History - LPGA
In 1944, Hope Seignious, Betty Hicks and
Ellen Griffin founded and incorporated the Women'sProfessional Golf
Association (WPGA). At that time, the newly formed WPGA was struggling
untilWilson Sporting Goods came to the rescue in 1948. In addition,
marketing director Fred Corcoranwas brought in to help keep women's golf
in the public eye.THE 1950'S
The LPGA Tour is founded in 1950 and
chartered in 1951. A handful of pioneering womenmake the fledgling LPGA
Tour their "labor of love" by administering the tournaments
whilecompeting in them at the same time for little or sometimes no
financial reward.
* Patty Berg is elected the LPGA's first
president, and she is later succeeded in that role byLouise Suggs.
* By 1952, the LPGA boasts a schedule of
21 events -- nearly three times the number oftournaments held just two
years before.
* LPGA Founder, Charter, and Hall of
Fame member Betty Jameson donates the Vare Trophy to the LPGA Tour in
1952 in honor of women's amateur great Glenna Collett Vare. The Vare
Trophy recognizes the player with the lowest scoring average at the end
of each season.
* The players of that early era greatly
contribute to the success of the LPGA. Babe Zaharias,Peggy Kirk, Patty
Berg, Louise Suggs, Marilynn Smith and Betsy Rawls add the
individualflare needed to escalate interest in the LPGA.
* The LPGA Teaching Division, renamed
the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional (T&CP) Division in 1992, is
founded in 1959.
* The LPGA Tour prize money reaches
$200,000 in 1959.
THE 1960'S
The young LPGA begins to find its feet
as women in sport gradually gain more acceptance. Thenumbers of
tournaments and prize money are still scarce, but golf industry
manufacturers step tothe fore to help with the continued establishment
of an organized Tour for women golf professionals. The LPGA's first
television coverage gives this growth a healthy boost in 1963.
* Mickey Wright joins the LPGA in the
early 1960's and her outstanding accomplishmentsgained the attention of
the media, which helped the Tour prosper even more.
* The 1960's see LPGA Hall of Fame
member Kathy Whitworth win 53 of her now 88 LPGA titles. This is when
the foundation of her title as the winningest professional golfer of all
time begins.
* The LPGA receives its first television
coverage in 1963 during the final round of the U.S.Women's Open
Championship. The first tournament to have national television coverage
ofall four rounds was the 1982 Nabisco Dinah Shore.
* By the end of the 1960's, prize money
has grown to $600,000 and the schedule offers 34events.
* In the 1960's, the LPGA Hall of Fame
is established, with existing Women's Golf Hall of Famemembers Patty
Berg, Betty Jameson, Louise Suggs and Babe Zaharias as its first
members.
THE 1970'S
A dramatic shift from a primarily
player-run organization to a modern business, marks a pivotaltime for
women's professional golf. The LPGA survives this make-or-break
transition by hiring itsfirst Commissioner in 1975. The LPGA offices
moved from Georgia to New York City, and bigbusiness backed by
international corporate support springboards the LPGA into its next
period ofgrowth.
* Ray Volpe is hired as the LPGA's first
Commissioner on July 8, 1975. As Commissioner, Volpe moves the LPGA
headquarters from Atlanta to New York, creates a Board of Directors and
appoints a player council.
* Judy Rankin becomes the first-ever
LPGA player to win over $100,000 in a season in 1976.
* Nancy Lopez takes the LPGA by storm
and sets a new record in 1978 by winning nine tournaments, including
another record five in a row.
* JoAnne Carner begins her dominance as
"Big Momma" by winning 23 of her 43 career wins in the 1970's.
* Jan Stephenson and Amy Alcott join the
ranks of the LPGA and enhance the new-age style and character of women's
golf with their winning performances and effervescent personalities.
* Annual LPGA Tour prize money reaches
$4.4 million in 1979.
* During Volpe's tenure, purses increase
from $1.5 million to $6.4 million.
THE 1980's
An influx of new young stars result from
the influence of Title IX legislation and the sophisticationof women's
sports programs in college and high schools. Such is the impact of the
growingnumbers of young women turning to Tour golf as a profession that
the implementation of an all-exempt qualifying system is required. Prize
money and exposure continue their steady climb ascorporate America
begins to shift its focus towards women's golf.
* The first non-team sport retirement
system is approved in 1981 and is initially funded with$400,000 of the
LPGA's finances.
* In the 1980's, players of the caliber
of Beth Daniel, Betsy King and Patty Sheehan begin tomake their presence
known as they challenge veteran stars for dominance of the Tour.
* In 1981, Kathy Whitworth becomes the
first LPGA player to cross $1 million mark in careerearnings.
* John D. Laupheimer succeeds Volpe in
April, 1982. Under Laupheimer's guidance, purses escalate from $6.4
million to $14 million, television coverage increases and the LPGA moves
its headquarters to Sugar Land, Texas. After six years as Commissioner,
Laupheimer resigns in July, 1988.
* Pat Bradley records a phenomenal 1986
season by winning five titles, including three of thefour major
championships, the Rolex Player of the Year Award and the Vare Trophy
forscoring average.
* William A. Blue is chosen as
Laupheimer's successor in November, 1988. Blue moves the national
headquarters of the LPGA from Sugar Land, Texas, to Daytona Beach,
Florida.
* In 1989, the LPGA makes a commitment
to kids with the foundation of the LPGA Urban Youth Golf Program and the
LPGA Girls Golf Club.
* Annual LPGA Tour prize money reaches
$14 million in 1989.
THE 1990'S
Women's professional golf continues to
break through new barriers as it evolves towards themillennium. The
prosperity of the high-profile, multi-million dollar LPGA Tour continues
to attractthe world's finest players to test their skills against the
best in women's golf - all contributing tothe global feel of the LPGA.
The wealth of youthful talent blends with the charisma of veteran
starsto provide unmatched entertainment value. Simultaneously, the LPGA
has continued to reach outbeyond its high profile stage to impact the
everyday lives of the core golfers, women and childrenwith dynamic grass
roots programs that make a real and lasting difference.
* In 1990, the LPGA Tour announces two
$1 million events, which are now the McDonald's LPGA Championship and
the Sprint Titleholder's Championship.
* After two years as Commissioner, Blue
is succeeded by Charles S. Mechem, Jr. in November, 1990. Mechem
officially serves as Commissioner from January, 1991 to December, 1995
and is instrumental in numerous positive advances for the future of
women's professional golf.
* The Solheim Cup, the first-ever Ryder
Cup-type event for women, is introduced in 1990 andbecomes the most
prestigious event in women's golf worldwide. In the three stagings of
theSolheim Cup, the United States stands 2-1 over the Europeans.
* Beth Daniel breaks new performance
barriers by winning seven titles in 1990 and over$1 million in a
12-month period.
* Pat Bradley, Patty Sheehan and Betsy
King are inducted into the LPGA's Hall of Fame as itsnewest inductees,
and discussions continue on the difficulty of entry.
* The LPGA Foundation is established in
1991 as a charitable organization that benefits youthgolf and
scholarships, a catastrophic illness fund for members, and the
development of the LPGA Hall of Fame.
* The first-ever Women in Golf Summit is
held in 1991. The focus is on defining the issues inwomen's golf. It is
so successful that there are two additional Women in Golf Summits:
1993and 1995.
* The changing role of women in business
makes a positive impact on the growth of the LPGA, and a number of
clinics and seminars for women is conceived.
* Purses grew from $18.4 million in 1991
to $25.3 million in 1996. The promotional partner and licensee family in
1996 totals 28.
* In 1992, the LPGA T&CP Division hires
its first full-time staff at LPGA headquarters.
* The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
Foundation is named the official national charity of the LPGA in 1992.
The LPGA becomes the first professional golf organization to partner
with an official national charity.
* From 1981 through 1995, the LPGA
raises over $78 million for charity. No other professional sport is
solely dedicated to fund raising.
* The Rees Jones-designed golf course at
LPGA INTERNATIONAL, home of the LPGA, opens in July, 1994 in Daytona
Beach.
* Jim Ritts is appointed as the LPGA
Commissioner-elect in June of 1995. In January, 1996, Ritts officially
begins his tenure as Commissioner of the LPGA.
* In 1996, the LPGA has five $1
million-plus events on its schedule and receives television coverage at
26 of the Tour's 38 events.
* Annual LPGA Tour prize money reaches
over $25 million in 1996.
From:
http://www.worldgolf.com/wglibrary/history/lpgahist.html
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