Jan Stephenson
Encyclopedia
Jan Lynne Stephenson is an Australia
n professional golf
er. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1974 and won three major championships and 16 LPGA Tour events in all.
Stephenson was a contestant in the 2011 season of Dancing with the Stars
on Channel Seven
.
Stephenson's first LPGA victory was the 1976 Sarah Coventry Naples Classic. Her most productive period was the early 1980s, when she won all of her majors in consecutive years: 1981 Peter Jackson Classic
, the 1982 LPGA Championship
and the 1983 U.S. Women's Open.
Stephenson was one of the first LPGA stars to openly embrace and champion a sex-sells approach to marketing. Stephenson became as famous for her sex appeal as her golf during the early to mid-1980s, when she posed in a bathtub - covered up only by the golf balls filling the tub - and later in a pinup calendar. She urged the LPGA Tour to fully embrace her approach to marketing.
On the golf course, Stephenson won three times each in 1981, 1983 and 1987, those wins in 1987 being her final ones on the LPGA. Stephenson continued playing LPGA events throughout the 1990s, but was hampered by an injury incurred during a mugging in Miami in 1990. Her left ring finger was broken in two places, an injury that still bothers her play in cold or wet weather.
Stephenson went on to win on the Women's Senior Golf Tour, a tour she helped found. In 2003, she became the first woman to play on the Champions Tour, missing the cut. Stephenson is among the few women in the course design business, and produced an exercise video for people with arthritis. Her many charitable efforts include being an honorary chairman of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
LPGA majors
are shown in bold.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1974 and won three major championships and 16 LPGA Tour events in all.
Stephenson was a contestant in the 2011 season of Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars (Australian Season 11)
The 11th Season of Dancing with the Stars premiered on Sunday 8 May 2011 at 6:30pm on Channel Seven. Daniel MacPherson and Sonia Kruger returned as hosts, along with judges Todd McKenney and Helen Richey. Australian dancer Joshua Horner joined the judging panel as a replacement for Mark Wilson...
on Channel Seven
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
.
Career
Stephenson was born in Sydney, Australia. While a teenager, she won five consecutive New South Wales Schoolgirl Championships in Australia, beginning in 1964, and followed that up with three straight wins in the New South Wales Junior Championship. She turned professional in 1973 and won the Wills Australian Ladies Open that year. Stephenson joined the LPGA Tour in 1974 and was named LPGA Rookie of the Year.Stephenson's first LPGA victory was the 1976 Sarah Coventry Naples Classic. Her most productive period was the early 1980s, when she won all of her majors in consecutive years: 1981 Peter Jackson Classic
Canadian Women's Open
The CN Canadian Women's Open is a women's professional golf tournament managed by the Royal Canadian Golf Association. It has been Canada's national championship tournament since 1973, and is an official event on the LPGA Tour.-History:...
, the 1982 LPGA Championship
LPGA Championship
The LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour...
and the 1983 U.S. Women's Open.
Stephenson was one of the first LPGA stars to openly embrace and champion a sex-sells approach to marketing. Stephenson became as famous for her sex appeal as her golf during the early to mid-1980s, when she posed in a bathtub - covered up only by the golf balls filling the tub - and later in a pinup calendar. She urged the LPGA Tour to fully embrace her approach to marketing.
On the golf course, Stephenson won three times each in 1981, 1983 and 1987, those wins in 1987 being her final ones on the LPGA. Stephenson continued playing LPGA events throughout the 1990s, but was hampered by an injury incurred during a mugging in Miami in 1990. Her left ring finger was broken in two places, an injury that still bothers her play in cold or wet weather.
Stephenson went on to win on the Women's Senior Golf Tour, a tour she helped found. In 2003, she became the first woman to play on the Champions Tour, missing the cut. Stephenson is among the few women in the course design business, and produced an exercise video for people with arthritis. Her many charitable efforts include being an honorary chairman of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Controversy
She made a controversial remark in 2003 when she said "Asians are killing the (LPGA) Tour", referring to the large number of Korean-born players who were winning on tour, and calling for quotas on international players, which is ironic because she was also an international player. She later apologised, saying that she "did not intend to make it a racial issue."LPGA Tour wins (16)
- 19761976 LPGA TourThe 1976 LPGA Tour was the 27th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 30 to November 27. The season consisted of 31 official money events. Judy Rankin won the most tournaments, six...
(2) Sarah Coventry Naples Classic, Birmingham ClassicBirmingham ClassicThe Birmingham Classic was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1972 to 1982. It was played at the Green Valley Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama.-Winners:Birmingham Classic*1982 Beth Daniel*1981 Beth Solomon*1980 Barbara BarrowOtey Crisman Classic... - 19781978 LPGA TourThe 1978 LPGA Tour was the 29th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from February 10 to November 12. The season consisted of 34 official money events. Nancy Lopez won the most tournaments, nine. She also led the money list with earnings of $189,814.There were four...
(1) Women's International - 19801980 LPGA TourThe 1980 LPGA Tour was the 31st season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from February 1 to November 9. The season consisted of 38 official money events. Donna Caponi and JoAnne Carner won the most tournaments, five each...
(1) Sun City Classic - 19811981 LPGA TourThe 1981 LPGA Tour was the 32nd season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 29 to November 8. The season consisted of 36 official money events. Donna Caponi won the most tournaments, five...
(3) Peter Jackson Classic, Mary Kay ClassicMary Kay ClassicThe Mary Kay Classic was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1956 to 1982. It was played at four different courses in the Dallas, Texas area.-Tournament locations:-Winners:Mary Kay Classic*1982 Sandra Spuzich*1981 Jan Stephenson*1980 Jerilyn Britz...
, United Virginia Bank Classic - 19821982 LPGA TourThe 1982 LPGA Tour was the 33rd season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 28 to November 7. The season consisted of 35 official money events. JoAnne Carner and Beth Daniel won the most tournaments, five each...
(2) LPGA ChampionshipLPGA ChampionshipThe LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour...
, Lady Keystone OpenLady Keystone OpenThe Lady Keystone Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1975 to 1994. In its first year it was a satellite tour event but became a full event in 1976... - 19831983 LPGA TourThe 1983 LPGA Tour was the 34th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 27 to November 13. The season consisted of 33 official money events. Pat Bradley and Patty Sheehan won the most tournaments, four each...
(3) Tucson Conquistadores LPGA Open, Lady Keystone OpenLady Keystone OpenThe Lady Keystone Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1975 to 1994. In its first year it was a satellite tour event but became a full event in 1976...
, U.S. Women's Open - 19851985 LPGA TourThe 1985 LPGA Tour was the 36th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 24 to November 10. The season consisted of 35 official money events. Nancy Lopez won the most tournaments, five...
(1) GNA Classic - 19871987 LPGA TourThe 1987 LPGA Tour was the 38th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 29 to November 8. The season consisted of 33 official money events. Jane Geddes won the most tournaments, five...
(3) Santa Barbara OpenSanta Barbara OpenThe Santa Barbara Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1987 to 1988. It was played at two courses in the Santa Barbara, California area: Sandpiper Golf Club in Goleta and La Purisima Golf Course in Lompoc. In 1987, the field was split for the first two rounds, half playing on each...
, Safeco ClassicSafeco ClassicThe Safeco Classic was a women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour in the Seattle area, sponsored by Safeco Insurance. It was played 18 times, from 1982 to 1999, at in Kent, Washington, usually in mid-September, the week following the Safeway Classic in Portland...
, Konica San Jose ClassicKonica San Jose ClassicThe Konica San Jose Classic was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1983 to 1989. It was played at the Almaden Golf & Country Club in San Jose, California.-Winners:Konica San Jose Classic*1989 Beth Daniel*1988 Kathy Guadagnino*1987 Jan Stephenson...
LPGA majors
Women's major golf championships
Women's golf has a set of major championships which parallels that in men's golf, but the women's system is younger and has been less stable than the men's. Many professional stroke play events for women are played over three rounds , but the majors are played over four rounds , which is the...
are shown in bold.
ALPG wins (2)
- 1973 (1) Wills Australian Ladies Open
- 1977 (1) Wills Qantas Australian Ladies Open
Other wins (2)
- 1983 JCPenney Mixed Team Classic (with Fred CouplesFred CouplesFrederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship...
) - 1990 JCPenney/LPGA Skins Game
Legends Tour wins (3)
- 2000 HyVee Classic
- 2005 BJ's Charity Championship (with Cindy RarickCindy RarickCindy Rarick is an American professional golfer. She competed as Cindy Flom in 1985 and from 1999 to 2001.- Amateur career :...
; tie with Pat Bradley and Patty SheehanPatty SheehanPatty Sheehan is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1980 and won six major championships and 35 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame....
) - 2007 Handa Australia Cup
Wins (3)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 1981 Peter Jackson Classic The 1981 Peter Jackson Classic was contested from July 2–5 at Summerlea Golf & Country Club. It was the 9th edition of the Peter Jackson Classic, and the 3rd edition as a major championship on the LPGA Tour.This event was won by Jan Stephenson.... |
Peter Jackson Classic | ||
| 1 stroke |  Pat Bradley, Nancy Lopez-MeltonNancy Lopez Nancy Marie Lopez is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won 48 LPGA Tour events during her LPGA career, including three major championships.-Amateur career:... |
||
| 1982 1982 LPGA Championship The 1982 LPGA Championship was played at Jack Nicklaus Golf Center in Kings Island, Ohio. This was the 28th edition of the LPGA Championship and was played from June 10-13.This championship was won by Jan Stephenson.-Final leaderboard:-External links:*... |
LPGA Championship LPGA Championship The LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour... |
||
| 2 strokes | JoAnne Carner JoAnne Carner JoAnne Gunderson Carner is a former American professional golfer. Her 43 victories on the LPGA Tour led to her induction in the World Golf Hall of Fame. She is the only woman to have won the U.S. Girls' Junior, U.S. Women's Amateur, and U.S. Women's Open titles, and was the first person ever to... |
||
| 1983 1983 U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship The 1983 U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship was contested from July 28 to July 31 at Cedar Ridge Country Club. It was the 38th edition of the U.S. Women's Open.This event was won by Jan Stephenson.-Final leaderboard:-External links:**... |
U.S. Women's Open | 1 stroke | JoAnne Carner, Patty Sheehan Patty Sheehan Patty Sheehan is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1980 and won six major championships and 35 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.... |
See also
- Golfers with most LPGA Tour winsGolfers with most LPGA Tour winsThis table lists players with 10 or more wins on the LPGA Tour. It is based on the list on the LPGA Tour's official site, which differs slightly from the main win lists on player's personal profiles on the site...
- Golfers with most LPGA major championship winsGolfers with most LPGA major championship winsThis article lists all the women who have won the LPGA Tour's, past and present major championships by number of victories. The four current majors are shown first in the order in which they are played each season, followed by the three defunct majors in alphabetical order...