The first women’s Major was held at the Women’s Western Open in 1930. There have been different versions of the tournaments that are afforded Major status and, since 2014, we now have five – the Chevron Championship, US Women’s Open, Women’s PGA Championship, the Evian Championship and the Women’s Open.
There have been many name changes but the US Women’s Open remains the grandest of the five and, like the men’s game, three are held in the United States.
PATTY BERG (15)
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Patty Berg may never be beaten having chalked up 15 Majors from a total of 63 professional wins. Interestingly her first three came while the American was still an amateur, one was by an incredible 14 strokes, before a career-threatening car accident took place in 1941.
But she would serve in the Marine Corps during World War 2 before returning to golf in 1943. Berg would capture the inaugural US Women’s Open, the only time it was held as a matchplay event, but that would be her only success in the championship. Bizarrely in the next 13 stagings of what is now the biggest Major, her lowest finish would be 12th but there were no more successes.
Titleholders Championship: 7 (1937, 1938, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1953)
US Women’s Open: 1 (1946)
Western Open: 7 (1941, 1943, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1957, 1958)
MICKEY WRIGHT (13)
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From 1959-68 Mickey Wright captured 79 of her 82 victories, averaging 7.9 victories per year. Wright has many claims to fame but maybe her greatest is that she is the only female player to have held all four Majors at the same time. No player has won more LPGA Championships and only Betsy Rawls can match her four US Open wins. Wright would actually retire from full-time golf at just 34 due to problems with her feet. Both Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson said Wright had the best swing that they had ever seen.
US Women’s Open: 4 (1958, 1959, 1961, 1964)
Women’s PGA Championship: 4 (1958, 1960, 1961, 1963)
Titleholders Championship: 2 (1961, 1962)
Western Open: 3 (1962, 1963, 1966)
LOUISE SUGGS (11)
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Louise Suggs would also win her first three Majors while still an amateur. The American would be one of the co-founders of the LPGA in 1950 and she would be a potent force in the women’s game as she picked up a huge 61 wins on…
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