Women's major golf championships
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
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 which parallels that in men's golf, with the women's system newer and less stable than the men's. As of 2013, five tournaments are designated as majors in women's golf by the LPGA Tour.
Contents
1 LPGA majors
1.1 Current position
1.2 History
2 LPGA major winners
2.1 The "Grand Slam"
3 Consecutive victories at a major championship
4 Multiple major victories in a calendar year
4.1 Three victories
4.2 Two victories
4.2.1 ANA Inspiration and LPGA Championship
4.2.2 ANA Inspiration and U.S. Women's Open
4.2.3 ANA Inspiration and Women's British Open
4.2.4 LPGA Championship and U.S. Women's Open
4.2.5 LPGA Championship and Women's British Open
4.2.6 U.S. Women's Open and Women's British Open
4.2.7 ANA Inspiration and du Maurier Classic
4.2.8 LPGA Championship and du Maurier Classic
4.2.9 U.S. Women's Open and du Maurier Classic
4.2.10 Women's Western Open and LPGA Championship
4.2.11 Women's Western Open and U.S. Women's Open
4.2.12 Women's Western Open and Titleholders Championship
4.2.13 LPGA Championship and Titleholders Championship
4.2.14 U.S. Women's Open and Titleholders Championship
5 Record scores
6 Rolex Annika Major Award
7 Other regular tours
8 Symetra Tour
9 Women's senior golf
10 See also
11 Notes and references
LPGA majors
Current position
The LPGA's list of majors has changed several times over the years. The two most recent changes were:
- 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 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 2018, the order in which women's majors are played:
- ANA Inspiration
- U.S. Women's Open
- Women's PGA Championship
- The Evian Championship
- Women's British Open
Before The Evian Championship became the fifth LPGA major, the setup of women's majors closely paralleled that of the mainstream (i.e., under-50) men's majors. In both cases, the United States hosts three majors and the United Kingdom one. The Evian Championship, as noted above, is held in France. The U.S. and British Opens, and the PGA Championship match their male equivalents. The ANA Inspiration is the first major of the season and is held at a single host course (the Mission Hills Country Club), similarly to the Masters Tournament.
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 ANA Inspiration. 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 British Open is operated by the Ladies' Golf Union, the governing body for women's golf in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Evian Championship is operated by the LET.
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
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]
Women's Western Open: 1930–1967
Titleholders Championship: 1937–42; 1946–66; 1972
U.S. Women's Open: 1946–present
Women's PGA Championship: 1955–present (LPGA Championship, 1955–2014)
du Maurier Classic: 1979–2000
ANA Inspiration: 1983–present (Nabisco Dinah Shore, 1983–1999; Nabisco Championship, 2000–2001; Kraft Nabisco Championship, 2002–2014)
Women's British Open: 2001–present
The Evian Championship: 2013–present
LPGA major winners
| Fourth era (beginning in 2013) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | ANA Inspiration | U.S. Women's Open | Women's PGA Championship | The Evian Championship | Women's British Open |
| 2019 | Apr 4–7, Mission Hills Country Club  | May 30 – Jun 2, Country Club of Charleston | Jun 20–23, Hazeltine National Golf Club | Jul 25–28, Evian Resort Golf Club | Aug 1–4, Woburn Golf and Country Club |
| 2018 |  Pernilla Lindberg |  Ariya Jutanugarn (2/2) |  Park Sung-hyun (2/2) |  Angela Stanford |  Georgia Hall |
| 2017 | Ryu So-yeon (2/2) | Park Sung-hyun (1/2) | Danielle Kang | Anna Nordqvist (2/2) | In-Kyung Kim |
| 2016 |  Lydia Ko (2/2) | Brittany Lang |  Brooke Henderson | Chun In-gee (2/2) | Ariya Jutanugarn (1/2) |
| 2015 | Brittany Lincicome (2/2) | Chun In-gee (1/2) | Inbee Park (6/7) | Lydia Ko (1/2) | Inbee Park (7/7) |
| 2014 | Lexi Thompson | Michelle Wie | Inbee Park (5/7) | Kim Hyo-joo | Mo Martin |
2013[5] | Inbee Park (2/7) | Inbee Park (4/7) | Inbee Park (3/7) |  Suzann Pettersen (2/2) | Stacy Lewis (2/2) |
| Third era (2001–2012) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Kraft Nabisco Championship | LPGA Championship | U.S. Women's Open | Women's British Open |
| 2012 | Sun-Young Yoo |  Shanshan Feng | Na Yeon Choi | Jiyai Shin (2/2) |
| 2011 | Stacy Lewis (1/2) |  Yani Tseng (4/5) | Ryu So-yeon (1/2) | Yani Tseng (5/5) |
| 2010 | Yani Tseng (2/5) | Cristie Kerr (2/2) | Paula Creamer | Yani Tseng (3/5) |
| 2009 | Brittany Lincicome (1/2) | Anna Nordqvist (1/2) | Ji Eun-hee |  Catriona Matthew |
| 2008 |  Lorena Ochoa (2/2) | Yani Tseng (1/5) | Inbee Park (1/7) | Jiyai Shin (1/2) |
| 2007 | Morgan Pressel | Suzann Pettersen (1/2) | Cristie Kerr (1/2) | Lorena Ochoa (1/2) |
| 2006 |  Karrie Webb (7/7) | Se Ri Pak (5/5) | Annika Sörenstam (10/10) | Sherri Steinhauer (2/2) |
| 2005 | Annika Sörenstam (8/10) | Annika Sörenstam (9/10) | Birdie Kim | Jeong Jang |
| 2004 | Grace Park | Annika Sörenstam (7/10) | Meg Mallon (4/4) | Karen Stupples |
| 2003 |  Patricia Meunier-Lebouc | Annika Sörenstam (5/10) | Hilary Lunke | Annika Sörenstam (6/10) |
| 2002 | Annika Sörenstam (4/10) | Se Ri Pak (4/5) | Juli Inkster (7/7) | Karrie Webb (6/7) |
| 2001 | Annika Sörenstam (3/10) | Karrie Webb (4/7) | Karrie Webb (5/7) | Se Ri Pak (3/5) |
| Second era (1973–2000) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Nabisco Dinah Shore | LPGA Championship | U.S. Women's Open | du Maurier Classic |
| 2000 | Karrie Webb (2/7) | Juli Inkster (6/7) | Karrie Webb (3/7) | Meg Mallon (3/4) |
| 1999 | Dottie Pepper (2/2) | Juli Inkster (4/7) | Juli Inkster (5/7) | Karrie Webb (1/7) |
| 1998 | Pat Hurst | Se Ri Pak (1/5) | Se Ri Pak (2/5) | Brandie Burton (2/2) |
| 1997 | Betsy King (6/6) | Christa Johnson | Alison Nicholas | Colleen Walker |
| 1996 | Patty Sheehan (6/6) | Laura Davies (3/4) | Annika Sörenstam (2/10) | Laura Davies (4/4) |
| 1995 | Nanci Bowen | Kelly Robbins | Annika Sörenstam (1/10) |  Jenny Lidback |
| 1994 | Donna Andrews | Laura Davies (2/4) | Patty Sheehan (5/6) | Martha Nause |
| 1993 | Helen Alfredsson | Patty Sheehan (4/6) | Lauri Merten | Brandie Burton (1/2) |
| 1992 | Dottie Mochrie (1/2) | Betsy King (5/6) | Patty Sheehan (3/6) | Sherri Steinhauer (1/2) |
| 1991 | Amy Alcott (5/5) | Meg Mallon (1/4) | Meg Mallon (2/4) | Nancy Scranton |
| 1990 | Betsy King (3/6) | Beth Daniel | Betsy King (4/6) | Cathy Johnston |
| 1989 | Juli Inkster (3/7) | Nancy Lopez (3/3) | Betsy King (2/6) | Tammie Green |
| 1988 | Amy Alcott (4/5) | Sherri Turner | Liselotte Neumann | Sally Little (2/2) |
| 1987 | Betsy King (1/6) | Jane Geddes (2/2) | Laura Davies (1/4) | Jody Rosenthal |
| 1986 | Pat Bradley (4/6) | Pat Bradley (5/6) | Jane Geddes (1/2) | Pat Bradley (6/6) |
| 1985 | Alice Miller | Nancy Lopez (2/3) | Kathy Baker | Pat Bradley (3/6) |
| 1984 | Juli Inkster (1/7) | Patty Sheehan (2/6) | Hollis Stacy (4/4) | Juli Inkster (2/7) |
| 1983 | Amy Alcott (3/5) | Patty Sheehan (1/6) | Jan Stephenson (3/3) | Hollis Stacy (3/4) |
| 1982 | Not considered a major | Jan Stephenson (2/3) | Janet Anderson | Sandra Haynie (4/4) |
| 1981 | Donna Caponi (4/4) | Pat Bradley (2/6) | Jan Stephenson (1/3) | |
| 1980 |  Sally Little (1/2) | Amy Alcott (2/5) | Pat Bradley (1/6) | |
| 1979 | Donna Caponi (3/4) | Jerilyn Britz | Amy Alcott (1/5) | |
| 1978 | Nancy Lopez (1/3) | Hollis Stacy (2/4) | Not considered a major | |
| 1977 |  Chako Higuchi | Hollis Stacy (1/4) | ||
| 1976 | Betty Burfeindt | JoAnne Carner (2/2) | ||
| 1975 | Kathy Whitworth (6/6) | Sandra Palmer (2/2) | ||
| 1974 | Sandra Haynie (2/4) | Sandra Haynie (3/4) | ||
| 1973 | Mary Mills (3/3) | Susie Berning (4/4) | ||
| First era (1930–72) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Women's Western Open | LPGA Championship | U.S. Women's Open | Titleholders Championship |
| 1972 | Defunct | Kathy Ahern | Susie Berning (3/4) | Sandra Palmer (1/2) |
| 1971 | Kathy Whitworth (5/6) | JoAnne Carner (1/2) | Not played | |
| 1970 | Shirley Englehorn | Donna Caponi (2/4) | ||
| 1969 | Betsy Rawls (8/8) | Donna Caponi (1/4) | ||
| 1968 | Sandra Post | Susie Berning (2/4) | ||
| 1967 | Kathy Whitworth (3/6) | Kathy Whitworth (4/6) | Catherine Lacoste | |
| 1966 | Mickey Wright (13/13) | Gloria Ehret | Sandra Spuzich | Kathy Whitworth (2/6) |
| 1965 | Susie Maxwell (1/4) | Sandra Haynie (1/4) | Carol Mann (2/2) | Kathy Whitworth (1/6) |
| 1964 | Carol Mann (1/2) | Mary Mills (2/3) | Mickey Wright (12/13) | Marilynn Smith (2/2) |
| 1963 | Mickey Wright (10/13) | Mickey Wright (11/13) | Mary Mills (1/3) | Marilynn Smith (1/2) |
| 1962 | Mickey Wright (8/13) | Judy Kimball | Murle Lindstrom | Mickey Wright (9/13) |
| 1961 | Mary Lena Faulk | Mickey Wright (5/13) | Mickey Wright (6/13) | Mickey Wright (7/13) |
| 1960 | Joyce Ziske | Mickey Wright (4/13) | Betsy Rawls (7/8) |  Fay Crocker (2/2) |
| 1959 | Betsy Rawls (5/8) | Betsy Rawls (6/8) | Mickey Wright (3/13) | Louise Suggs (11/11) |
| 1958 | Patty Berg (15/15) | Mickey Wright (1/13) | Mickey Wright (2/13) | Beverly Hanson (3/3) |
| 1957 | Patty Berg (13/15) | Louise Suggs (10/11) | Betsy Rawls (4/8) | Patty Berg (14/15) |
| 1956 | Beverly Hanson (2/3) | Marlene Hagge | Kathy Cornelius | Louise Suggs (9/11) |
| 1955 | Patty Berg (11/15) | Beverly Hanson (1/3) | Fay Crocker (1/2) | Patty Berg (12/15) |
| 1954 | Betty Jameson (3/3) | Not yet founded | Babe Zaharias (10/10) | Louise Suggs (8/11) |
| 1953 | Louise Suggs (7/11) | Betsy Rawls (3/8) | Patty Berg (10/15) | |
| 1952 | Betsy Rawls (2/8) | Louise Suggs (6/11) | Babe Zaharias (9/10) | |
| 1951 | Patty Berg (9/15) | Betsy Rawls (1/8) | Pat O'Sullivan | |
| 1950 | Babe Zaharias (6/10) | Babe Zaharias (7/10) | Babe Zaharias (8/10) | |
| 1949 | Louise Suggs (4/11) | Louise Suggs (5/11) | Peggy Kirk | |
| 1948 | Patty Berg (7/15) | Babe Zaharias (5/10) | Patty Berg (8/15) | |
| 1947 | Louise Suggs (3/11) | Betty Jameson (2/3) | Babe Zaharias (4/10) | |
| 1946 | Louise Suggs (1/11) | Patty Berg (6/15) | Louise Suggs (2/11) | |
| 1945 | Babe Zaharias (3/10) | Not yet founded | Not played (World War II) | |
| 1944 | Babe Zaharias (2/10) | |||
| 1943 | Patty Berg (5/15) | |||
| 1942 | Betty Jameson (1/3) | Dorothy Kirby (2/2) | ||
| 1941 | Patty Berg (4/15) | Dorothy Kirby (1/2) | ||
| 1940 | Babe Zaharias (1/10) | Helen Hicks (2/2) | ||
| 1939 | Helen Dettweiler | Patty Berg (3/15) | ||
| 1938 | Bea Barrett | Patty Berg (2/15) | ||
| 1937 | Helen Hicks (1/2) | Patty Berg (1/15) | ||
| 1936 | Opal Hill (2/2) | Not yet founded | ||
| 1935 | Opal Hill (1/2) | |||
| 1934 | Marian McDougall | |||
| 1933 | June Beebe (2/2) | |||
| 1932 | Jane Weiller | |||
| 1931 | June Beebe (1/2) | |||
| 1930 | Lucia Mida | |||
The "Grand Slam"
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."[6][7]
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.
Consecutive victories at a major championship
| 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
Three victories
- 1950:
Babe Zaharias; Women's Western Open, U.S. Women's Open, and Titleholders Championship - 1961: Mickey Wright; LPGA Championship, U.S. Women's Open, and Titleholders Championship
- 1986: Pat Bradley; Kraft Nabisco Championship, LPGA Championship, du Maurier Classic
- 2013:
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
ANA Inspiration and LPGA Championship
- 1986: Pat Bradley
- 2005:
Annika Sörenstam - 2013: Inbee Park
ANA Inspiration and U.S. Women's Open
- 1990: Betsy King
- 2000:
Karrie Webb - 2013: Inbee Park
ANA Inspiration and Women's British Open
- 2010:
Yani Tseng
LPGA Championship and U.S. Women's Open
- 1958: Mickey Wright
- 1961: Mickey Wright (2)
- 1974: Sandra Haynie
- 1991: Meg Mallon
- 1998: Se Ri Pak
- 1999: Juli Inkster
- 2001: Karrie Webb
- 2013: Inbee Park
LPGA Championship and Women's British Open
- 2003: Annika Sörenstam
- 2011: Yani Tseng
- 2015: Inbee Park
U.S. Women's Open and Women's British Open
- Never has occurred
ANA Inspiration and du Maurier Classic
- 1984: Juli Inkster
- 1986: Pat Bradley
LPGA Championship and du Maurier Classic
- 1986: Pat Bradley
- 1996:
Laura Davies
U.S. Women's Open and du Maurier Classic
- Never occurred
Women's Western Open and LPGA Championship
- 1959: Betsy Rawls
- 1963: Mickey Wright
- 1967: Kathy Whitworth
Women's Western Open and U.S. Women's Open
- 1949: Louise Suggs
- 1950: Babe Zaharias
Women's Western Open and Titleholders Championship
- 1946: Louise Suggs
- 1948: Patty Berg
- 1950: Babe Zaharias
- 1955: Patty Berg
- 1957: Patty Berg
- 1962: Mickey Wright
LPGA Championship and Titleholders Championship
- 1961: Mickey Wright
U.S. Women's Open and Titleholders Championship
- 1950: Babe Zaharias
- 1961: Mickey Wright
Record scores
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.[8] 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 by Kim Hyo-joo at the 2014 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
In 2014, the LPGA established the yearly Rolex Annika Major Award to recognize the overall best performance in the LPGA majors. Points are award 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.[9]
| Year | Winner | Country | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Michelle Wie | United States | 84 | [10] |
| 2015 | Inbee Park | South Korea | 144 | [11] |
| 2016 | Lydia Ko | New Zealand | 102 | [12] |
| 2017 | Ryu So-yeon | South Korea | 78 | [13] |
| 2018 | Ariya Jutanugarn | Thailand | 88 | [14] |
Other regular tours
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."[15]
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
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
Professional women's senior golf is in its infancy, and does not yet have a roster of majors. The Legends Tour, originally the Women's Senior Golf Tour, played its first season in 2001.
See also
- Chronological list of LPGA major golf champions
Notes and references
^ "LPGA Adds The Evian as a Major Championship in 2013" (Press release). LPGA. July 20, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2011..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
^ "PGA of America, LPGA, KPMG join forces for KPMG Women's PGA Championship". PGA of America. May 29, 2014.
^ LPGA Major Championship Winners
^ "The Long, Strange Trip of Major Championships in Women's Golf". Retrieved October 2, 2016.
^ Order in 2013: Kraft Nabisco, LPGA Championship, U.S. Open, British Open, Evian
^ "Countdown to the Hall - Inbee Park Achieves Career Grand Slam at RICOH Women's British Open". LPGA.
^ "Inbee Park's Women's British Open win sparks 'career grand slam' debate". SB Nation.
^ "In Gee Chun finishes at 21 under for lowest 72-hole score in a major". ESPN. Associated Press. 19 September 2016.
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