The U.S. Women's Open is an annual golf competition that was established in 1946. As of 1953, the championship is sanctioned by the United States Golf Association (USGA), which is the governing body of the game in the United States. Previously, the event was played as the "Ladies" Open, and was sanctioned by the Women's Professional Golfers Association from 1946â"1948. In addition, the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) sanctioned this tournament from 1949â"1952. This event is one of the five women's major championships. The other major championships are the ANA Inspiration Championship, the LPGA Championship, the Women's British Open, and The Evian Championship. This event has always been played in stroke play with the exception of the first competition in 1946, and is currently the third women's major of the year.
The first trophy presented to the champions was from the Spokane Athletic Round Table, until 1953. The original trophy by the USGA was designed by the silversmith of J. E. Caldwell and Co. of Philadelphia. This trophy was first presented to the champion in 1953, when Betsy Rawls won, and was retired to the USGA Museum in 1992. Now, the champion receives the Harton S. Semple trophy, named for a former USGA Committeeman and the USGA President from 1973â"1974. His family and friends commissioned a replacement replica trophy in July 1992. The first winner to receive it was Patty Sheehan in 1992.
Rawls and Mickey Wright hold the record for the most victories with four. The most consecutive wins at the event is two by Wright, Susie Berning, Hollis Stacy, Annika Sörenstam, Donna Caponi, Betsy King and Karrie Webb. The lowest winning score for 72 holes in relation to par is 16-under by Juli Inkster in 1999. The lowest aggregate winning score for 72 holes is 272 by Sörenstam in 1996, Inkster in 1999 and Chun In-gee in 2015. Conversely, the highest winning score for 72 holes in relation to par is 13-over by Murle Lindstrom in 1962. The highest aggregate winning score for 72 holes is 302 by Rawls in 1953 and Kathy Cornelius in 1956, and they won both events in playoffs. The oldest champion was Babe Zaharias in 1954, when she was 43 years 0 months and 6 days old. The youngest champion was Inbee Park in 2008, when she was 19 years 11 months and 17 days old. The U.S. Women's Open has had eight wire-to-wire champions, which are the following: Zaharias in 1954, Fay Crocker in 1955, Wright in 1958, Mary Mills in 1963, Catherine Lacoste in 1967, Berning in 1968, Donna Caponi in 1970, and JoAnne Carner in 1971. The current champion is Park Sung-hyun.
Champions
Annika Sorenstam on the 1996 U.S. Women's Open - Three-time U.S. Women's Open champion Annika Sorenstam looks back on her consecutive wins in 1995 and 1996. At 25, Sorenstam became only the sixth player to win in back-to-back years in the...
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Multiple champions
This table lists the golfers who have won more than one U.S. Women's Open. Champions who win consecutively are indicated by the years with italics*.
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Champions by nationality
This table lists the total number of titles won by golfers of each nationality.
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See also
- Chronological list of LPGA major golf champions
- List of golfers with most LPGA major championship wins
Notes
References
- General
- Specific
External links
- LPGA Tour's tournament profile