Jan Lynn Stephenson (born 22 December 1951) is an Australian professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1974 and won three major championships and 16 LPGA Tour events. She has 41 worldwide victories including (10) LPGA Legends Tour wins and 8 worldwide major championships. She has 15 holes-in-one with nine in competition. She was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame, class of 2019.
Early life and amateur career Stephenson was born on 22 December 1951 in Sydney. While a teenager, she won five consecutive New South Wales Schoolgirl Championships in Australia, beginning in 1964, and followed that up with three straight wins in the New South Wales Junior Championship.
Professional career
In 1973, Stephenson turned professional. She won the Wills Australian Ladies Open that year. She joined the LPGA Tour in 1974 and was named LPGA Rookie of the Year.
Stephenson's first LPGA victory was the 1976 Sarah Coventry Naples Classic. Her most productive period was the early 1980s, when she won all of her majors in consecutive years: 1981 Peter Jackson Classic, the 1982 LPGA Championship and the 1983 U.S. Women's Open.
Stephenson was one of the first LPGA stars to openly embrace and champion a sex-sells approach to marketing. Stephenson became as famous for her sex appeal as her golf during the early to mid-1980s, when she posed in a bathtub – covered up only by the golf balls filling the tub – and later in a pinup calendar. She urged the LPGA Tour to fully embrace her approach to marketing.
On the golf course, Stephenson won three times each in 1981, 1983 and 1987, those wins in 1987 being her final ones on the LPGA. Stephenson continued playing LPGA events throughout the 1990s, but was hampered by an injury incurred during a mugging in Miami in 1990. Her left ring finger was broken in two places, an injury that still bothers her play in cold or wet weather.
Stephenson went on to win on the Women's Senior Golf Tour, a tour she helped found. In 2003, she became the first woman to play on the Champions Tour at the Turtle Bay Championship, where she finished in last place. Stephenson is among the few women in the course design business, and produced an exercise video for people with arthritis. Her many charitable efforts include being an honorary chairman of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Stephenson is an Ambassador for blind and disabled golf through ISPS Handa and has acquired Tarpon Woods Golf Club in Palm Harbor through her Foundation (Jan Stephenson's Crossroads Foundation) www.jscrossroads.com. The golf course provides initiatives for blind/disabled and wounded veterans and first responders. Her mission is, "Giving to Those that have Given so Much". She has been recognised for her philanthropic work by the Government of Australia and other charitable organisations. She was awarded recognition by the Military Order of the Purple Heart in October 2017 for her service to combat wounded/disabled/blind veterans and first responders. Her Foundation was awarded the Charity of the Year by the Palm Harbor Chamber of Commerce in September 2018.
Controversy Stephenson made a controversial remark in 2003 when she said "Asians are killing the (LPGA) Tour", referring to the large number of Korean-born players who were winning on tour, and calling for quotas on international players – although she was also an international player she believed that the LPGA should focus on American players. She later apologised, saying that she "did not intend to make it a racial issue."
Personal life Stephenson was briefly married to Sydney business man Gilbert Thomas in her young adulthood.
She was a contestant in the 2011 season of Dancing with the Stars on Channel Seven.
Awards and honours In 1974, Stephenson earned LPGA Rookie of the Year honors. In 1985, she was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. In the 2018 Australia Day Honours, Stephenson was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) "for service to golf, and to not-for-profit organisations." In 2019, she was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Professional wins (27) LPGA Tour (16) LegendLPGA Tour major championships (3)Other LPGA Tour (13)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up18 Feb 1976Sarah Coventry Naples Classic +2 (73-69-76=218)1 stroke Sandra Haynie Judy Meister225 Apr 1976Birmingham Classic−13 (65-70-68=203)4 strokes Kathy Martin38 May 1978Women's International−5 (68-72-69-74=283)4 strokes Beth Daniel (a)42 Mar 1980Sun City Classic−13 (66-71-67-71=275)1 stroke M.J. Smith55 Jul 1981Peter Jackson Classic−10 (69-66-70-73=278)1 stroke Pat Bradley Nancy Lopez616 Aug 1981Mary Kay Classic−18 (65-69-64=198)11 strokes Sandra Haynie713 Sep 1981United Virginia Bank Classic−14 (66-71-68=205)3 strokes Janet Alex Sally Little813 Jun 1982LPGA Championship−9 (69-69-70-71=279)2 strokes JoAnne Carner920 Jun 1982Lady Keystone Open−5 (71-71-69=211)1 stroke Barbara Moxness Alexandra Reinhardt1027 Feb 1983Tucson Conquistadores LPGA Open−9 (72-68-67=207)5 strokes Amy Alcott1119 Jun 1983Lady Keystone Open−11 (69-67-69=205)1 stroke Pat Bradley1231 Jul 1983U.S. Women's Open +6 (72-73-71-74=290)1 stroke JoAnne Carner Patty Sheehan1324 Mar 1985GNA Classic +2 (70-73-72-75=290)1 stroke Amy Alcott Pat Bradley Barbara Moxness1419 Apr 1987Santa Barbara Open−1 (74-68-73=215)1 stroke Jane Geddes Ayako Okamoto1520 Sep 1987Safeco Classic−11 (68-70-71-68=277)1 stroke Nancy Lopez1627 Sep 1987Konica San Jose Classic−11 (69-71-65=205)5 strokes Amy Alcott
LPGA Tour playoff record (0–4) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11979Women's Kemper Open Donna Caponi JoAnne Carner Chako Higuchi Nancy LopezCarner won with par on second extra holeCaponi, Lopez, and Stephenson eliminated by par on first hole21981Inamori Classic Amy Alcott Donna Caponi Hollis StacyStacy won with birdie on first extra hole31986Mayflower Classic Christa Johnson Sandra PalmerPalmer won with birdie on first extra hole41999 Firstar LPGA Classic Becky Iverson Rosie JonesJones won with par on fourth extra holeStephenson eliminated by par on first hole
ALPG Tour (2) 1973 (1) Wills Australian Ladies Open 1977 (1) Wills Qantas Australian Ladies Open
Ladies European Tour (1) 1985 (1) Hennessy Cognac Ladies Cup
LPGA of Japan Tour (2) 1981 (1) World Ladies 1985 (1) Nichirei Ladies Cup
Legends Tour (4) 2000 HyVee Classic 2005 BJ's Charity Championship (with Cindy Rarick; tie with Pat Bradley and Patty Sheehan) 2007 Handa Australia Cup 2021 BJ's Charity Championship (with Laura Diaz)
Other (2) 1983 JCPenney Mixed Team Classic (with Fred Couples) 1990 JCPenney/LPGA Skins Game
Major championships
Wins (3) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner(s)-up 1981 Peter Jackson Classic −10 (69-66-70-73=278)1 stroke Pat Bradley, Nancy Lopez-Melton 1982 LPGA Championship −9 (69-69-70-71=279)2 strokes JoAnne Carner 1983 U.S. Women's Open +6 (72-73-71-74=290)1 stroke JoAnne Carner, Patty Sheehan
Team appearances Amateur Tasman Cup (representing Australia): 1970 (winners)
Professional Handa Cup (representing World team): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 (tie), 2013 (winners), 2015
See also List of golfers with most LPGA Tour wins List of golfers with most LPGA major championship wins
References
External links