she won The Evian Championship in 2012 before it officially became a major in 2013, LPGA acknowledged Park to have successfully achieved a "Career Grand Slam."[8][9] The LPGA recognizes Webb as its only "Super Career Grand Slam" winner, since she is the only golfer to have won five events recognized by the LPGA as majors. Before the elevation of The Evian Championship to major status, the following was required for a golfer to win the Super Career Grand Slam:

  • The du Maurier Classic between 1979 and 2000, when it was recognized by the LPGA as a major;
  • the Women's British Open in 2001 or later; and
  • the other three then-existing majors.

Webb won the du Maurier Classic in 1999 and the Women's British Open in 2002.

Major champions by nationality

[edit]

The table below shows the number of major championships won by golfers from various countries/regions.

Country 1930s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 2000s 10s 20s Total
 United States 13 21 34 32 21 31 29 9 11 6 207
 South Korea 2 9 20 5 36
 Sweden 1 3 9 2 1 16
 Australia 3 1 6 1 2 13
 England 1 4 1 1 7
 Taiwan 1 4 5
 Japan 1 1 2 4
 Canada 1 1 1 3
 France 1 1 1 3
 New Zealand 2 1 3
 Thailand 2 1 3
 Mexico 2 2
 Norway 1 1 2
 South Africa 1 1 2
 Uruguay 1 1 2
 China 1 1 2
 Germany 1 1
 Peru 1 1
 Philippines 1 1
 Scotland 1 1
Total 13 21 35 35 22 37 40 40 47 24 314

Consecutive victories at a major championship

[edit]
Nationality Player Major # Years
 United States Patty Berg Titleholders Championship 3 1937, 1938, 1939
 Sweden Annika Sörenstam LPGA Championship 3 2003, 2004, 2005
 South Korea Inbee Park Women's PGA Championship 3 2013, 2014, 2015
 United States Opal Hill Women's Western Open 2 1935, 1936
 United States Dorothy Kirby Titleholders Championship 2 1941, 1942
 United States Babe Zaharias Women's Western Open 2 1944, 1945
 United States Louise Suggs Women's Western Open 2 1946, 1947
 United States Patty Berg Women's Western Open 2 1957, 1958
 United States Mickey Wright U.S. Women's Open 2 1958, 1959
 United States Mickey Wright LPGA Championship 2 1960, 1961
 United States Mickey Wright Titleholders Championship 2 1961, 1962
 United States Mickey Wright Women's Western Open 2 1962, 1963
 United States Marilynn Smith Titleholders Championship 2 1963, 1964
 United States Kathy Whitworth Titleholders Championship 2 1965, 1966
 United States Donna Caponi U.S. Women's Open 2 1969, 1970
 United States Susie Berning U.S. Women's Open 2 1972, 1973
 United States Hollis Stacy U.S. Women's Open 2 1977, 1978
 United States Patty Sheehan LPGA Championship 2 1983, 1984
 United States Pat Bradley du Maurier Classic 2 1985, 1986
 United States Betsy King U.S. Women's Open 2 1989, 1990
 Sweden Annika Sörenstam U.S. Women's Open 2 1995, 1996
 United States Juli Inkster LPGA Championship 2 1999, 2000
 Australia Karrie Webb U.S. Women's Open 2 2000, 2001
 Sweden Annika Sörenstam Kraft Nabisco Championship 2 2001, 2002
 Taiwan Yani Tseng Women's British Open 2 2010, 2011

Multiple major victories in a calendar year

[edit]

Three victories

[edit]
  • 1950: United States Babe Zaharias; Women's Western Open, U.S. Women's Open, and Titleholders Championship
  • 1961: United States Mickey Wright; LPGA Championship, U.S. Women's Open, and Titleholders Championship
  • 1986: United States Pat Bradley; Kraft Nabisco Championship, LPGA Championship, du Maurier Classic
  • 2013: South Korea Inbee Park; Kraft Nabisco Championship, LPGA Championship, U.S. Women's Open

Note: These golfers are also included below in the Two victories section.

Two victories

[edit]

ANA Inspiration and LPGA Championship

[edit]

ANA Inspiration and The Evian Championship

[edit]
  • 2019: South Korea Ko Jin-young

ANA Inspiration and U.S. Women's Open

[edit]

ANA Inspiration and Women's British Open

[edit]

LPGA Championship and U.S. Women's Open

[edit]

LPGA Championship and Women's British Open

[edit]

U.S. Women's Open and Women's British Open

[edit]
  • Never has occurred

ANA Inspiration and du Maurier Classic

[edit]
  • 1984: United States Juli Inkster
  • 1986: United States Pat Bradley

LPGA Championship and du Maurier Classic

[edit]

U.S. Women's Open and du Maurier Classic

[edit]
  • Never occurred

Women's Western Open and LPGA Championship

[edit]

Women's Western Open and U.S. Women's Open

[edit]

Women's Western Open and Titleholders Championship

[edit]
  • 1946: United States Louise Suggs
  • 1948: United States Patty Berg
  • 1950: United States Babe Zaharias
  • 1955: United States Patty Berg
  • 1957: United States Patty Berg
  • 1962: United States Mickey Wright

LPGA Championship and Titleholders Championship

[edit]
  • 1961: United States Mickey Wright

U.S. Women's Open and Titleholders Championship

[edit]
  • 1950: United States Babe Zaharias
  • 1961: United States Mickey Wright

Record scores

[edit]

The lowest score in relation to par recorded in a women's major championship was 21-under-par, by Chun In-gee at the 2016 Evian Championship.[10] Chun also holds the record for lowest aggregate score for 72-holes, at 263, for her performance at that tournament. The single round scoring record is 61 held by three golfers, Kim Hyo-joo at the 2014 Evian Championship, Lee Jeong-eun and Leona Maguire, both at 2021 Evian Championship. A score of 62 has been shot by Minea Blomqvist at the 2004 Women's British Open (third round), Lorena Ochoa at the 2006 Kraft Nabisco Championship (first round), and Mirim Lee at the 2016 Women's British Open (first round).

Rolex Annika Major Award

[edit]

In 2014, the LPGA established the yearly Rolex Annika Major Award to recognize the overall best performance in the LPGA majors. Points are awarded for top-10 finishes in each major: 60 points for first place, 24 for second, down to 2 points for tenth place. The major winner with the most points at the end of the season wins the award. It is named after Annika Sörenstam.[11]

Year Winner Country Points Ref
2014 Michelle Wie  United States 84 [12]
2015 Inbee Park  South Korea 144 [13]
2016 Lydia Ko  New Zealand 102 [14]
2017 Ryu So-yeon  South Korea 78 [15]
2018 Ariya Jutanugarn  Thailand 88 [16]
2019 Ko Jin-young  South Korea 138 [17]
2021 Patty Tavatanakit  Thailand 80 [18]
2022 Minjee Lee  Australia 98 [19]
2023 Lilia Vu  United States 120 [20]
2024 Nelly Korda  United States 84 [21]

Other regular tours

[edit]

In men's (non-senior) golf, the four majors are agreed globally. All the principal tours acknowledge the status of the majors via their sponsorship of the Official World Golf Ranking, and the prize money is official on the three richest regular tours (the PGA, European, and Japanese tours). This is not the case in women's golf, but the significance of this is limited, as the LPGA Tour is much more dominant in women's golf than the PGA Tour is in men's golf. For example, the BBC has been known to use the LPGA definition of women's majors without qualifying it. Also, before the Evian Masters was elevated to major status, the Ladies' Golf Union, the governing body for women's golf in the UK and Republic of Ireland and the organiser of the Women's British Open, stated on its official site that the Women's British Open is "the only Women's Major to be played outside the U.S."[22]

The Ladies European Tour does not sanction any of the LPGA majors which are played in the United States, and only has two events which it designates as majors on its schedule, namely the Women's British Open and The Evian Championship (historically the Evian Masters), which is played in France. The Ladies European Tour had long tacitly acknowledged the dominance of the LPGA Tour by not scheduling any of its events to conflict with any of the LPGA majors played in the U.S., but that changed slightly in 2008 when the LET scheduled a tournament opposite the LPGA Championship. Also, while the LPGA Tour did not recognize the then-Evian Masters as a major until 2013, it began co-sanctioning the tournament as a regular tour event in 2000. Because it was played the week before the Women's British Open (except in 2012, when the latter event was moved to September to avoid conflict with the London Olympics), and the purse was (and remains) one of the largest on the LPGA Tour, virtually all top LPGA players played the Evian Masters before its elevation to major status. The Evian Championship has now moved to September. (During the 2006–08 period, its winner also received an automatic berth in the LPGA Tour Championship.)

The LPGA of Japan Tour, which is the second richest women's golf tour[citation needed], has its own set of four majors: the World Ladies, the Japan Open, the JLPGA Championship and the JLPGA Tour Championship. However, these events attract little notice outside Japan, and to a lesser degree South Korea (since a number of Koreans now play on the Japan tour).

Symetra Tour

[edit]

Since 2006, the Symetra Tour, the LPGA's developmental tour known through 2011 as the Futures Tour, has designated the Tate & Lyle Players Championship, an event which has been held since 1985, as a major championship. It was the Tour's first $100,000 purse.

Women's senior golf

[edit]

The Legends of the LPGA Tour, originally the Women's Senior Golf Tour, played its first season in 2001. The U.S. Senior Women's Open and the Senior LPGA Championship are considered to constitute the senior women's major golf championships.

The U.S. Senior Women's Open was established in 2018 and is open to women whose 50th birthday falls on or before the first day of competition. The eligibility for the Senior LPGA Championship, established in 2017, and the Legends of the LPGA Tour are for female golfers age 45 and older.[23][24]

See also

[edit]

Notes and references

[edit]
  1. ^ "LPGA Adds The Evian as a Major Championship in 2013" (Press release). LPGA. July 20, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
  2. ^ "PGA of America, LPGA, KPMG join forces for KPMG Women's PGA Championship". PGA of America. May 29, 2014.
  3. ^ LPGA Major Championship Winners
  4. ^ "The Long, Strange Trip of Major Championships in Women's Golf". Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  5. ^ "Evian Championship canceled in France due to uncertainty of borders reopening". ESPN. Associated Press. June 9, 2019.
  6. ^ Order in 2014: Kraft Nabisco, U.S. Open, British Open, LPGA Championship, Evian
  7. ^ Order in 2013: Kraft Nabisco, LPGA Championship, U.S. Open, British Open, Evian
  8. ^ "Countdown to the Hall - Inbee Park Achieves Career Grand Slam at RICOH Women's British Open". LPGA.
  9. ^ "Inbee Park's Women's British Open win sparks 'career grand slam' debate". SB Nation.
  10. ^ "In Gee Chun finishes at 21 under for lowest 72-hole score in a major". ESPN. Associated Press. September 19, 2016.
  11. ^ "Rolex Annika Major Award – Structure 2014". LPGA. April 4, 2014.
  12. ^ Mell, Randall (September 14, 2014). "Wie wins inaugural Annika Major Award". Golf Channel.
  13. ^ "Inbee Park Presented with the 2015 Rolex Annika Major Award". LPGA. September 12, 2015.
  14. ^ "Lydia Ko Wins 2016 Rolex Annika Major Award". LPGA. September 18, 2016.
  15. ^ Mell, Randall (September 17, 2017). "ANA winner Ryu takes Annika Major Award". Golf Channel.
  16. ^ "Ariya Jutanugarn Wins 2018 Rolex Annika Major Award". LPGA. September 17, 2018.
  17. ^ "Jin Young Ko Wins 2019 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award". LPGA. August 4, 2019.
  18. ^ "Patty Tavatanakit Wins the 2021 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award". LPGA. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  19. ^ "Minjee Lee Wins The 2022 Rolex Annika Major Award". LPGA. August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  20. ^ "Lilia Vu Wins Rolex Annika Major Award". LPGA. August 13, 2023.
  21. ^ "Nelly Korda Wins Rolex Annika Major Award". LPGA. August 25, 2024.
  22. ^ "Women's British Open breaks new ground at St Andrews". Ladies' Golf Union. Retrieved April 1, 2007.
  23. ^ "Wow: Chicago Golf Club To Host First U.S. Senior Women's". geoffshackelford.com. February 6, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  24. ^ Driscoll, Ron (July 15, 2018). "Davies Dominates in 10-Stroke Inaugural Victory". USGA. Retrieved January 18, 2022.