List of Women's Western Open champions

The Women's Western Open was an annual golf competition, which was played in match play between 1930 and 1954, and strokeplay between 1955 and 1967. It was established in 1930 and was a women's major championship that was organized by the Women's Western Golf Association. This event has the distinction of being the first women's major championship ever played.

Patty Berg holds the record for the most victories with seven, which is the overall record of the combined eras of match and stroke play. During match play competition Berg, Louise Suggs, and Babe Zaharias holds the record for most victories with four. In the stroke play era, Berg and Mickey Wright holds the record for most victories with three. The most consecutive in the combined eras is two and was done by the following golfers: Berg, Suggs, Zaharias, Opal Hill and Wright. Berg and Betsy Rawls are the only two golfers to win the competition in match play and stroke play eras. In the match play era, 9&8 was the largest margin of victory by Marian McDougall in 1934, Hill in 1935, and Betty Jameson in 1942. During the stroke play era, Kathy Whitworth holds the record for lowest under-par at 11 in 1967 and the aggregate low of 289,

Key
† Tournament won in a playoff
* Tournament won by an amateur, or had a runner-up who is an amateur

Champions

Note: All winners (and runners-up from the match play era) were from the United States.

Match play era
YearChampionMarginRunner-upCourseLocationNotes
1930Lucia Mida*6 & 5June Beebe*Acacia CCIndian Head Park, Illinois[1]
1931June Beebe*3 & 2Mrs. Melvin Jones*Midlothian CCMidlothian, Illinois[2]
1932Jane Weiller*5 & 4June Beebe*Ozaukee CCMilwaukee, Wisconsin[3]
1933June Beebe*3 & 2Jane Weiller*Olympia Fields CCOlympia Fields, Illinois[4]
1934Marian McDougall*9 & 7Mrs. Guy Riegel*Portland G&CCPortland, Oregon[5][6]
1935Opal Hill*9 & 7Mrs. S.L. Reinhart*Sunset Ridge CCChicago, Illinois[7]
1936Opal Hill*3 & 2Mrs. Charles Dennehy*Topeka CCTopeka, Kansas[8][9]
1937Helen Hicks6 & 5Bea Barrett*Beverly CCChicago, Illinois[10]
1938Bea Barrett*6 & 4Helen HofmannBroadmoor GCColorado Springs, Colorado[11][12]
1939Helen Dettweiler*4 & 3Bea Barrett*Westwood CCSt. Louis, Missouri[13]
1940Babe Zaharias*5 & 4Mrs. Russell MannBlue Mound G&CCWauwatosa, Wisconsin[14]
1941Patty Berg7 & 6Olga Strashun WeilCincinnati CCCincinnati, Ohio[15]
1942Betty Jameson*9 & 7Phyllis OttoElmhurst CCChicago, Illinois[16]
1943Patty Berg1 upDorothy Kirby*Glen Oak CCGlen Ellyn, Illinois[17][18]
1944Babe Zaharias*7 & 5Dorothy Germain*Park RidgeChicago, Illinois[19][20]
1945Babe Zaharias*4 & 2Dorothy Germain*Highland G&CCIndianapolis, Indiana[21]
1946Louise Suggs*2 upPatty BergWakoda ClubDes Moines, Iowa[22]
1947Louise Suggs*4 & 2Dorothy Kirby*Capital City ClubAtlanta, Georgia[23][24]
1948Patty Berg37 holesBabe ZahariasSkycrest CCChicago, Illinois[25]
1949Louise Suggs5 & 4Betty JamesonOklahoma City CCOklahoma City, Oklahoma[26]
1950Babe Zaharias5 & 3Peggy KirkCherry Hills CCDenver, Colorado[27][28]
1951Patty Berg2 upPat O'Sullivan*Whitemarsh Valley CCPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania[27][29][30]
1952Betsy Rawls1 upBetty JamesonSkokie CCChicago, Illinois[27][31]
1953Louise Suggs6 & 5Patty BergCapital City ClubAtlanta, Georgia[27][32]
1954Betty Jameson6 & 5Louise SuggsGlen Flora CCWaukegan, Illinois[27][33][34]

Stroke play era
Year Champion Course Location Score To par Notes
1955 Patty Berg Maple Bluff CC Madison, Wisconsin 292 E [27][35]
1956 Beverly Hanson Wakonda CC Des Moines, Iowa 304 E [27]
1957 Patty Berg Montgomery CC Montgomery, Alabama 291 −1 [27]
1958 Patty Berg Kahkwa CC Erie, Pennsylvania 293 +1 [27]
1959 Betsy Rawls Ranier G&CC Seattle, Washington 293 −1 [27]
1960 Joyce Ziske † Beverly CC Chicago, Illinois 301 +9 [36][a]
1961 Mary Lena Faulk Belle Meade CC Nashville, Tennessee 290 −10 [36]
1962 Mickey Wright † Montgomery CC Montgomery, Alabama 295 +7 [36][b]
1963 Mickey Wright Maple Bluff CC Madison, Wisconsin 292 −4 [36]
1964 Carol Mann Scenic Hills CC Pensacola, Florida 308 +8 [36]
1965 Susie Maxwell Beverly CC Chicago, Illinois 290 −2 [36]
1966 Mickey Wright Rainbow Springs CC Mukwonago, Wisconsin 302 +2 [36]
1967 Kathy Whitworth Pekin CC Pekin, Illinois 289 −11 [36]

Multiple winners

This table lists the golfers who have won more than one Women’s Western Open as a major championship. Bolded years and player name indicates consecutive victories. The (a) denotes amateur golfer.

Grand Slam winners ‡
Country Golfer Total Years
 United States Patty Berg 7 1941, 1943, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1957, 1958
 United States Babe Zaharias 4 1940 (a), 1944 (a), 1945 (a), 1950
 United States Louise Suggs ‡ 4 1946 (a), 1947 (a), 1949, 1953
 United States Mickey Wright ‡ 3 1962, 1963, 1966
 United States June Beebe (a) 2 1931, 1933
 United States Opal Hill (a) 2 1935, 1936
 United States Betty Jameson 2 1942 (a), 1954
 United States Betsy Rawls 2 1952, 1959

Winners by nationality

This table lists the total number of titles won by golfers of each nationality as a major.

RankNationalityWinsWinnersFirst titleLast title
1 United States382019301967

Notes
  • a Joyce Ziske won in a sudden death playoff over Barbara Romack on the second hole with a par-5 to Romack's bogey 6.[37]
  • b Mickey Wright won in a sudden death playoff over Mary Lena Faulk on the fourth hole with a par-3 to Faulk's bogey 4.[38]

See also

References
  1. Barry, Howard (July 19, 1930). "Mrs. Lee Mida Wins Western Open Golf Title". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. p. 12. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  2. "It's June in June". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. June 27, 1931. p. 21. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  3. "Miss Weiller Wins Western Open Golf". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. July 16, 1932. p. 9. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  4. Bartlett, Charles (July 1, 1933). "June Beebe Wins Golf Title; Beats Jane Weiller, 3 and 2". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. p. 21. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  5. "Women's Finals In Golf Today". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. October 13, 1934. p. 7. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  6. "Sport Tabloids - Portland". The Bend Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. October 8, 1934. p. 2. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  7. "Mrs. Hill Wins Western Open". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Spartanburg, South Carolina. Associated Press. June 30, 1935. p. 18. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  8. "Mrs. Hill Keeps Western Open Golf Championship". Reading Eagle. Reading, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. June 13, 1936. p. 14. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  9. "Mrs. Hill Takes Par Apart With 71 - Babe Trails". The Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 8, 1936. p. 6. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  10. "Helen Hicks Golf Winner". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. June 20, 1937. p. Sports-4. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  11. "Week End Sports in Briuef". The Day. New London, Connecticut. Associated Press. June 20, 1938. p. 10. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  12. "Barrett And Hoffman In Women's Finals". Eugene Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. Associated Press. June 18, 1938. p. 6. Retrieved January 9, 2011.
  13. "Dettweiler Wins Title". Miami Daily News. Miami, Florida. United Press. June 18, 1939. p. 4B. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  14. "Babe Zaharias Wins Western". Miami Daily News. Miami, Florida. Associated Press. July 1, 1940. p. 2B. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  15. "Patty Berg Captures Western Open Crown". The Palm Beach Post-Times. West Palm Beach, Florida. Associated Press. June 15, 1941. p. 11. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  16. "Texan Cops Western Open". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Spartanburg, South Carolina. Associated Press. June 28, 1942. p. 22. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  17. "Patty Berg Comes Back to Beat Dorothy Kirby". Milwaukee Journal. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Associated Press. July 2, 1943. p. 8. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  18. "Western Golf Open to Have Patriotic 'Motif'". The Montreal Gazette. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Associated Press. June 10, 1943. p. 18. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  19. "Mrs. Zaharias Wins Western Open Title". Milwaukee Journal. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. United Press. June 25, 1944. p. II-5. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  20. "Dorothy Germain and Babe Didriksen Zaharias In Showdown Battle For The Women's Western Open Championship". The Florence Times. Florence, Alabama. Associated Press. June 24, 1944. p. 5. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  21. "Babe Zaharias Sets Record; Keeps Title". Milwaukee Journal. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Associated Press. June 24, 1945. p. II-5. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  22. "Berg Upset By Suggs In Western". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 29, 1946. p. 21. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  23. "Women's National Links Meet Next". The Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 23, 1947. p. 13. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  24. "Favorites Show Way in Women's Golf at Atlanta". The Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 19, 1947. p. 20. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  25. "Berg Defeats Zaharias For Western Open Title". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 27, 1948. p. 22. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  26. "Suggs Whips Jameson In Women's Finals". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 26, 1949. p. 23. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  27. LPGA Tournament Chronology - 1950-59 Archived 2010-01-02 at the Wayback Machine
  28. "The Babe Wins Women's Western". The Palm Beach Post-Times. West Palm Beach, Florida. Associated Press. June 25, 1950. p. 17. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  29. "Berg Victor Over Irish Lass". Eugene Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. Associated Press. June 24, 1951. p. 14. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  30. "Patty Berg In Western Open Win". The Sunday Star. Wilmington, Delaware. United Press. June 24, 1951. p. 25. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  31. "Betsy Rawls Wins Open". Sunday Herald. Bridgeport, Connecticut. United Press. June 22, 1952. p. 33. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  32. "Louise Suggs Sweeps to Easy Victory in Western Open". The Victoria Advocate. Victoria, Texas. Associated Press. June 21, 1953. p. 14A. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  33. "Miss Jameson Wins Western Golf Crown". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. United Press. June 20, 1954. p. 3-3. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  34. "Louise Suggs, Berg Western Favorites". The Miami News. Miami, Florida. Associated Press. June 13, 1954. p. 9A. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  35. "Blazing Putting Gives Betsy Title". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. August 17, 1959. p. 10. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
  36. LPGA Tournament Chronology - 1960-69 Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine
  37. "Joyce Ziske Takes Golf In Playoff". The Montreal Gazette. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Associated Press. June 27, 1960. p. 21. Retrieved January 9, 2011.
  38. "Mickey Wright Western Winner". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 1962-05-14. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
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