Titleholders Championship
Encyclopedia
The Titleholders Championship was a women's golf
tournament played from in 1937 to 1966 and again in 1972. It was later designated a major championship
by the LPGA Tour.
It should not be confused with two other LPGA events with similar names:
though at the Augusta Country Club, not at Augusta National Golf Club
. The winners of various amateur and professional events were invited to take part, although most of the competitors were amateurs. There were very few women professionals at the time and most earned their living as club or teaching professionals. The Titleholders itself did not offer prize money until 1948, when a prize fund of $600 was introduced, with half of the money going to the professional placing highest in the event. The tournament was discontinued after 1966, but was revived for one year in 1972, when it was played at Southern Pines, North Carolina
. All of these stagings are now recognized as major championships by the LPGA
, even though the organization was not founded until 1950.
(a) - denotes amateur
PO - won in playoff
^ - 54 holes
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....
tournament played from in 1937 to 1966 and again in 1972. It was later designated a major championship
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...
by the LPGA Tour.
It should not be confused with two other LPGA events with similar names:
- The Mercury Titleholders Championship: A regular (non-major) LPGA tournament held from 1990 to 1999.
- The CME Group TitleholdersCME Group TitleholdersThe CME Group Titleholders is a women's professional golf tournament, the season-ending event on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. It succeeds the LPGA Tour Championship, which was played for two seasons in 2009 and 2010...
: The season-ending tournament on the LPGA Tour starting in 2011.
History
The Titleholders Championship was founded in 1937. Like the Masters Tournament for men, which began a few years earlier, it was played in Augusta, GeorgiaAugusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
though at the Augusta Country Club, not at Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
. The winners of various amateur and professional events were invited to take part, although most of the competitors were amateurs. There were very few women professionals at the time and most earned their living as club or teaching professionals. The Titleholders itself did not offer prize money until 1948, when a prize fund of $600 was introduced, with half of the money going to the professional placing highest in the event. The tournament was discontinued after 1966, but was revived for one year in 1972, when it was played at Southern Pines, North Carolina
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Southern Pines is a town in Moore County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 10,918 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Southern Pines is located at ....
. All of these stagings are now recognized as major championships by the LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
, even though the organization was not founded until 1950.
Winners
Year | Winner | Country | Score | Runner(s)-up | Winners' share ($) | Purse ($) | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | Sandra Palmer Sandra Palmer Sandra Palmer is an American professional golfer.Palmer was born in Fort Worth, Texas. She attended North Texas State University where she was a cheerleader and Homecoming Queen.... |
283 | Judy Rankin Judy Rankin Judy Torluemke Rankin is an American professional golfer and golf broadcaster. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1962 and won 26 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Amateur career:... , Mickey Wright Mickey Wright Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:... |
3,000 | 20,000 | ||
1967-71 No tournament | |||||||
1966 | Kathy Whitworth Kathy Whitworth Kathy Whitworth is an American professional golfer. Throughout her playing career she won 88 LPGA Tour tournaments, more than anyone else has won on either the LPGA Tour or the PGA Tour. In 1981 she became the first woman to reach career earnings of $1 million on the LPGA Tour... |
291 | Judy Kimball-Simon, Mary Mills | 1,500 | 10,000 | ||
1965 | Kathy Whitworth Kathy Whitworth Kathy Whitworth is an American professional golfer. Throughout her playing career she won 88 LPGA Tour tournaments, more than anyone else has won on either the LPGA Tour or the PGA Tour. In 1981 she became the first woman to reach career earnings of $1 million on the LPGA Tour... |
287 | Peggy Wilson Peggy Wilson (golfer) Margaret Joyce "Peggy" Wilson is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Wilson won once on the LPGA Tour in 1968.-LPGA Tour wins:-References:... |
1,500 | 10,000 | ||
1964 | Marilynn Smith Marilynn Smith Marilynn Smith is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA.Smith was born in Topeka, Kansas. She attended the University of Kansas and joined the LPGA Tour in its inaugural 1950 season. She won 21 events on the tour between 1954 and 1972, including two... |
289 | Mickey Wright Mickey Wright Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:... |
1,300 | 7,500 | ||
1963 | Marilynn Smith Marilynn Smith Marilynn Smith is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA.Smith was born in Topeka, Kansas. She attended the University of Kansas and joined the LPGA Tour in its inaugural 1950 season. She won 21 events on the tour between 1954 and 1972, including two... |
292PO | Mickey Wright Mickey Wright Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:... |
1,235 | 7,500 | ||
1962 | Mickey Wright Mickey Wright Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:... |
295PO | Ruth Jessen Ruth Jessen Mary Ruth Jessen was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Jessen was born in Seattle, Washington. She briefly played on the men's golf team at Seattle University.... |
1,330 | 7,500 | ||
1961 | Mickey Wright Mickey Wright Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:... |
299 | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... , Louise Suggs Louise Suggs Mae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager... |
1,200 | 7,000 | ||
1960 | Fay Crocker Fay Crocker Fay Crocker was the first non-American golfer to win one of the LPGA major golf championships. Her first major was the 1955 U.S. Women's Open and her second was the 1960 Titleholders Championship, where she set a record for the oldest LPGA major champion of 45 years, 7 months and 1 day.Crocker was... |
303 | Kathy Cornelius Kathy Cornelius Kathy Cornelius is an American golfer.Cornelius was born in Boston, Massachusetts and attended Florida Southern College, where she played on the men's golf team, as the school did not have a women's team at the time. She turned pro in 1953 and married golf pro Bill Cornelius the same year... |
1,140 | 6,000 | ||
1959 | Louise Suggs Louise Suggs Mae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager... |
297 | Betsy Rawls Betsy Rawls Elizabeth Earle "Betsy" Rawls is an American professional golfer.Rawls was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After attending the University of Texas, Rawls joined the LPGA Tour in its second season in 1951. She won 55 tournaments on the tour, including eight major championships... |
1,000 | 5,000 | ||
1958 | Beverly Hanson Beverly Hanson Beverly Hanson is an American professional golfer who played on the United States-based LPGA Tour.Hanson was born in Fargo, North Dakota. She studied at the University of North Dakota, Mills College in Oakland, California and the University of Wisconsin and was a bassoon player, performing with... |
299 | Betty Dodd Betty Dodd Elizabeth "Betty" Dodd was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Dodd won twice on the LPGA Tour, in 1956 and 1957. She was a close friend of fellow golfer Babe Zaharias. According to Susan Cayleff's biography Babe, Dodd was quoted as to saying "I had such admiration for this... |
1,000 | 5,275 | ||
1957 | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... |
296 | Anne Quast Anne Quast Anne Quast is an American golfer. She won the U.S. Women's Amateur three times and was runner-up three times . She was married several times and played as Anne Decker, Anne Welts, and Anne Sander.-Career:Quast was born in Everett, Washington... (a) |
1,000 | 5,000 | ||
1956 | Louise Suggs Louise Suggs Mae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager... |
302 | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... |
1,000 | 5,000 | ||
1955 | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... |
291 | Mary Lena Faulk Mary Lena Faulk Mary Lena Faulk was an American professional golfer.Faulk was born in Chipley, Florida but at the age of 14 moved to Thomasville, Georgia where she won three consecutive Georgia Women's Amateur Matchplay Championships from 1946 to 1948.In 1953, Faulk won the U.S. Women's Amateur. In 1954 she was... |
1,000 | 5,000 | ||
1954 | Louise Suggs Louise Suggs Mae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager... |
293 | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... |
1,000 | 3,000 | ||
1953 | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... |
294 | Betsy Rawls Betsy Rawls Elizabeth Earle "Betsy" Rawls is an American professional golfer.Rawls was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After attending the University of Texas, Rawls joined the LPGA Tour in its second season in 1951. She won 55 tournaments on the tour, including eight major championships... |
1,000 | 2,200 | ||
1952 | Babe Zaharias Babe Zaharias Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias was an American athlete who achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball, and track and field... |
299 | Betsy Rawls Betsy Rawls Elizabeth Earle "Betsy" Rawls is an American professional golfer.Rawls was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After attending the University of Texas, Rawls joined the LPGA Tour in its second season in 1951. She won 55 tournaments on the tour, including eight major championships... |
1,000 | 2,100 | ||
1951 | Pat O'Sullivan Pat O'Sullivan Pat O'Sullivan Lucey is an American amateur golfer who won the 1950, 1951, and 1953 North and South Women's Amateur. As well, she won the 1951 Titleholders Championship, then one of the LPGA Tour's major championships. She was a member of Race Brook Country Club in Orange, Connecticut... (a) |
301 | Beverly Hanson Beverly Hanson Beverly Hanson is an American professional golfer who played on the United States-based LPGA Tour.Hanson was born in Fargo, North Dakota. She studied at the University of North Dakota, Mills College in Oakland, California and the University of Wisconsin and was a bassoon player, performing with... |
1,500 | |||
1950 | Babe Zaharias Babe Zaharias Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias was an American athlete who achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball, and track and field... |
298 | Claire Doran (a) | 700 | 1,500 | ||
1949 | Peggy Kirk (a) | 299 | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... , Dorothy Kirby Dorothy Kirby Mary Dorothy Kirby was an American golf champion and sportscaster.Born in West Point, Georgia, her family moved to Atlanta when she was ten. At the age of thirteen Dorothy Kirby's victory at the 1933 Georgia Women's Amateur Championship made her the youngest female golfer to ever win a state... (a) |
||||
1948 | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... |
308 | Peggy Kirk (a), Babe Zaharias Babe Zaharias Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias was an American athlete who achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball, and track and field... |
||||
1947 | Babe Zaharias Babe Zaharias Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias was an American athlete who achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball, and track and field... (a) |
304 | Dorothy Kirby Dorothy Kirby Mary Dorothy Kirby was an American golf champion and sportscaster.Born in West Point, Georgia, her family moved to Atlanta when she was ten. At the age of thirteen Dorothy Kirby's victory at the 1933 Georgia Women's Amateur Championship made her the youngest female golfer to ever win a state... (a) |
300 | |||
1946 | Louise Suggs Louise Suggs Mae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager... (a) |
314 | Eileen Stulb Eileen Stulb Eileen Heffernan Stulb was an American amateur golfer.-Personal:Stulb was born in Augusta, Georgia to Marion C. Stulb and Eileen Anna Heffernan Stulb. She died in Augusta, Georgia.-Golfing career:... (a) |
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1943-45 No tournament | |||||||
1942 | Dorothy Kirby Dorothy Kirby Mary Dorothy Kirby was an American golf champion and sportscaster.Born in West Point, Georgia, her family moved to Atlanta when she was ten. At the age of thirteen Dorothy Kirby's victory at the 1933 Georgia Women's Amateur Championship made her the youngest female golfer to ever win a state... (a) |
239^ | Eileen Stulb Eileen Stulb Eileen Heffernan Stulb was an American amateur golfer.-Personal:Stulb was born in Augusta, Georgia to Marion C. Stulb and Eileen Anna Heffernan Stulb. She died in Augusta, Georgia.-Golfing career:... (a) |
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1941 | Dorothy Kirby Dorothy Kirby Mary Dorothy Kirby was an American golf champion and sportscaster.Born in West Point, Georgia, her family moved to Atlanta when she was ten. At the age of thirteen Dorothy Kirby's victory at the 1933 Georgia Women's Amateur Championship made her the youngest female golfer to ever win a state... (a) |
224^ | Helen Sigel | ||||
1940 | Helen Hicks Helen Hicks Helen L. Hicks was an American professional golfer and one of 13 founders of the LPGA in 1950.Hicks was born in Cedarhurst, New York. She had a successful amateur career, reaching the finals of the U.S. Women's Amateur twice. She beat Glenna Collett Vare in 1931 and lost to Virginia Van Wie in 1933... (a) |
336 | Helen Dettweiler Helen Dettweiler Helen Dettweiler was an American professional golfer. She won the Women's Western Open in 1939.She was one of the 13 founders of the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 1950.-Wins :-References:... |
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1939 | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... (a) |
319 | Dorothy Kirby Dorothy Kirby Mary Dorothy Kirby was an American golf champion and sportscaster.Born in West Point, Georgia, her family moved to Atlanta when she was ten. At the age of thirteen Dorothy Kirby's victory at the 1933 Georgia Women's Amateur Championship made her the youngest female golfer to ever win a state... (a) |
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1938 | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... (a) |
311 | Jane Cothran (a) | ||||
1937 | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... (a) |
240^ | Dorothy Kirby Dorothy Kirby Mary Dorothy Kirby was an American golf champion and sportscaster.Born in West Point, Georgia, her family moved to Atlanta when she was ten. At the age of thirteen Dorothy Kirby's victory at the 1933 Georgia Women's Amateur Championship made her the youngest female golfer to ever win a state... (a) |
(a) - denotes amateur
PO - won in playoff
^ - 54 holes
Multiple winners
This table lists the golfers who have won more than one Titleholders Championship.Deceased golfer † |
Grand Slam Grand Slam (golf) The Grand Slam in golf is winning all the golf's major championships in the same calendar year.-The Men's Grand Slam:The Grand Slam in men's golf is an unofficial concept, having changed over time. In the modern era, The Grand Slam is generally considered to be winning all four of golf's major... winners ‡ |
Deceased Grand Slam winners ∞ |
Country | Golfer | Total | Years |
---|---|---|---|
Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... † |
7 | 1937, 1938, 1939, 1948, 1953, 1955, 1957 | |
Louise Suggs Louise Suggs Mae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager... ‡ |
4 | 1946, 1954, 1956, 1959 | |
Babe Zaharias Babe Zaharias Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias was an American athlete who achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball, and track and field... † |
3 | 1947, 1950, 1952 | |
Dorothy Kirby Dorothy Kirby Mary Dorothy Kirby was an American golf champion and sportscaster.Born in West Point, Georgia, her family moved to Atlanta when she was ten. At the age of thirteen Dorothy Kirby's victory at the 1933 Georgia Women's Amateur Championship made her the youngest female golfer to ever win a state... † |
2 | 1941, 1942 | |
Mickey Wright Mickey Wright Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:... ‡ |
2 | 1961, 1962 | |
Marilynn Smith Marilynn Smith Marilynn Smith is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA.Smith was born in Topeka, Kansas. She attended the University of Kansas and joined the LPGA Tour in its inaugural 1950 season. She won 21 events on the tour between 1954 and 1972, including two... |
2 | 1963, 1964 | |
Kathy Whitworth Kathy Whitworth Kathy Whitworth is an American professional golfer. Throughout her playing career she won 88 LPGA Tour tournaments, more than anyone else has won on either the LPGA Tour or the PGA Tour. In 1981 she became the first woman to reach career earnings of $1 million on the LPGA Tour... |
2 | 1965, 1966 |
Winners by nationality
This table lists the total number of titles won by golfers of each nationality as a major.Nationality | Number of wins |
---|---|
27 | |
1 |