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 1930 * 6 & 5 * Acacia CC Indian Head Park, Illinois 1931 * 3 & 2 * Midlothian CC Midlothian, Illinois 1932 * 5 & 4 * Ozaukee CC Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1933 * 3 & 2 * Olympia Fields CC Olympia Fields, Illinois 1934 * 9 & 7 * Portland G&CC Portland, Oregon 1935 * 9 & 7 * Sunset Ridge CC Chicago, Illinois 1936 * 3 & 2 * Topeka CC Topeka, Kansas 1937 6 & 5 * Beverly CC Chicago, Illinois 1938 * 6 & 4 Broadmoor GC Colorado Springs, Colorado 1939 * 4 & 3 * Westwood CC St. Louis, Missouri 1940 * 5 & 4 Blue Mound G&CC Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 1941 7 & 6 Cincinnati CC Cincinnati, Ohio 1942 * 9 & 7 Elmhurst CC Chicago, Illinois 1943 1 up * Glen Oak CC Glen Ellyn, Illinois 1944 * 7 & 5 * Park Ridge Chicago, Illinois 1945 * 4 & 2 * Highland G&CC Indianapolis, Indiana 1946 * 2 up Wakoda Club Des Moines, Iowa 1947 * 4 & 2 * Capital City Club Atlanta, Georgia 1948 37 holes Skycrest CC Chicago, Illinois 1949 5 & 4 Oklahoma City CC Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1950 5 & 3 Cherry Hills CC Denver, Colorado 1951 2 up * Whitemarsh Valley CC Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1952 1 up Skokie CC Chicago, Illinois 1953 6 & 5 Capital City Club Atlanta, Georgia 1954 6 & 5 Glen Flora CC Waukegan, Illinois
Stroke play era YearChampionCourseLocationScoreTo parNotes1955Maple Bluff CCMadison, Wisconsin292 LPGA Tournament Chronology - 1950-59 1956Wakonda CCDes Moines, Iowa3041957Montgomery CCMontgomery, Alabama2911958Kahkwa CCErie, Pennsylvania2931959Ranier G&CCSeattle, Washington2931960 †Beverly CCChicago, Illinois301LPGA Tournament Chronology - 1960-69 1961Belle Meade CCNashville, Tennessee2901962 †Montgomery CCMontgomery, Alabama2951963Maple Bluff CCMadison, Wisconsin2921964Scenic Hills CCPensacola, Florida3081965Beverly CCChicago, Illinois2901966Rainbow Springs CCMukwonago, Wisconsin3021967Pekin CCPekin, Illinois289
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 ‡ CountryGolferTotalYears Patty Berg71941, 1943, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1957, 1958 Babe Zaharias41940 (a), 1944 (a), 1945 (a), 1950 Louise Suggs ‡41946 (a), 1947 (a), 1949, 1953 Mickey Wright ‡31962, 1963, 1966 June Beebe (a)21931, 1933 Opal Hill (a)21935, 1936 Betty Jameson21942 (a), 1954 Betsy Rawls21952, 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 38 20 1930 1967
Notes Joyce Ziske won in a sudden death playoff over Barbara Romack on the second hole with a par-5 to Romack's bogey 6. 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.
See also Chronological list of LPGA major golf champions List of LPGA major championship winning golfers Grand Slam (golf)
References
External links LPGA Tour Grand Slam History