Inducted to the Hall of Fame LPGA in 1975, Kathy Whitworth holds the record for tournament wins (88). That is more than any other professional golfer in history, male or female.

Kathy started golf at the age of 15 and captured the New Mexico State Amateur title two years in a row (1957-58) before turning pro in December of 1958. Although Kathy joined the LPGA tour in 1958 she did not win her first tournament until 1962 at the Kelly Girl Open. This win seemed to open the floodgates. In 1965 she won 8 tournaments, in 1966 nine, in 1967 eight and in 1968 ten.

Winning her 30th career LPGA title at the Raleigh Ladies Invitational at the age of 27 years, 6 months and 27 days makes her the second-youngest player to reach the 30-win milestone.
In 1970 she won the Orange Blossom Classic for the third year in a row. In 1975 she became the seventh member of the LPGA Hall of Fame. What makes this a more interesting fact is that Kathy is also a seven-time winner of the LPGA Player of the Year and a seven-time winner of the Vare Trophy. Not only is she a LPGA Hall of Fame inductee she is also an inductee of the World Golf Halls of Fame, New Mexico Hall of Fame, Texas Sports and Golf Hall of Fame and the Women’s Sports Foundation Hall of Fame.

In 1981 she became the first player in the history of the LPGA to surpass the $1 million mark in career earnings. In 2005, after competing in the BJ’s Charity Classic, she officially retired from competitive golf.
 

Julieta Granda is a millionaire, becoming the LPGA winner of the first $1 million dollar prize in women’s golf. Not bad for a rookie.

She first started playing golf at the age of 4. She later moved to Florida to get professional schooling at the David Ledbetter Golf Academy for her golf game.

Julieta was a member of the Canon Cup Team in 2002 and 2003. 

From 2001 to 2004 she was named to the AJGA All-American Team. In 2004 she was named the Athlete of the Year in Paraguay, as well as being the individual champion at the 2004 World Amateur Team Championship. Adding to her accomplishments in 2004 Julieta was named the 2004 American Junior Golf Association Rolex Player of the Year.
In June of 2005 Julieta turned professional. Julieta was disappointed at herself for finishing second in her professional debut at the Futures Tour Tournament. In August of 2005 she won the YWCA Futures Classic. A statement to many that she had finally done what she set out to do, win. Julieta also tied for sixth place at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament Presented by American Airlines to earn exempt status for the 2006 LPGA Tour and begin her official Rookie year.

Thus far in 2006 she has 30 starts, 7 top 10 finishes and 1 victory. That one victory at the ADT Championship at Trump International made her 2006 earnings $1,633,586, making money no longer a worry. Julieta and her mother can now ditch the bikes and once again rent cars for more than just tournaments. 

Having 20 starts, 3 victories, 16 top 10 finishes, and earning of $1,971,741, 2006 was quite a year for [tag-tec]Annika Sorenstam[/tag-tec].

She first played golf at the age of 12. She was a member of the Swedish National Team from 1987 to 1992. In 1992 she was the World Amateur champion and runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.

In 1993 Annika competed in 3 [tag-tec]LPGA[/tag-tec] events before joining the Tour and earning more than $47,000. In 1994 she was the Rolex Rookie of the Year with three top-10 finishes. In 1996 she won three tournaments, defended her titles at the U.S. Women’s Open and Samsung World Championship and crossed the $1million mark in career earnings. In 1997 she captured six titles- the Chrysler-Plymouth Tournament of Champions, Cup Noodles Hawaiian Ladies Open, Longs Drug Challenge, Michelob Light Classic, CoreStates Betsy King Classic, and the ITT LPGA Tour Championship. She also crossed the $2 million mark in career earnings in 1997. In 1998 she crossed the $3 million mark and won her third Rolex Player of Year and third Vare Trophy. In 1999 she crossed the $4 million mark and in the 90’s won more LPGA tournaments than any other Tour player (18).

Since 2000 she has continued to win and sometimes dominate. She has won over $18 million in career earnings, won eight Rolex Player of the Year awards, and in 2005 won her sixth Vare Trophy. Not only can she play golf she can represent golf with names such as Callaway Golf, Lexus, Oakley, Cutter & Bock, Rolex, Kraft, ADT  and Ginn Clubs & Resorts.

[tag-tec]Julieta Granada[/tag-tec]  wins the ADT Championship final round today at the Trump International Golf Course. [tag-tec]Lorena Ochoa[/tag-tec] wins second and [tag-tec]Karrie Webb[/tag-tec] places third.

On the line was the largest check in [tag-tec]LPGA[/tag-tec] history, One Million Dollars.  The LPGA has come a long way indeed.

The [tag-tec]ADT Championship[/tag-tec] used a format never before seen on any tour. They played the first three rounds in stroke play and the top eight lowest scores advanced to the final round. Once qualified for the final round the player’s previous scores were erased and play started over.  They effectively started a new tournament between eight players battling for the largest check ever seen on the [tag-ice]LPGA[/tag-ice]. This format has merit and may show itself again on tour.

Granada’s short history on the LPGA tour started just two years ago after playing on the futures tour. Starting out Julieta did not have enough money too afford a caddie. She asked her mom, Rosa, if she would continue to caddie for her. Her mom was there all weekend by Julieta’s side lugging around that big staff golf bag. Rosa must be the proudest caddie that ever lived.

Julieta celebrated her twentieth birthday this weekend along with Natalie Gulbis who turned twenty five. Gulbis finished this season with the indubious title of earning more money than anyone in the history of LPGA golf without a victory.

Scores were close all day and while Granada was putting on the eighteenth green Ochoa and Webb were teeing off the par three, 169 yard, seventeenth. Granada was leading Ochoa by one stroke and Webb by two. With water on both sides of the green and a million dollars up for grab the pressure showed. Webb knocked it into water on the right and Ochoa follows knocking it in on the left side. Both make one putt saving bogies but it was all over unless Lorena eagled the eighteenth. Not this time.

On the eighteenth Granada dropped a long two putt and finished the day at -4, (68) for the win. In the post game interview Julieta mentioned an email she received this morning from her instructor, David Leadbetter telling her, “Relax, it’s not your million dollars you’re betting out there.” Winning a million dollars moved Granada from sixteenth on the season ending money list to fourth overall. A fine week’s work.

Lorena Ochoa finishes the season winning Player of the Year, Leading Money Winner, and Lowest Season Scoring Average. It was quite an impressive year for this LPGA star from Guadalajara, Mexico. Karrie Webb finishes second on the money list and Annika Sorenstam third.

[tag-tec]Lorena Ochoa[/tag-tec] just won the title [tag-tec]LPGA[/tag-tec] Player of The Year, not hard to believe since she is both top ranked and a top 2006 earner.  This season alone she has had 5 victories and 18 top 10 finishes.

In her home country of Mexico she is an idol to many. Her achievements on the golf course and her character off the course have given many in Mexico someone to believe in and aspire to be. Many young girls may have thought achieving their dreams impossible, but through her career of golf, Lorena has taught many that reaching their dreams is possible.

In 2001 Lorena was awarded the National Sports Award by Mexico’s President Vincent Fox. Not only was she the youngest recipient to receive this award, she was the first golfer to receive the country’s highest athletic award. To honor her achievement, a parade was held in Mexico City in her honor.

Looking at her college career it’s easy to see she is a force to be noticed. Only playing on the collegiate level for two years, her accomplishments place her on top of the list of all-time elite college players. She won 12 times, finished runner-up six times and never finished under the top 10, all this in 20 starts.
In May of 2002, Lorena started what some expect to be one of the greatest LPGA Tour careers in the history of [tag-tec]women’s golf[/tag-tec]. That year she was named 2002 Futures Tour Rookie of The Year as well as player of the year.

On October 15th of this year she won the Samsung World Championship and earned a paycheck of $218,750.00. Not bad for a days work.
 

[tag-tec]Morgan Pressel[/tag-tec] is another outstanding young talent. Morgan took up golf at the age of 8 when her grandfather took her out on the golf course. (She has been quoted as saying this was because her grandfather said she was to slow for tennis.)  While an amateur she won 11 AJGA titles, including all five AJGA Invitationals. In 2005 she won the U.S. Women’s Championship. She currently has endorsement deals with names such as Callaway Golf, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Oakley.

In January 2006 she was granted full
[tag-tec]LPGA[/tag-tec] Tour membership. Not only is she an accomplished athlete, she is an exceptional student.

She is currently the youngest player on the tour at age 18. She played a limited schedule early in the year until she finished high school. She also declined her scholarship to Duke University to concentrate on her golf game. Her best finishes to date are the SBS Open at Turtle Bay and the ShopRite LPGA Classic, finishing in a 5th place tie for both. All this after her mother died of breast cancer two years ago.

She has been seen on NBC’S Late Night with Conan O’Brien and has been featured in [tag-ice]Today’s Teen[/tag-ice]. Morgan is a stunning example of what can be done. Not only is she doing what she loves and getting paid, she also found a way to balance school, travel, a social life and a boyfriend.

Morgan is also a prime example of true sportsmanship, she isn’t flashy, never says anything bad about her opponents abilities, and can win and lose with grace.
 

Not only was Babe the leading money-winner on the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour for four years in a row (1948-1951), she was also named Woman Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press. Her athletic versatility stands at the top for both men and women.

Babe won every major professional [tag-tec]golf[/tag-tec] championship at least one time. In some cases she won some events more than once. She was also the first woman to win the Western Open three times, both as a professional and an amateur. Babe is often known as the player who did more than any other to popularize [tag-tec]women’s[/tag-tec] golf.

One of the most interesting facts about Babe was that she had mastered tennis, gained world fame in track and field, played organized baseball and softball, was an All-American in basketball, bowled, roller-skated, and was an expert diver. All this before she ever played [tag-ice]golf[/tag-ice].

Babe won 17 amateur events in a row from 1946 to 1947. In 1951 she won the World Championship, All-American Open, Tampa Open, Fresno Open, and the World Championship. Babe set a record of 12 shots as the biggest victory margin in the 1954 Women’s Open, this was after having undergone on hernia operation in 1951 and a major colostomy operation for cancer in 1953.

In the same year (1953) that cancer struck the Babe Zaharias Open was started in her honor in Beaumont, Texas. Babe won the first event and it was not long after that she underwent her colostomy operation. On September 27, 1956, at the age of 45, Babe Zaharias died. In 1976 she was inducted to the National Women’s Hall of Fame.
 

The silent crowd is gathered at the tee box in anticipation. After a concentrated take away the fluid motion delivers what they came for. [tag-tec]Michelle Wie[/tag-tec] has unleashed another tremendously long drive down the fairway. The throngs of masses cheer on their young phenom. But watch [tag-tec]golf[/tag-tec] on television and you will see there are two stages that require concentration, the tee and the green. The green is far tougher than the tee and the sooner Michelle realizes it the better. Although it seems lately both stages are eluding her game.

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[tag-tec]Michelle Wie[/tag-tec] has an undisputed talent. She hits the [tag-ice]golf[/tag-ice] ball a long way, and golf fans love watching this young talent whenever she hits the stage. They follow her around the course in droves anticipating every drive. It is this ability that has kept her in the spotlight since very early in life. Add youthful beauty and a pretty smile and you have a tournament sponsor’s dream contestant.

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[tag-self]Michelle Wie[/tag-self] is on a quest to learn how to win, competing where she can in professional events on the [tag-tec]LPGA[/tag-tec] and PGA. Her age, 17, is under the allowed age for LPGA professionals. Until she turns 18 special exemptions are the only way for her into a professional tournament. If allowed every tournament sponsor on both the LPGA and PGA would like Michelle’s presence. She does a lot for popularizing [tag-tec]golf[/tag-tec].

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