If you're wondering, no, she's not related to Arnold Palmer. Higuchi is credited with 69 wins on the JLPGA. Pettersen seems to always be in the mix, and has numerous top finishes in majors. S. Levin/Getty Images. She was ranked as the top woman golfer and the ninth greatest golfer of all time by Golf Digest magazine in 2000. Her first LPGA Tour win was in 1954, and her last was in 1972. Before joining the LPGA she won more than 20 times on the KLPGA. Wright won 82 times, with 13 majors, and once posted double-digit wins in four consecutive years. She won early and she won often. Sorenstam was the tour's scoring leader six times, its money leader eight times, and she won the Player of the Year Award eight times. Betsy achieved the title of LPGA Tour 55 times which is the sixth highest of all time in golf history. She won the LPGA Vare Trophy seven times in two spells from 1965 to 1972 and became the LPGA Tour Leading Money Winner eight times from 1965 to 1973. In between were 19 other victories and a pair of majors. Top 50 Longest Golf Course In The World Her reputation as the Tour's sexy glamour girl often overshadowed how good Stephenson's golf was. A reserved man who shied away from golf’s limelight, Byron Nelson’s ability to strike a crisp ball is the stuff of legends. So her win total — 11 — seems low. Many argue in favor of Mickey Wright, some for Kathy Whitworth; but Annika Sorenstam is our pick as No. Inkster is a difficult player to firmly place on this list. And if she never wins again, she may drop off our Top 50 at some point. Who are the best female golfers of all time? She is also in the World Golf Hall of Fame. Stew Milne/Associated Press. Palmer went seven years without winning after first joining the Tour, then won at least once in each of the following seven seasons. That one additional victory, however, was the 1988 du Maurier Classic, one of her two major championships. Recently, however, she announced that she would be sitting out the rest of the 2019 season to give her wrist the proper time to heal. One of the greatest golfers of all time, Snead, made a mark in history by winning the Royal Poinciana Plaza Invitational [a Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour event] against 15 other golfers’ thereby becoming the only man to have won a women’s tournament. Nov, 2020: TAGG 200 - RANKING 200 of The ALL-TIME GREATEST GOLFERS (Men)- Weekly updates to CAREER RANKING - includes worldwide tournament results. Golfer Betsy King: Profile and Stats of the LPGA Hall-of-Famer, Nancy Lopez Bio: One of LPGA's Greatest Golfers, Karrie Webb: Australia's Greatest Female Golfer, Se Ri Pak: Profile of LPGA's Korean Trailblazer, Biography of LPGA Golfer Ariya Jutanugarn, Golfer Annika Sorenstam: Biography and Career Facts, Jan Stephenson Brought Glam to 1980s LPGA Tour, Biography of Golf Hall-of-Famer Laura Davies, list of golfers with the most LPGA major wins. Susie Maxwell Berning, more than any other great female player, restricted her tournament schedule to focus more on family. Lexi Thompson Hottest Female Golfers Of 2020/21 – Must See Women’s Golfer List (Updated 2021) As a new year approaches, we are sure to see some new faces on our annual hottest golfers list and we are sure to see some of our already established females. Little is one of several golfers in the Top 50 whose careers might have been even better had injury not affected them. Her swing has been praised by many (including Ben Hogan) as one of the best — possibly the best — in golf history. In 1920, Sweetser won the individual title at the NCAA Division […] Top 50 Amateurs of All Time October 10, 2018 December 24, 2020 The female golfer/therapist urged him to let him help him, so at her persistence, he finally allowed her to help. Former American female professional golfer Betsy Rawls was a leading female golfer during 1950s. She has 41 career LPGA wins to date, plus wins on the ALPG, Ladies European Tour and Japan LPGA. She won 12 more times on the LPGA, and posted numerous victories in Europe, Japan, Australia and elsewhere. She played competitively in each of the Tour's first five decades. Sandra also received the 2nd place at Western Open in 1967, placed in top 5 at Titleholders C’ship in 1965 and was also placed in top 15 at the Kraft Nabisco C’ship in 1983. From 1991-96, Pepper finished no lower than fifth on the money list and won 12 times. She won money titles, scoring titles, Player of the Year awards, and tournaments, 33 of them on the LPGA Tour. Lopez won 48 times, the most of her era (her first win was in 1978 and last in 1997). A birdie machine, Ochoa set the LPGA record for most birdies in a year in 2004. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1951. Only five golfers have won all four Majors at any time during their career (a Career Grand Slam). Based on wins in the Major championships, the greatest golfer ever may be Jack Nicklaus, who won 18 Majors, including the Masters six times in his career (see Major winners list). She won 3 LPGA major championships in her active playing career which are LPGA Championship in 1978, 1985 and 1989. The 1990 PGA Tour Player of the Year and 3-time European Golfer … Major win No. Louise Suggs, one of those early stars, once explained it pretty well herself: "Our fields were filled out with local amateurs, because that was the only way to build a tournament. Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. That's why the farther back you go in women's golf (and men's, albeit not to the same extent), you have to apply a bit of discount to the numbers. The first of those wins was in 1962, the last in 1985. Byron Nelson. Betsy also received the LPGA 50th Anniversary Commissioner’s Award in 2000. Among her top contemporaries (Sheehan, Bradley, Alcott, Daniel, Lopez, King), Inkster was easily the most inconsistent. ... Best of all, you’ll get a local expert golf director … She won the LPGA Vare Trophy three times and became the LPGA Tour Leading Money Winner three times. The big-hitting "Miss Sluggs" posted 58 wins and 11 major championships, plus wins at the U.S. and British amateurs. 1 among all her great contemporaries, though. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1975. She won 11 LPGA major championships in her active playing career which includes winning Western Open four times from 1946 to 1953, Titleholders C’ship four times from 1946 to 1953, The LPGA Championship in 1957 and became the winner in U.S. Women’s Open in 1949 and 1952. Sandra gained the title of LPGA Tour 42 times which is the ninth highest of all time in golf history. Mallon's first LPGA win was in 1991, her last in 2004. Blalock never won a scoring title; Rankin won three. (Like Wright, Sorenstam retired before age 40.) Very similar to Marilynn Smith in the scope of her career. (AP) — Laura Davies won the Senior LPGA Championship on Wednesday at chilly and windy French Lick Resort to sweep the two senior major events of the year. Why is that? Annika achieved the title of LPGA Tour 72 times which is the third highest of all time and also won the Ladies European Tour 17 times. Helen Hicks became the first woman golfer to turn professional in 1934 while promoting products for Wilson-Western Sporting Goods Company. Babe obtained the title of LPGA Tour 41 times which is the tenth highest of all time in golf history. Top 10 Greatest F1 Drivers in the History, 10 Best Coaches of International Football, Top 10 Greatest Rugby Players Of All Time, Top 10 All Time Greatest Baseball Players, Top 10 Best Female Cricketers of All Time, Top 10 Most Marketable Athletes in the World, Top 10 All Time Greatest Athletes in Olympics, 10 Best Cricketers with 1000 Runs and 100 Wickets in Test Cricket. She obtained the LPGA Vare Trophy six times, became the LPGA Tour leading Money Winner eight times and was named LPGA Tour Player of the Year eight times. And she did it all while fighting terrible, chronic back pain during her best years that eventually forced her out of golf. Through the end of the 2017 season, Ko already had 14 LPGA wins, a Player of the Year award, led the tour in money and won the CME Race to the Globe points chase twice. Pak was later beset by nagging injuries, won only once after 2007 and retired in 2016. She won the British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship in 2006 where she went onto golf with the USC golf team. She must have worked pretty hard at her game, too. 1. That's a good career. In 1945, Zaharias played in three PGA Tour tournaments and made the cut in all three. Okamoto followed a few years behind Chako Higuchi on the Japan LPGA. She won 7 LPGA major championships in her active playing career which includes winning Kraft Nabisco C’ship in 2000 and 2006, LPGA Championship in 2001, U.S. Women’s Open   in 2000 and 2001, du Maurier Classic in 1999 and Women’s British Open in 2002. She was in the Top 10 on the money list every year from 1968 through 1977 and finished with 19 wins on Tour, two of which were majors (including the 1975 U.S. Women's Open). 10 in 2014. She is the only six-time winner of the U.S. Women's Amateur. 50 and counting down to No. Winning all four Majors is considered a grand slam. The results: Vare and Wethered met in competition three times, and Wethered won all three times. 1945 was a record year for Nelson, he recorded 19 wins that season, deeming him access to the illustrious group that is the best golfers of all time. With a scoring title and two Player of the Year awards, Lewis forced her way into our rankings. In 1935, she faced Glenna Collett Vare in the finals of the U.S. Women's Amateur. She won two majors, but Pepper's career victory total of 17 is the lowest of any golfer in our Top 25. She was named GWAA Female Player of the Year and also received the LPGA Achievement Award in 2000. Resource: How to Break 70 in Golf – Practice Plan. Campbell was the first international star of women's golf. Overall, through the 2017 year,  Pettersen had 15 wins in LPGA events plus more than a half-dozen in Europe.. Tseng hasn't won on the LPGA Tour since 2012, and hasn't won anywhere else since 2014. Patty Berg wins the first Titleholders Championship in 1937 and from that time female golfers achieved a great height of success as the men golfers do. Six of them were major championships. She doesn't even play most of the majors anymore. Mickey achieved the title of LPGA Tour 82 times which is the second highest of all time. She won the LPGA Vare Trophy in 1954 and became the LPGA Tour Leading Money Winner two times in 1950 and 1951. T HE A LLTIME G REATEST G OLFERS TAGG 200 - CAREER RANKING. Lewis was a model of consistency in the early 2010s: Her first win in 2011, four in 2012, three each in 2013 and 2014. Blalock never was Player of the Year; Rankin was, twice. Playing in an era decades before women's professional golf even existed, Campbell won four combined British and U.S. amateur championships from 1909 to 1911, then left golf for nearly a decade to focus on married life. The testimonials: Among others, Bobby Jones said he felt "outclassed" by Wethered's ballstriking. Zaharias is the highest-ranked woman, at #10, on ESPN's list of the 50 top athletes of the 20th century. Babe was named Female Athlete of the Year a record six times by the Associated Press from 1932 to 1954. She started winning in 1975 and kept winning through the 1991 Nabisco Dinah Shore, the last of her 29 LPGA wins and five major championship wins. She later added the 1954 Women's Western Open title. Since joining the LPGA Tour in 2008 at the age of 19, Yani Tseng has had a remarkable run of success at the top level of women’s golf. Greatest Golfers of All Time - Career to date - TAGG 200 Ranking. She did win two LPGA tournaments, including the 1977 LPGA Championship. Her career was short, but dominating. Campbell, near 40, completely rebuilt her grip and swing over 10 months, then went out and won another U.S. Women's Amateur in 1924. Jones was a hallmark of consistency and competitiveness throughout her career, and she got better as she got older. Former American female professional golfer Mickey Wright became a member of the LPGA Tour in ... 2. We're ranking her conservatively, for now. No, he hasn't yet eclipsed Jack Nicklaus' record for most major victories. Henderson … After quitting the LPGA, she continued winning in Japan and now has double-digit victories on the JLPGA. Anne van Dam: A rising star in women's golf (CNN) In Beaumont, Texas, there is a small museum dedicated to a female double Olympic gold medalist and one of … She posted the same six majors as Sheehan, but "only" 30 career wins compared to Sheehan's 35. She carded 10 … The Best 5 Golfers of All Time 0 of 6 Through time, there have been so many incredible golfers, from names such as Old Tom Morris, Harry Vardon and … Her career was brief, but it was brilliant. Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer of all-time. She won 8 LPGA major championships in her active playing career which includes winning Western Open two times in 1952 and 1959, Titleholders C’ship runners up three times from 1952 to 1959, The LPGA Championship in 1959 and 1969 and became the winner of U.S. Women’s Open four times from 1951 and 1960. Consider that Maguire finished her four years with a 70.97 stroke average, the best in Division I women’s golf history by a player with 100 or more rounds. She's one of several golfers on this list (leading all the way up to Nancy Lopez) who won fewer majors than one would expect — just two. Former American female professional golfer Mickey Wright became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1955. Hanson won the 1950 U.S. Women's Amateur, then was a consistent winner in the first decade of the LPGA Tour's history. Zaharias was the greatest woman golfer of all time, the winner of seventeen successive golf tournaments in 1946-1947, and of 82 tournaments between … We've tried to be cautious about how high we ranked such youngsters, but, hey, if the numbers warrant it ... One thing that might strike some readers about our Top 50 rankings is that the earliest stars of women's professional golf appear a little lower in our rankings than in some other, similar rankings of women golf greats. 10 Best Female Golfers of All Time. She also ranks as one of the all-time best with a driver. Many people believe Woods can't be called the greatest ever until or unless he beats Jack's major record. The RBC Canadian Open, one of the most historic tournaments on … But four of those 11 were majors, including three U.S. Women's Opens (1968, 1972, 1973). She finished in the Top 10 on the money list 10 straight years and 11 total. Kathy was named Female Athlete of the Year twice consecutively in 1965-66 by the Associated Press. Retired Swedish female professional golfer Annika Sörenstam is widely considered as one of the most successful female golfers in history. As 16-year-old Marlene Bauer in 1950, she was one of the founders of the LPGA Tour. She became the winningest Canadian golfer of all time, men or women, with her ninth LPGA title. Webb is the highest-ranked golfer in our Top 50 who is still playing on the LPGA Tour. She is credited with 41 LPGA wins, and posted many more wins as an amateur. Smith, known as "Miss Personality," worked tirelessly to promote women's golf during her long career. Then she quit the LPGA Tour to play in Japan, closer to her Korean home. Former American female professional golfer Patty Berg was the founding member and then a leading player on the LPGA Tour during the 1940s till 1960s. Fifteen of them (the women's record) were majors — although 14 of those were evenly split between the Titleholders and Western Open, tour tournaments long since defunct. Her 27 wins are the most by any LPGA Tour player without a major. But it's what she did — not what she might have done — that lands her at No. But the LPGA Tour did have many years in Mann's career when there were only two majors, or three, per season, rather than today's five. ... “I’ve been stranded on this island for ten years and haven’t had a smoke in all that time”, he replied. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1964. American female professional golfer Nancy Lopez became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977. Rankin, whose wins happened from 1968 through 1979, once finished in the Top 10 25 times in a single season. Only four times in her career did she play in 20 or more tournaments in a season. Nancy became the LPGA Tour Money Winner three times in 1978, 1979 and 1985, was named LPGA Tour Player of the Year four times and received the LPGA Tour Vare Trophy     three times. Twice in 2019. What Blalock never did was win a major championship, nor a major award (Player of the Year, money title, scoring title). She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1960. Ranking the Best Canadian Golfers of All Time. Many rank Glenna Collett Vare ahead of her, but Wethered was the better player based on results and what her contemporaries said about her. Yet she still won 43 LPGA Tour events, plus a slew of awards, money titles and scoring titles. Babe received the Bob Jones Award by the United States Golf Association in 1957. Park was also the first Korean golfer to win the LPGA's Player of the Year award. She won 13 LPGA major championships in her active playing career which includes winning Western Open three times, Titleholders Championship two times, LPGA Championship four times and U.S. Women’s Open four times. Shin has one of the most unusual careers in our rankings. In her 20s, Carner won five U.S. Women's Amateurs — she didn't turn pro until age 30. Like Inkster, Sheehan never won a money title. Before she was 25 years, Shin compiled 10 LPGA Tour wins, including two majors (the 2008 and 2012 Women's British Opens). On the JLPGA, Okamoto won 44 times. 0 of 5. After graduating in 2010, she joined the LPGA Tour in 2011. In 2000, Sports Illustrated magazine also named her second on its list of the Greatest Female Athletes of All Time, behind the heptathlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Park has talked about retiring soon to start a family, so whether she keeps moving up this ranking depends on how many years she continues to play. These are Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. Michelle Wie. Mann won 38 times in her LPGA career, including 10 times in one year (1968). Please click the share button if you enjoy! She won the LPGA Vare Trophy consecutive five times from 1960 to 1964 and became the LPGA Tour Leading Money Winner consecutive four times from 1961 to 1964. 5. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1951. Mickey was named Female Athlete of the Year twice consecutively in 1963-64 by the Associated Press. She was a money leader three times, scoring leader three times, and the LPGA Player of the Year four times (1978, 1979, 1985, 1988). Nancy was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1987. Karrie Webb played her way into the World Golf Hall of Fame while still in her 20s. One could argue that she qualified for the Top 50 before even turning 20 years old. Athlon counts down the best in the game's history. In her first seven years on Tour, King didn't win once. In 1980, when Beth Daniel was in her second year as a pro, Berg played for the final time on the LPGA Tour. She won a still unbeaten 15 LPGA major championships in her active playing career which includes winning Western Open seven times from 1941 to 1958, Titleholders C’ship seven times from 1937 to 1957, became the runners up in LPGA Championship two times and became the winner in U.S. Women’s Open in 1946. 10. Michelle Wie is one name that has been synonymous with women’s golf for quite some time now. Pepper is another player whose career was first impacted, then ended early, by injuries. Neumann's first LPGA victory was the 1988 U.S. Women's Open. One of the most attractive women golfers – Nikki Garrett, born on 8 January 1984 is an Australian professional golfer. Smith also has the distinction of scoring the first double eagle in LPGA history. But for now, here are the 10 Best Golfers Of All Time: 10. She was clearly No. Jess Sweetser was a Yale golf star in the 1920’s and one of the greatest amateurs of all time. After all, she is a five-time LPGA winner. Let’s dive in to today’s review of the best women golfers and hottest women golfers. And she did it despite giving up the full-time touring life by age 34. Especially when the stakes were high. When she returned, she discovered the game had passed by her quirky swing. She won four times in a year four different years. She won the LPGA William and Mousie Powell Award in 1987, Flo Hyman Memorial Award in 1992, USGA Bob Jones Award in 1998 and Old Tom Morris Award in 2000. But seven of those 18 wins are majors, and that ties Park for seventh place on the list of golfers with the most LPGA major wins. The Taiwan native has won 15 LPGA events, with a third of those victories coming at the biggest tournaments. Patty Berg. In 2006, she won six times, ended Annika Sorenstam's 5-year run atop the money list, and won the Vare Trophy with the fourth-lowest scoring average in Tour history. Her 31 wins are in line with the others' win totals (except Lopez's 48), but she didn't contend week-in-and-week-out, and had the fewest Top 10  finishes. But her peak value was very high. 4. Lewis has 12 career LPGA wins so far. Amateurs, the Women's Western Open (a major of its time), and the U.S. Women's Open prior to 1948. 20 Greatest Golfers of All Time (Updated) Home / Golf / 20 Greatest Golfers of All Time (Updated) By Rob Doster, 10/28/19, 12:00 PM EDT . Two of those are victories, including one at the LPGA Championship and also in 2013 at the Evian Championship in its first year after elevation to major status. Included in those LPGA wins were three major championship titles, one of which was the 1983 U.S. Women's Open. You can make a case that out of all her great contemporaries — Bradley, Sheehan, King, Inkster, Alcott — Daniel had the most pure talent. Patty achieved the title of LPGA Tour 60 times which is the fourth highest of all time in golf history. Not only have they done it o… Kathy achieved the title of LPGA Tour 88 times which is the highest of all time in golf history. Forty-two wins, four majors in a career that stretched from 1961 to 1990. She also had the biggest individual seasons of her era, including the greatest rookie year in LPGA history. Caponi won 10 times total in 1980-81, then never won again. Today, the LPGA's award for top rookie is officially named the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award. She was Player of the Year three times (1984, 1989, 1993), and finished with 34 career LPGA wins, six of which were majors (including the U.S. Women's Open twice). But before her game went into a tailspin, Tseng was a dominant golfer. Golf is a club ball sport in which competing golfers hit balls into a series of holes on a course using fewest strokes possible while using various clubs or golf sticks. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1951. Members of the World Golf Hall of Fame are annotated HoF. By the end of the 2017 season, Kerr's LPGA win total stood at 20. Those others players we mentioned each won at least five majors. Nearly all of those wins happened in just six seasons following her 2-major-wins rookie season of 1998. Kathy Whitworth. 1. Among her other major wins was the 1980 U.S. Women's Open. She won the LPGA Championship four times and the U.S. Women's Open four times. In 1992, she led in money and scoring and was Player of the Year. She was named LPGA Player of the Year in 1970. Karrie achieved the title of LPGA Tour 41 times which is the tenth highest of all time in golf history. Currently, David Hearn of Brantford ON and Graham DeLaet of Weyburn SK are carrying the Red and White on the PGA Tour and around the world.