Women's Western Open
Locationvarious, U.S.
Establishment1930
TourLPGA Tour
FormatStroke play (1955–1967)
Match play (1930–1954)
Purse$10,000
Month playedAugust
Final year1967,
Final championKathy Whitworth

The Women's Western Open was an American professional golf tournament founded in 1930. The LPGA was established in 1950, and it recognized the Western Open as one of its major championships through 1967. All of the events back to 1930 have been designated as majors by the LPGA.

Organized by the Women's Western Golf Association, the tournament was match play through 1954, then became a 72-hole stroke play event. All of the winners were American.

Winners

See also: List of Women's Western Open champions

Stroke play era

YearWinnerScoreRunner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)		CourseLocationRef
1967Kathy Whitworth289 (−11)Sandra Haynie1,500Pekin CCPekin, Illinois[1][2]
1966Mickey Wright (3)302 (+2)Margie Masters
Jo Ann Prentice		1,500Rainbow Springs CCMukwonago, Wisconsin[1][3]
1965Susie Maxwell290 (−2)Marlene Hagge1,500Beverly CCChicago, Illinois[1]
1964Carol Mann308 (+8)Ruth Jessen
Judy Kimball-Simon		1,200Scenic Hills CCPensacola, Florida[1]
1963Mickey Wright (2)292 (E)Kathy Whitworth1,200Maple Bluff CCMadison, Wisconsin[1]
1962Mickey Wright295 (+7)POMary Lena Faulk1,200Montgomery CCMontgomery, Alabama[1]
1961Mary Lena Faulk290 (−10)Betsy Rawls1,313Belle Meade CCNashville, Tennessee[1]
1960Joyce Ziske301 (+9)POBarbara Romack1,313Beverly CCChicago, Illinois[1][4]
1959Betsy Rawls (2)293 (+5)JoAnne Gunderson (a)
Patty Berg		1,313Ranier G&CCSeattle, Washington[5][6]
1958Patty Berg (7)293 (+1)Beverly Hanson  950Kahkwa CCErie, Pennsylvania[5]
1957Patty Berg (6)291 (−1)Wiffi Smith1,000Montgomery CCMontgomery, Alabama[5]
1956Beverly Hanson304 (E)Louise Suggs1,000Wakonda CCDes Moines, Iowa[5]
1955Patty Berg (5)292 (E)Fay Crocker
Louise Suggs		1,000Maple Bluff CCMadison, Wisconsin[5]

Match play era

YearWinnerScoreRunner-upWinner's
share ($)		CourseLocationRef
1954Betty Jameson (2)6 & 5Louise Suggs1,000Glen Flora CCWaukegan, Illinois[5][7][8]
1953Louise Suggs (4)6 & 5Patty Berg1,000Capital City ClubAtlanta, Georgia[5][9]
1952Betsy Rawls1 upBetty Jameson1,000Skokie CCChicago, Illinois[5][10]
1951Patty Berg (4)2 upPat O'Sullivan (a) 500Whitemarsh Valley CCPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania[5][11][12]
1950Babe Zaharias (4)5 & 3Peggy Kirk 500Cherry Hills CCDenver, Colorado[5][13]
1949Louise Suggs (3)5 & 4Betty Jameson 500Oklahoma City CCOklahoma City, Oklahoma[14]
1948Patty Berg (3)37 holesBabe Zaharias 500Skycrest CCChicago, Illinois[15]
1947Louise Suggs (a) (2)4 & 2Dorothy Kirby (a)Capital City ClubAtlanta, Georgia[16][17]
1946Louise Suggs (a)2 upPatty BergWakonda ClubDes Moines, Iowa[18]
1945Babe Zaharias (a) (3)4 & 2Dorothy Germain (a)Highland G&CCIndianapolis, Indiana[19]
1944Babe Zaharias (a) (2)7 & 5Dorothy Germain (a)Park RidgeChicago, Illinois[20][21]
1943Patty Berg (2)1 upDorothy Kirby (a)Glen Oak CCGlen Ellyn, Illinois[22][23]
1942Betty Jameson (a)9 & 7Phyllis OttoElmhurst CCChicago, Illinois[24]
1941Patty Berg7 & 6Olga Strashun Weil 100Cincinnati CCCincinnati, Ohio[25]
1940Babe Zaharias (a)5 & 4Mrs. Russell MannBlue Mound G&CCWauwatosa, Wisconsin[26]
1939Helen Dettweiler4 & 3Bea Barrett (a)Westwood CCSt. Louis, Missouri[27]
1938Bea Barrett (a)6 & 4Helen HofmannBroadmoor GCColorado Springs, Colorado[28][29]
1937Helen Hicks6 & 5Bea Barrett (a)Beverly CCChicago, Illinois[30]
1936Opal Hill (a) (2)3 & 2Virginia Dennehy (a)Topeka CCTopeka, Kansas[31][32]
1935Opal Hill (a)9 & 7Mrs. S.L. Reinhart (a)Sunset Ridge CCChicago, Illinois[33]
1934Marian McDougall (a)9 & 7Mrs. Guy Riegel (a)Portland G&CCPortland, Oregon[34][35]
1933June Beebe (a) (2)3 & 2Jane Weiller (a)Olympia Fields CCOlympia Fields, Illinois[36]
1932Jane Weiller (a)5 & 4June Beebe (a)Ozaukee CCMequon, Wisconsin[37]
1931June Beebe (a)3 & 2Mrs. Melvin Jones (a)Midlothian CCMidlothian, Illinois[38]
1930Lucia Mida (a)6 & 5June Beebe (a)Acacia CCIndian Head Park, Illinois[39]

(a) - denotes amateur
PO - won in playoff

Multiple winners

This table lists the golfers who have won more than one Women's Western Open as a major championship. Louise Suggs and Mickey Wright, by virtue of their multiple victories, became the first and second golfers to claim the women's Grand Slam.

CountryGolferTotalYears
Patty Berg71941, 1943, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1957, 1958
Babe Zaharias41940, 1944, 1945, 1950
Louise Suggs41946, 1947, 1949, 1953
Mickey Wright31962, 1963, 1966
June Beebe21931, 1933
Opal Hill21935, 1936
Betty Jameson21942, 1954
Betsy Rawls21952, 1959

Winners by nationality

All of the champions were from the United States.

NationalityNumber
of wins
38

See also

References

  1. ^ LPGA Tournament Chronology - 1960-69 Archived June 29, 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Caddy helps Kathy win Western title". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. August 21, 1967. p. 2B.
  3. ^ Sayrs, Hank (August 22, 1966). "Wright wins Western". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 2, part 2.
  4. ^ "Joyco Ziske golf champ". Ellensburg Daily Record. Associated Press. June 27, 1960. p. 8.
  5. ^ LPGA Tournament Chronology - 1950-59 Archived January 2, 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Blazing Putting Gives Betsy Title". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. August 17, 1959. p. 10. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
  7. ^ "Miss Jameson Wins Western Golf Crown". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. June 20, 1954. p. 3-3.
  8. ^ "Louise Suggs, Berg Western Favorites". The Miami News. Associated Press. June 13, 1954. p. 9A. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  9. ^ "Louise Suggs Sweeps to Easy Victory in Western Open". Victoria Advocate. Associated Press. June 21, 1953. p. 14A.
  10. ^ "Betsy Rawls Wins Open". Sunday Herald. United Press. June 22, 1952. p. 33.
  11. ^ "Berg Victor Over Irish Lass". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. June 24, 1951. p. 14.
  12. ^ "Patty Berg In Western Open Win". The Sunday Star. United Press. June 24, 1951. p. 25.
  13. ^ "The Babe Wins Women's Western". The Palm Beach Post-Times. Associated Press. June 25, 1950. p. 17. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  14. ^ "Suggs Whips Jameson In Women's Finals". St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. June 26, 1949. p. 23. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  15. ^ "Berg Defeats Zaharias For Western Open Title". St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. June 27, 1948. p. 22. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  16. ^ "Women's National Links Meet Next". The Evening Independent. Associated Press. June 23, 1947. p. 13. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  17. ^ "Favorites Show Way in Women's Golf at Atlanta". The Evening Independent. Associated Press. June 19, 1947. p. 20. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  18. ^ "Berg Upset By Suggs In Western". St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. June 29, 1946. p. 21. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  19. ^ "Babe Zaharias Sets Record; Keeps Title". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. June 24, 1945. p. II-5. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  20. ^ "Mrs. Zaharias Wins Western Open Title". Milwaukee Journal. United Press. June 25, 1944. p. II-5. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  21. ^ "Dorothy Germain and Babe Didriksen Zaharias In Showdown Battle For The Women's Western Open Championship". The Florence Times. Associated Press. June 24, 1944. p. 5. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  22. ^ "Patty Berg Comes Back to Beat Dorothy Kirby". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. July 2, 1943. p. 8. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  23. ^ "Western Golf Open to Have Patriotic 'Motif'". The Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. June 10, 1943. p. 18. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  24. ^ "Texan Cops Western Open". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Associated Press. June 28, 1942. p. 22. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
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  26. ^ "Babe Zaharias Wins Western". Miami Daily News. Associated Press. July 1, 1940. p. 2B. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  27. ^ "Dettweiler Wins Title". Miami Daily News. United Press. June 18, 1939. p. 4B. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  28. ^ "Week End Sports in Briuef". The Day. Associated Press. June 20, 1938. p. 10. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  29. ^ "Girl Golf Stars Meet Today For Western Crown". The Evening Independent. Associated Press. June 18, 1968. p. 8. Archived from the original on November 22, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  30. ^ "Helen Hicks Golf Winner". The Pittsburgh Press. June 20, 1937. p. Sports-4. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  31. ^ "Mrs. Hill Keeps Western Open Golf Championship". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. June 13, 1936. p. 14. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  32. ^ "Mrs. Hill Takes Par Apart With 71 - Babe Trails". The Evening Independent. Associated Press. June 8, 1936. p. 6. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  33. ^ "Mrs. Hill Wins Western Open". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Associated Press. June 30, 1935. p. 18. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  34. ^ "Women's Finals In Golf Today". The Pittsburgh Press. October 13, 1934. p. 7. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  35. ^ "Sport Tabloids - Portland". The Bend Bulletin. October 8, 1934. p. 2. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  36. ^ Bartlett, Charles (July 1, 1933). "June Beebe Wins Golf Title; Beats Jane Weiller, 3 and 2". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 21. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  37. ^ "Miss Weiller Wins Western Open Golf". The Pittsburgh Press. July 16, 1932. p. 9. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  38. ^ "It's June in June". Chicago Daily Tribune. June 27, 1931. p. 21. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  39. ^ Barry, Howard (July 19, 1930). "Mrs. Lee Mida Wins Western Open Golf Title". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 12. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2010.