Influencers in women's golf

The field of women’s golf has been a complex, exciting, ever-changing game, with hundreds of excellent players making a name for themselves out on the fairway. Out of these hundreds of players some have truly stood out as being exceptional, earning reputations that have lasted throughout the years. Here, we highlight five major influencers in the world of women’s golf.

Lydia Ko

Lydia Ko is a relative newcomer to the world of women’s golf, but she has already made her mark. When Ko was just 17 years and 9 months old she was ranked No. 1 in the women’s rankings, making her the youngest player of either sex to be ranked No. 1 in professional golf. Ko had been ranked as the top female amateur in the world for 130 weeks, before turning professional and starting her string of pro career wins. She became the youngest person to win a professional golf tour event, as well as the youngest ever winner of an LPGA tour event.

Her influence has been recognised throughout the world, with Ko being listed in  TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people list. In November 2015 Lydia Ko became the youngest ever winner of the LPGA Player of the Year Award.

Betty Jameson

Betty Jameson was an American professional golfer way back when. Jameson was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA in 1950, having started playing golf at the age of 11. She was the first female golfer to score under 300 in a 72-hole tournament, which she did at the US Women’s Open - an event which she won. In total, she won three major championships and thirteen events during her prolific career, 12 of those as a professional.

Betty Jameson was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame of Women’s Golf in 1951, as well as the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame and the World Golf Hall of Fame. Later, in 1999, she was inducted into the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Hall of Fame.

Lorena Ochoa

Lorena Ochoa is widely regarded as the best Mexican golfer and the best Latin American golfer of all time, thanks to her stellar record. Ochoa was the top ranked female golfer in the world for over three years, earning a reputation as a birdie machine thanks to her record number of birdies in an LPGA year during 2004. Lorena Ochoa was responsible for ending Annika Sorenstam’s 5-year run at the top of the money list back in 2006 when she won six times, also earning Player of the Year honors.

Ochoa announced her retirement in 2010, having won three money titles, four scoring titles and four Player of the Year awards during her career.

Annika Sorenstam

Annika Sorenstam is widely regarded as one of the best female golfers of all time, and one of the most successful in history. Before her retirement in 2008 Sorenstam was the female golfer with the most wins to her name, totalling 72 official LPGA tournament wins, including 10 majors and 18 other tournaments internationally. She also won eight Player of the Year awards, a record, and holds the title of the only female golfer to shoot a 59 in competition.

Sorenstam played in one of the most competitive fields in history, and broke a number of different records. Check out any number of women’s golfer charts and you’ll often find Annika Sorenstam holding first place.

Kathy Whitworth

Kathy Whitworth was a force to be reckoned with in the golfing world, winning 88 LPGA Tour tournaments during her career - more than any other person, male or female, has won on either the LPGA or PGA tour. Whitworth became a professional player at the age of 19, joining the LPGA in 1958. She won her first professional tournament in 1962, before being named LPGA player of the year seven times between 1965 and 1972.

In 1981 Whitworth became the first female golfer to reach career earnings of $1 million on the LPGA Tour. She retired in 2005 after competing in a charity event on the Women’s Senior Golf Tour. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.