History of LPGA in Timeline

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is an American organization for female golfers, headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is primarily known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments featuring elite women professional golfers globally.

1944: Founding of the WPGA

In 1944, the Women's Professional Golf Association (WPGA) was founded by Ellen Griffin, Betty Hicks, and Hope Seignious.

1948: WPGA Tour Cessation

In 1948, the Women's Professional Golf Association (WPGA) stopped its limited tour.

December 1949: WPGA Operations Ceased

In December 1949, the Women's Professional Golf Association (WPGA) officially ceased operations.

1950: LPGA Founded

In 1950, the LPGA was founded at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wichita, Kansas, by 13 founders, including Patty Berg who served as its first president.

1951: LPGA Establishes Hall of Fame

In 1951, the LPGA established the Hall of Fame of Women's Golf with four charter members: Patty Berg, Betty Jameson, Louise Suggs, and Babe Zaharias.

1956: First LPGA Tournament Outside the U.S.

In 1956, the LPGA hosted its first tournament outside the United States at the Havana Open in Havana, Cuba.

1967: Hall of Fame Moved to Augusta, Georgia

In 1967, the Hall of Fame moved to its first physical premises in Augusta, Georgia, and was renamed the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame.

1968: Sandra Post Gains LPGA Tour Card

In 1968, Sandra Post of Canada became the first player living outside the United States to gain an LPGA tour card.

1968: PGA Tour Independence

In 1968, the PGA Tour became independent of the club and teaching professionals' organization, the Professional Golfers' Association of America (or PGA of America).

1978: Nancy Lopez Wins All Three Awards

In 1978, American golfer Nancy Lopez became the only player to win all three awards in the same season. Lopez was also the Tour's top money earner that season.

1988: Five Players with Three Titles

In 1988, Juli Inkster, Rosie Jones, Betsy King, Nancy Lopez, and Ayako Okamoto were the five players with three titles.

1998: Hall of Fame Merged into World Golf Hall of Fame

In 1998, the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame merged into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

2000: Non-Americans Win Major Championships

From 2000 through 2009, non-Americans won 31 of 40 major championships.

2001: Women's Senior Golf Tour Established

In 2001, Jane Blalock's JBC Marketing established the Women's Senior Golf Tour, now called the Legends Tour, for women professionals aged 45 and older. This tour is affiliated with the LPGA.

2006: LPGA Championship Qualification

From 2006, the LPGA schedule was divided into two halves, with 15 players from each half qualifying for the Championship based on their performance.

2006: LPGA Season-Ending Championship Established

In 2006, the LPGA established a season-ending championship tournament, known as the LPGA Playoffs at The ADT through 2008.

2008: Decline in LPGA Tournaments

In 2008, there were 34 official tournaments on the LPGA tour.

2008: LPGA Championship Qualification

Through 2008, the LPGA schedule was divided into two halves, with 15 players from each half qualifying for the Championship based on their performance.

2008: LPGA Playoffs at The ADT

Through the 2008 season, the LPGA season-ending championship tournament was known as the LPGA Playoffs at The ADT.

October 2009: Michael Whan Becomes LPGA Commissioner

In October 2009, Michael Whan became the eighth commissioner of the LPGA, succeeding Carolyn Bivens.

2009: Non-Americans Win Major Championships

From 2000 through 2009, non-Americans won 31 of 40 major championships.

2009: LPGA Tour Championship Field Increased

In 2009, the LPGA Tour Championship field was increased to 120 players, with entry open to all Tour members in the top 120 on the money list. The total purse was $1.5 million with $225,000 going to the winner.

2009: Diversity on the LPGA Tour

In 2009, there were 122 non-Americans from 27 countries on the LPGA tour, including 47 from South Korea, 14 from Sweden, 10 from Australia, eight from the United Kingdom, seven from Canada, five from Taiwan, and four from Japan.

2009: Decline in LPGA Tournaments

In 2009, there were 28 official tournaments on the LPGA tour.

2010: LPGA Rules Changed to Allow Transgender Competitors

In 2010, after a lawsuit filed by golfer Lana Lawless, the LPGA rules were changed to allow transgender competitors.

2010: LPGA Tour Championship Name

In 2010, the LPGA season-ending championship tournament was known as the LPGA Tour Championship.

2010: Decrease in LPGA Tour Prize Money

In 2010, the total official prize money on the LPGA Tour was $41.4 million, a decrease of over $6 million from 2009. There were 24 official tournaments in 2010, down from 28 in 2009 and 34 in 2008.

2011: Inaugural CME Group Titleholders Tournament

In 2011, the CME Group Titleholders, which resurrects the name of a former LPGA major championship (the Titleholders Championship), was first played.

2011: CME Group Titleholders

In 2011, the LPGA season-ending championship became the CME Group Titleholders, held in November.

2013: CME Group Titleholders Qualification

From 2011 to 2013, the field for the CME Group Titleholders was made up of three qualifiers from each official tour event during the season, specifically the top three finishers not previously qualified.

2013: Bobbi Lancaster Attempts to Play in Cactus Tour

In 2013, trans woman Bobbi Lancaster faced local scorn for attempting to play in Arizona's Cactus Tour in hopes of getting a spot for the LPGA Qualifying Tournament.

2014: Race to the CME Globe

After 2014, the field for the CME Group Tour Championship is determined by a season-long points race, the Race to the CME Globe.

2014: Last Time American Topped Money List

In 2014, Stacy Lewis was the last time an American player topped the money list.

2014: CME Group Tour Championship Name

Since 2014, the LPGA season-ending championship has been known as the CME Group Tour Championship.

2015: Lydia Ko wins Race to the CME Globe

In 2015, Lydia Ko won the Race to the CME Globe.

2016: Record-High Prize Money

By 2016, the number of tournaments had risen to 33 with a record-high total prize money in excess of $63 million on the LPGA Tour.

2016: Ariya Jutanugarn wins Race to the CME Globe

In 2016, Ariya Jutanugarn won the Race to the CME Globe.

2017: Top 12 Players Eligible for Bonus

In 2017, the top 12 players in the Race to the CME Globe were mathematically eligible to win a $1 million bonus in the CME Group Tour Championship.

2018: Top 72 Players Compete in CME Group Tour Championship

From 2014 to 2018, the top 72 players in the Race to the CME Globe competed in the CME Group Tour Championship, with the top 12 players mathematically eligible to win a $1 million bonus in 2017 and 2018.

2018: LPGA Acquires EWGA

In 2018, the LPGA acquired the Executive Women's Golf Association (EWGA), expanding its emphasis to include amateur golfers in the U.S. and North America and rebranded the organization as the LPGA Amateur Golf Association.

2019: Record-High Prize Money

In 2019, a new record was set with total prize money amounting to $70.5 million on the LPGA Tour.

2020: Last Time American Led Tour in Tournaments Won

In 2020, Danielle Kang was the last time an American led the tour in tournaments won.

2020: LPGA Tournaments Held Outside the United States

In 2020, fourteen LPGA tournaments were held outside of the United States, including seven events in Asia, four in Europe, two events in Australia, and one in Canada.

2023: Founders Elected to World Golf Hall of Fame

In 2023, the 13 founders of the LPGA were elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame as a group, though six had already been inducted individually.

December 2024: LPGA Publishes New Transgender Policy

In December 2024, the LPGA published a new policy stating that in order to compete as female in their tournaments, players must either be assigned female at birth, or have transitioned to female before undergoing male puberty.

2024: CME Group Tour Championship Name

As of 2024, the LPGA season-ending championship is known as the CME Group Tour Championship.

2024: Top-10 Career Money Leaders

As of the 2024 season, this is a table of the top-10 career money leaders on the LPGA Tour (from the start of their rookie seasons).

2025: LPGA New Transgender Policy Goes into Effect

In 2025, the LPGA's new policy regarding transgender players will go into effect. To compete as female in their tournaments, players must either be assigned female at birth, or have transitioned to female before undergoing male puberty.