LPGA

Other "LPGAs" exist in other countries, each with a geographical designation in its name, but the U.S. organization is the first, largest, and best known. The LPGA is also an organization for female club and teaching professionals. This is different from the PGA Tour, which runs the main professional tours in the U.S. and, since 1968, has been independent of the club and teaching professionals' organization, the PGA of America.

The LPGA also administers an annual qualifying school similar to that conducted by the PGA Tour. Depending on a golfer's finish in the final qualifying tournament, she may receive full or partial playing privileges on the LPGA Tour. In addition to the main LPGA Tour, the LPGA also owns and operates the Symetra Tour, formerly the Futures Tour, the official developmental tour of the LPGA. Top finishers at the end of each season on that tour receive playing privileges on the main LPGA Tour for the following year.

The LPGA is the oldest continuing women's professional sports organization in the United States.[4][5] It succeeded the WPGA (Women's Professional Golf Association), which was founded in 1944 but stopped its limited tour after the 1948 season and officially ceased operations in December 1949.[6] The WPGA was founded by Ellen Griffin, Betty Hicks, and Hope Seignious.[7][8]

The LPGA was founded in 1950.[9] Its thirteen founders were: Alice Bauer, Patty Berg, Bettye Danoff, Helen Dettweiler, Marlene Hagge, Helen Hicks, Opal Hill, Betty Jameson, Sally Sessions, Marilynn Smith, Shirley Spork, Louise Suggs, and Babe Zaharias.[10][11] Patty Berg was its first president.[11]

In 1956, the LPGA hosted its first tournament outside the United States at the Havana Open in Havana, Cuba.

In 1996, Muffin Spencer-Devlin became the first LPGA player to come out as gay.[12]

In 2001, Jane Blalock's JBC Marketing established the Women's Senior Golf Tour, now called the Legends Tour, for women professionals aged 45 and older. This is affiliated with the LPGA, but is not owned by the LPGA.

Since 2006, the LPGA has played a season-ending championship tournament.

Michael Whan became the eighth commissioner of the LPGA in October 2009, succeeding the ousted Carolyn Bivens.[5][13] Whan is a former marketing executive in the sporting goods industry.[14]

After a lawsuit filed by golfer Lana Lawless, the rules were changed in 2010 to allow transgender competitors.[15][16][17] In 2013, trans woman Bobbi Lancaster faced local scorn for attempting playing in Arizona's Cactus Tour and attempting to qualify in the LPGA Qualifying Tournament.[18]

In 2018, the LPGA acquired an amateur golf association, the Executive Women's Golf Association (EWGA) and expanded its emphasis to include amateur golfers in the U.S. and North America. Initially called the LPGA Women Who Play,[19] the amateur organization was rebranded as the LPGA Amateur Golf Association. The LPGA Amateur Golf Association has member-operated chapters throughout North America and the Caribbean.[20]

In 2010, total official prize money on the LPGA Tour was $41.4 million, a decrease of over $6 million from 2009. In 2010 there were 24 official tournaments, down from 28 in 2009 and 34 in 2008. Despite the loss in total tournaments, the number of tournaments hosted outside of the United States in 2010 stayed the same, as all four lost tournaments had been hosted in the United States. By 2016, the number of tournaments had risen to 33 with a record-high total prize money in excess of $63 million. In 2019, a new record was set with total prize money amounting to $70.5 million (a rise of over $5 million in one year).[21]

In its first four decades, the LPGA Tour was dominated by American players. Sandra Post of Canada became the first player living outside the United States to gain an LPGA tour card in 1968. The non-U.S. contingent is now very large. The last time an American player topped the money list was in 1993, the last time an American led the tour in tournaments won was in 1996, and from 2000 through 2009, non-Americans won 31 of 40 major championships.

Particularly, one of the notable trends seen in the early 21st century in the LPGA is the rise and dominance of Korean golfers.[22] Se Ri Pak's early success in the LPGA sparked the boom in Korean women golfers on the LPGA Tour.[23] In 2009, there were 122 non-Americans from 27 countries on the tour, including 47 from South Korea, 14 from Sweden, 10 from Australia, eight from the United Kingdom (four from England, three from Scotland and one from Wales), seven from Canada, five from Taiwan, and four from Japan.[24]

Of the 33 events in 2006, a total of 11 were won by Koreans and only seven were won by Americans. (See 2006 LPGA Tour for more details on the 2006 season.) In 2007, Americans saw a relative resurgence, winning 12 events. For the first time since 2000, two Americans won majors (See 2007 LPGA Tour for more details on the 2007 season.) In 2008, Americans grew in dominance, winning 9 of 34 events, tied with Koreans, but no majors, one of which was won by a Mexican player, one by Taiwanese player, and the other two by teenage Korean players (See 2008 LPGA Tour for more details on the 2008 season.) In 2009, Americans won 5 of 28 official events, including one major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship while Koreans won 11 events (See 2009 LPGA Tour for more details on the 2009 season.)

Kristy McPherson during her practice round before the 2009 LPGA Championship
at Bulle Rock Golf Course in Maryland.

As a United States-based tour, most of the LPGA Tour's events are held in the United States. In 1956, the LPGA hosted its first tournament outside the United States at the Havana Open in Havana, Cuba. In 2020, fourteen tournaments are held outside of the United States, seven events in Asia, four in Europe, two events in Australia, and one in Canada.

Five of the tournaments held outside North America are co-sanctioned with other professional tours. The Ladies European Tour co-sanctions the Women's British Open, The Evian Championship in France, and the Women's Australian Open (also co-sanctioned with the ALPG Tour). The other two co-sanctioned events—the BMW Ladies Championship (LPGA of Korea Tour) and Toto Japan Classic (LPGA of Japan Tour)—are held during the tour's autumn swing to Asia.

• Official tournaments are tournaments in which earnings and scores are credited to the players' official LPGA record.

The LPGA established the Hall of Fame of Women's Golf in 1951, with four charter members: Patty Berg, Betty Jameson, Louise Suggs, and Babe Zaharias. After being inactive for several years, the Hall of Fame moved in 1967 to its first physical premises, in Augusta, Georgia, and was renamed the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. In 1998 it merged into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The LPGA Tour presents several annual awards. Three are awarded in competitive contests, based on scoring over the course of the year.

• The Player of the Year is awarded based on a formula in which points are awarded for top-10 finishes and are doubled at the LPGA's four major championships and at the season-ending Tour Championship. The points system is: 30 points for first; 12 points for second; nine points for third; seven points for fourth; six points for fifth; five points for sixth; four points for seventh; three points for eighth; two points for ninth and one point for 10th.
• The Vare Trophy, named for Glenna Collett-Vare, is given to the player with the lowest scoring average for the season.
• The Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year Award is awarded to the first-year player on the LPGA Tour who scores the highest in a points competition in which points are awarded based on a player's finish in an event. The points system is: 150 points for first; 80 points for second; 75 points for third; 70 points for fourth; and 65 points for fifth. After fifth place, points are awarded in decrements of three, beginning at sixth place with 62 points. Points are doubled in the major events and at the season-ending Tour Championship. Rookies who make the cut in an event and finish below 41st each receive five points. The award is named after Louise Suggs, one of the founders of the LPGA.

American golfer Nancy Lopez, in 1978, is the only player to win all three awards in the same season. Lopez was also the Tour's top money earner that season.

Year	Player of the Year	Vare Trophy	Rookie of the Year
2020	Kim Sei-young	Danielle Kang	–
2019	Ko Jin-young	Ko Jin-young	Lee Jeong-eun
2018	Ariya Jutanugarn[26]	Ariya Jutanugarn	Ko Jin-young[27]
2017	Sung Hyun Park So Yeon Ryu	Lexi Thompson	Sung Hyun Park[28]
2016	Ariya Jutanugarn	In Gee Chun	In Gee Chun
2015	Lydia Ko	Inbee Park	Sei Young Kim
2014	Stacy Lewis	Stacy Lewis	Lydia Ko[29]
2013	Inbee Park	Stacy Lewis	Moriya Jutanugarn
2012	Stacy Lewis	Inbee Park	So Yeon Ryu
2011	Yani Tseng	Yani Tseng	Hee Kyung Seo
2010	Yani Tseng	Na Yeon Choi	Azahara Muñoz
2009	Lorena Ochoa	Lorena Ochoa	Jiyai Shin
2008	Lorena Ochoa	Lorena Ochoa	Yani Tseng
2007	Lorena Ochoa	Lorena Ochoa	Angela Park
2006	Lorena Ochoa	Lorena Ochoa	Seon Hwa Lee
2005	Annika Sörenstam	Annika Sörenstam	Paula Creamer
2004	Annika Sörenstam	Grace Park	Shi Hyun Ahn
2003	Annika Sörenstam	Se Ri Pak	Lorena Ochoa
2002	Annika Sörenstam	Annika Sörenstam	Beth Bauer
2001	Annika Sörenstam	Annika Sörenstam	Hee-Won Han
2000	Karrie Webb	Karrie Webb	Dorothy Delasin
1999	Karrie Webb	Karrie Webb	Mi Hyun Kim
1998	Annika Sörenstam	Annika Sörenstam	Se Ri Pak
1997	Annika Sörenstam	Karrie Webb	Lisa Hackney
1996	Laura Davies	Annika Sörenstam	Karrie Webb
1995	Annika Sörenstam	Annika Sörenstam	Pat Hurst
1994	Beth Daniel	Beth Daniel	Annika Sörenstam
1993	Betsy King	Betsy King	Suzanne Strudwick
1992	Dottie Mochrie	Dottie Mochrie	Helen Alfredsson
1991	Pat Bradley	Pat Bradley	Brandie Burton
1990	Beth Daniel	Beth Daniel	Hiromi Kobayashi
1989	Betsy King	Beth Daniel	Pamela Wright
1988	Nancy Lopez	Colleen Walker	Liselotte Neumann
1987	Ayako Okamoto	Betsy King	Tammie Green
1986	Pat Bradley	Pat Bradley	Jody Rosenthal
1985	Nancy Lopez	Nancy Lopez	Penny Hammel
1984	Betsy King	Patty Sheehan	Juli Inkster
1983	Patty Sheehan	JoAnne Carner	Stephanie Farwig
1982	JoAnne Carner	JoAnne Carner	Patti Rizzo
1981	JoAnne Carner	JoAnne Carner	Patty Sheehan
1980	Beth Daniel	Amy Alcott	Myra Blackwelder
1979	Nancy Lopez	Nancy Lopez	Beth Daniel
1978	Nancy Lopez	Nancy Lopez	Nancy Lopez
1977	Judy Rankin	Judy Rankin	Debbie Massey
1976	Judy Rankin	Judy Rankin	Bonnie Lauer
1975	Sandra Palmer	JoAnne Carner	Amy Alcott
1974	JoAnne Carner	JoAnne Carner	Jan Stephenson
1973	Kathy Whitworth	Judy Rankin	Laura Baugh
1972	Kathy Whitworth	Kathy Whitworth	Jocelyne Bourassa
1971	Kathy Whitworth	Kathy Whitworth	Sally Little
1970	Sandra Haynie	Kathy Whitworth	JoAnne Carner
1969	Kathy Whitworth	Kathy Whitworth	Jane Blalock
1968	Kathy Whitworth	Carol Mann	Sandra Post
1967	Kathy Whitworth	Kathy Whitworth	Sharron Moran
1966	Kathy Whitworth	Kathy Whitworth	Jan Ferraris
1965	–	Kathy Whitworth	Margie Masters
1964	–	Mickey Wright	Susie Maxwell
1963	–	Mickey Wright	Clifford Ann Creed
1962	–	Mickey Wright	Mary Mills
1961	–	Mickey Wright	–
1960	–	Mickey Wright	–
1959	–	Betsy Rawls	–
1958	–	Beverly Hanson	–
1957	–	Louise Suggs	–
1956	–	Patty Berg	–
1955	–	Patty Berg	–
1954	–	Babe Zaharias	–
1953	–	Patty Berg	–

Year	Player	Country	Earnings ($)	Most wins
2020	Ko Jin-young	South Korea	1,667,925	2 – Danielle Kang, Kim Sei-young
2019	Ko Jin-young	South Korea	2,773,894	4 – Ko Jin-young
2018	Ariya Jutanugarn	Thailand	2,743,949	3 – Ariya Jutanugarn, Sung Hyun Park
2017	Sung Hyun Park	South Korea	2,335,883	3 – Shanshan Feng, In-Kyung Kim
2016	Ariya Jutanugarn	Thailand	2,550,928	5 – Ariya Jutanugarn
2015	Lydia Ko	New Zealand	2,800,802	5 – Lydia Ko, Inbee Park
2014	Stacy Lewis	United States	2,539,039	3 – Lydia Ko, Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park
2013	Inbee Park	South Korea	2,456,619	6 – Inbee Park
2012	Inbee Park	South Korea	2,287,080	4 – Stacy Lewis
2011	Yani Tseng	Taiwan	2,921,713	7 – Yani Tseng
2010	Na Yeon Choi	South Korea	1,871,166	5 – Ai Miyazato
2009	Jiyai Shin	South Korea	1,807,334	3 – Jiyai Shin, Lorena Ochoa
2008	Lorena Ochoa	Mexico	2,754,660	7 – Lorena Ochoa
2007	Lorena Ochoa	Mexico	4,364,994	8 – Lorena Ochoa
2006	Lorena Ochoa	Mexico	2,592,872	6 – Lorena Ochoa
2005	Annika Sörenstam	Sweden	2,588,240	10 – Annika Sörenstam
2004	Annika Sörenstam	Sweden	2,544,707	8 – Annika Sörenstam
2003	Annika Sörenstam	Sweden	2,029,506	6 – Annika Sörenstam
2002	Annika Sörenstam	Sweden	2,863,904	11 – Annika Sörenstam
2001	Annika Sörenstam	Sweden	2,105,868	8 – Annika Sörenstam
2000	Karrie Webb	Australia	1,876,853	7 – Karrie Webb
1999	Karrie Webb	Australia	1,591,959	6 – Karrie Webb
1998	Annika Sörenstam	Sweden	1,092,748	4 – Annika Sörenstam, Se Ri Pak
1997	Annika Sörenstam	Sweden	1,236,789	6 – Annika Sörenstam
1996	Karrie Webb	Australia	1,002,000	4 – Laura Davies, Dottie Pepper, Karrie Webb
1995	Annika Sörenstam	Sweden	666,533	3 – Annika Sörenstam
1994	Laura Davies	England	687,201	4 – Beth Daniel
1993	Betsy King	United States	595,992	3 – Brandie Burton
1992	Dottie Mochrie	United States	693,335	4 – Dottie Mochrie
1991	Pat Bradley	United States	763,118	4 – Pat Bradley, Meg Mallon
1990	Beth Daniel	United States	863,578	7 – Beth Daniel
1989	Betsy King	United States	654,132	6 – Betsy King
1988	Sherri Turner	United States	350,851	3 – 5 players (see 1)
1987	Ayako Okamoto	Japan	466,034	5 – Jane Geddes
1986	Pat Bradley	United States	492,021	5 – Pat Bradley
1985	Nancy Lopez	United States	416,472	5 – Nancy Lopez
1984	Betsy King	United States	266,771	4 – Patty Sheehan, Amy Alcott
1983	JoAnne Carner	United States	291,404	4 – Pat Bradley, Patty Sheehan
1982	JoAnne Carner	United States	310,400	5 – JoAnne Carner, Beth Daniel
1981	Beth Daniel	United States	206,998	5 – Donna Caponi
1980	Beth Daniel	United States	231,000	5 – Donna Caponi, JoAnne Carner
1979	Nancy Lopez	United States	197,489	8 – Nancy Lopez
1978	Nancy Lopez	United States	189,814	9 – Nancy Lopez
1977	Judy Rankin	United States	122,890	5 – Judy Rankin, Debbie Austin
1976	Judy Rankin	United States	150,734	6 – Judy Rankin
1975	Sandra Palmer	United States	76,374	4 – Carol Mann, Sandra Haynie
1974	JoAnne Carner	United States	87,094	6 – JoAnne Carner, Sandra Haynie
1973	Kathy Whitworth	United States	82,864	7 – Kathy Whitworth
1972	Kathy Whitworth	United States	65,063	5 – Kathy Whitworth, Jane Blalock
1971	Kathy Whitworth	United States	41,181	5 – Kathy Whitworth
1970	Kathy Whitworth	United States	30,235	4 – Shirley Englehorn
1969	Carol Mann	United States	49,152	8 – Carol Mann
1968	Kathy Whitworth	United States	48,379	10 – Carol Mann, Kathy Whitworth
1967	Kathy Whitworth	United States	32,937	8 – Kathy Whitworth
1966	Kathy Whitworth	United States	33,517	9 – Kathy Whitworth
1965	Kathy Whitworth	United States	28,658	8 – Kathy Whitworth
1964	Mickey Wright	United States	29,800	11 – Mickey Wright
1963	Mickey Wright	United States	31,269	13 – Mickey Wright
1962	Mickey Wright	United States	21,641	10 – Mickey Wright
1961	Mickey Wright	United States	22,236	10 – Mickey Wright
1960	Louise Suggs	United States	16,892	6 – Mickey Wright
1959	Betsy Rawls	United States	26,774	10 – Betsy Rawls
1958	Beverly Hanson	United States	12,639	5 – Mickey Wright
1957	Patty Berg	United States	16,272	5 – Betsy Rawls, Patty Berg
1956	Marlene Hagge	United States	20,235	8 – Marlene Hagge
1955	Patty Berg	United States	16,492	6 – Patty Berg
1954	Patty Berg	United States	16,011	5 – Louise Suggs, Babe Zaharias
1953	Louise Suggs	United States	19,816	8 – Louise Suggs
1952	Betsy Rawls	United States	14,505	8 – Betsy Rawls
1951	Babe Zaharias	United States	15,087	9 – Babe Zaharias
1950	Babe Zaharias	United States	14,800	8 – Babe Zaharias

1 The five players with three titles in 1988 were Juli Inkster, Rosie Jones, Betsy King, Nancy Lopez, and Ayako Okamoto.

The table below shows the top-10 career money leaders on the LPGA Tour (from the start of their rookie seasons) as of the 2020 season.[30]

Rank	Player	Country	Played	Earnings ($)	Career events
1	Annika Sörenstam	Sweden	1994–2008	22,573,192	303
2	Karrie Webb	Australia	1996–2020	20,270,249	490
3	Cristie Kerr	United States	1997–2020	20,008,567	560
4	Inbee Park	South Korea	2007–2020	16,733,925	273
5	Lorena Ochoa	Mexico	2003–2010	14,863,331	175
6	Suzann Pettersen	Norway	2003–2019	14,837,579	315
7	Juli Inkster	United States	1983–2020	14,032,997	711
8	Stacy Lewis	United States	2009–2020	13,424,616	283
9	Se Ri Pak	South Korea	1998–2016	12,583,713	365
10	Paula Creamer	United States	2005–2019	12,131,822	332

• Golf in the United States
• List of golfers with most LPGA Tour wins
• List of golfers with most LPGA major championship wins
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