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.

Women's Western Open
Tournament information
Locationvarious, U.S.
Established1930
Tour(s)LPGA Tour
FormatStroke play (1955–1967)
Match play (1930–1954)
Prize fund$10,000
Month playedAugust
Final year1967, 57 years ago
Final champion
United States Kathy Whitworth

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

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Stroke play era

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Year Winner Score Runner(s)-up Winner's
share ($)
Course Location Ref
1967 Kathy Whitworth 289 (−11)   Sandra Haynie 1,500 Pekin CC Pekin, Illinois [1][2]
1966 Mickey Wright (3) 302 (+2)   Margie Masters
  Jo Ann Prentice
1,500 Rainbow Springs CC Mukwonago, Wisconsin [1][3]
1965 Susie Maxwell 290 (−2)   Marlene Hagge 1,500 Beverly CC Chicago, Illinois [1]
1964 Carol Mann 308 (+8)   Ruth Jessen
  Judy Kimball-Simon
1,200 Scenic Hills CC Pensacola, Florida [1]
1963 Mickey Wright (2) 292 (E)   Kathy Whitworth 1,200 Maple Bluff CC Madison, Wisconsin [1]
1962 Mickey Wright 295 (+7)PO   Mary Lena Faulk 1,200 Montgomery CC Montgomery, Alabama [1]
1961 Mary Lena Faulk 290 (−10)   Betsy Rawls 1,313 Belle Meade CC Nashville, Tennessee [1]
1960 Joyce Ziske 301 (+9)PO   Barbara Romack 1,313 Beverly CC Chicago, Illinois [1][4]
1959 Betsy Rawls (2) 293 (+5)   JoAnne Gunderson (a)
  Patty Berg
1,313 Ranier G&CC Seattle, Washington [5][6]
1958 Patty Berg (7) 293 (+1)   Beverly Hanson   950 Kahkwa CC Erie, Pennsylvania [5]
1957 Patty Berg (6) 291 (−1)   Wiffi Smith 1,000 Montgomery CC Montgomery, Alabama [5]
1956 Beverly Hanson 304 (E)   Louise Suggs 1,000 Wakonda CC Des Moines, Iowa [5]
1955 Patty Berg (5) 292 (E)   Fay Crocker
  Louise Suggs
1,000 Maple Bluff CC Madison, Wisconsin [5]

Match play era

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Year Winner Score Runner-up Winner's
share ($)
Course Location Ref
1954 Betty Jameson (2) 6 & 5   Louise Suggs 1,000 Glen Flora CC Waukegan, Illinois [5][7][8]
1953 Louise Suggs (4) 6 & 5   Patty Berg 1,000 Capital City Club Atlanta, Georgia [5][9]
1952 Betsy Rawls 1 up   Betty Jameson 1,000 Skokie CC Chicago, Illinois [5][10]
1951 Patty Berg (4) 2 up   Pat O'Sullivan (a)    500 Whitemarsh Valley CC Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [5][11][12]
1950 Babe Zaharias (4) 5 & 3   Peggy Kirk    500 Cherry Hills CC Denver, Colorado [5][13]
1949 Louise Suggs (3) 5 & 4   Betty Jameson    500 Oklahoma City CC Oklahoma City, Oklahoma [14]
1948 Patty Berg (3) 37 holes   Babe Zaharias    500 Skycrest CC Chicago, Illinois [15]
1947 Louise Suggs (a) (2) 4 & 2   Dorothy Kirby (a) Capital City Club Atlanta, Georgia [16][17]
1946 Louise Suggs (a) 2 up   Patty Berg Wakonda Club Des Moines, Iowa [18]
1945 Babe Zaharias (a) (3) 4 & 2   Dorothy Germain (a) Highland G&CC Indianapolis, Indiana [19]
1944 Babe Zaharias (a) (2) 7 & 5   Dorothy Germain (a) Park Ridge Chicago, Illinois [20][21]
1943 Patty Berg (2) 1 up   Dorothy Kirby (a) Glen Oak CC Glen Ellyn, Illinois [22][23]
1942 Betty Jameson (a) 9 & 7   Phyllis Otto Elmhurst CC Chicago, Illinois [24]
1941 Patty Berg 7 & 6   Mrs. Burt Weil    100 Cincinnati CC Cincinnati, Ohio [25]
1940 Babe Zaharias (a) 5 & 4   Mrs. Russell Mann Blue Mound G&CC Wauwatosa, Wisconsin [26]
1939 Helen Dettweiler 4 & 3   Bea Barrett (a) Westwood CC St. Louis, Missouri [27]
1938 Bea Barrett (a) 6 & 4   Helen Hofmann Broadmoor GC Colorado Springs, Colorado [28][29]
1937 Helen Hicks 6 & 5   Bea Barrett (a) Beverly CC Chicago, Illinois [30]
1936 Opal Hill (a) (2) 3 & 2   Mrs. Charles Dennehy (a) Topeka CC Topeka, Kansas [31][32]
1935 Opal Hill (a) 9 & 7   Mrs. S.L. Reinhart (a) Sunset Ridge CC Chicago, Illinois [33]
1934 Marian McDougall (a) 9 & 7   Mrs. Guy Riegel (a) Portland G&CC Portland, Oregon [34][35]
1933 June Beebe (a) (2) 3 & 2   Jane Weiller (a) Olympia Fields CC Olympia Fields, Illinois [36]
1932 Jane Weiller (a) 5 & 4   June Beebe (a) Ozaukee CC Mequon, Wisconsin [37]
1931 June Beebe (a) 3 & 2   Mrs. Melvin Jones (a) Midlothian CC Midlothian, Illinois [38]
1930 Lucia Mida (a) 6 & 5   June Beebe (a) Acacia CC Indian Head Park, Illinois [39]

(a) - denotes amateur
PO - won in playoff

Multiple winners

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This table lists the golfers who have won more than one Women's Western Open as a major championship.

Deceased golfer †
Grand Slam winners ‡
Deceased Grand Slam winners ∞
Country Golfer Total Years
  United States Patty Berg 7 1941, 1943, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1957, 1958
  United States Babe Zaharias 4 1940, 1944, 1945, 1950
  United States Louise Suggs 4 1946, 1947, 1949, 1953
  United States Mickey Wright 3 1962, 1963, 1966
  United States June Beebe 2 1931, 1933
  United States Opal Hill 2 1935, 1936
  United States Betty Jameson 2 1942, 1954
  United States Betsy Rawls 2 1952, 1959

Winners by nationality

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All of the champions were from the United States.

Nationality Number
of wins
  United States 38

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h LPGA Tournament Chronology - 1960-69 Archived June 29, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Caddy helps Kathy win Western title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). 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. (Washington). Associated Press. June 27, 1960. p. 8.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j LPGA Tournament Chronology - 1950-59 Archived January 2, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Blazing Putting Gives Betsy Title". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). 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. (Texas). Associated Press. June 21, 1953. p. 14A.
  10. ^ "Betsy Rawls Wins Open". Sunday Herald. (Bridgeport, Connecticut). United Press. June 22, 1952. p. 33.
  11. ^ "Berg Victor Over Irish Lass". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 24, 1951. p. 14.
  12. ^ "Patty Berg In Western Open Win". The Sunday Star. (Wilmington, Delaware). United Press. June 24, 1951. p. 25.
  13. ^ "The Babe Wins Women's Western". The Palm Beach Post-Times. West Palm Beach, Florida. Associated Press. June 25, 1950. p. 17. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  14. ^ "Suggs Whips Jameson In Women's Finals". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 26, 1949. p. 23. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  15. ^ "Berg Defeats Zaharias For Western Open Title". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 27, 1948. p. 22. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  16. ^ "Women's National Links Meet Next". The Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 23, 1947. p. 13. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  17. ^ "Favorites Show Way in Women's Golf at Atlanta". The Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 19, 1947. p. 20. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  18. ^ "Berg Upset By Suggs In Western". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. June 29, 1946. p. 21. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  19. ^ "Babe Zaharias Sets Record; Keeps Title". Milwaukee Journal. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Associated Press. June 24, 1945. p. II-5. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  20. ^ "Mrs. Zaharias Wins Western Open Title". Milwaukee Journal. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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. Florence, Alabama. Associated Press. June 24, 1944. p. 5. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  22. ^ "Patty Berg Comes Back to Beat Dorothy Kirby". Milwaukee Journal. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Associated Press. July 2, 1943. p. 8. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  23. ^ "Western Golf Open to Have Patriotic 'Motif'". The Montreal Gazette. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Associated Press. June 10, 1943. p. 18. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  24. ^ "Texan Cops Western Open". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Spartanburg, South Carolina. Associated Press. June 28, 1942. p. 22. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  25. ^ "Patty Berg Captures Western Open Crown". The Palm Beach Post-Times. West Palm Beach, Florida. Associated Press. June 15, 1941. p. 11. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  26. ^ "Babe Zaharias Wins Western". Miami Daily News. Miami, Florida. Associated Press. July 1, 1940. p. 2B. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  27. ^ "Dettweiler Wins Title". Miami Daily News. Miami, Florida. United Press. June 18, 1939. p. 4B. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  28. ^ "Week End Sports in Briuef". The Day. New London, Connecticut. Associated Press. June 20, 1938. p. 10. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  29. ^ "Girl Golf Stars Meet Today For Western Crown". The Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. 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. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. June 20, 1937. p. Sports-4. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  31. ^ "Mrs. Hill Keeps Western Open Golf Championship". Reading Eagle. Reading, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. June 13, 1936. p. 14. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  32. ^ "Mrs. Hill Takes Par Apart With 71 - Babe Trails". The Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. 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. Spartanburg, South Carolina. Associated Press. June 30, 1935. p. 18. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  34. ^ "Women's Finals In Golf Today". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. October 13, 1934. p. 7. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  35. ^ "Sport Tabloids - Portland". The Bend Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. 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. Chicago, Illinois. p. 21. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  37. ^ "Miss Weiller Wins Western Open Golf". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. July 16, 1932. p. 9. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  38. ^ "It's June in June". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. 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. Chicago, Illinois. p. 12. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
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