Golf
How many women have played in a PGA Tour event?
Lexi Thompson competed in the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open, making her the seventh woman to participate in a PGA Tour event and creating history.
Women teeing off in men’s professional golf tournaments on the grandest stages? That’s been a limited club membership.
Two of the earliest stars in the LPGA blazed the trail in this regard, and a few other notable women have followed in their footsteps. The challenge they face in such a male-dominated arena is distinct, presenting a unique form of pressure, unlike anything they’ve encountered before. Lexi Thompson became the seventh woman to take to the tee in a PGA Tour event.
Thompson, a renowned figure in women’s golf, at the recently finished PGA Tour’s Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas; her entry into the tournament marked her as the seventh woman to compete alongside male players. She finished her competition after not making the cut for Round 3, staying equal after scoring -2 and +2 in the first two rounds.
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At 28 years of age, Thompson has already left a strong mark on the sport. She gained recognition as the youngest player to participate in a U.S. Open when she was just 12 years old. Additionally, she secured her first LPGA tournament victory at the remarkable age of 16. With 11 LPGA wins to her name, including a major triumph at the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship, where she emerged victorious at 19, Thompson’s career success is undoubtedly due to her exceptional talent.
Women on the PGA Tour
Brittany Lincicome was the most recent woman to grace a PGA Tour event, who did so at the 2018 Barbasol Championship. Before her, Michelle Wie West competed in eight PGA Tour events, beginning her journey at the age of 14. Other notable female players who ventured into PGA Tour events include Annika Sorenstam, Suzy Whaley, and Shirley Spork. However, the only woman to make the 36-hole cut at a PGA Tour event remains the legendary athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias.
As of her latest ranking, Thompson holds the 25th in Rolex Rankings. Her recent achievements include a top-10 finish in the NW Arkansas Championship and a 3-1 record in the Solheim Cup.
The seven women at PGA Tour events
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
- 1935 Cascades Open (Sept. 19-21): 86-88—174--MC
- 1937 Chicago Open (July 23-25): 86--WD
- 1938 Los Angeles Open (Jan. 7-10): 81-84—165--MC
- 1945 Los Angeles Open (Jan. 5-8): 76-81-79—236--MC; qualified with 76-76—152
- 1945 Phoenix Open (Jan. 11-14): 77-72-75-80—304 (33rd)
- 1945 Tucson Open (Jan. 18-21): 307 total (42nd); qualified with 74-81—155
- 1946 Los Angeles Open (Jan. 3-6): 81-81—162 (WD)
Shirley Spork
1952 Northern California-Reno Open (Oct. 9-12): 77-80-77-80—314 (105th)
Annika Sorenstam
2003 Bank of America Colonial (May 22-25): 71-74—145--MC
Suzy Whaley
2003 Greater Hartford Open (July 24-27): 75-78—153--MC
Michelle Wie
- 2004 Sony Open in Hawaii (Jan. 15-18): 72-68—140--MC
- 2005 Sony Open in Hawaii (Jan. 13-16): 75-74—149--MC
- 2005 John Deere Classic (July 7-10): 70-71—141--MC
- 2006 Sony Open in Hawaii (Jan. 12-15): 79-68—147--MC
- 2006 John Deere Classic (July 13-16): 77--WD
- 2006 84 LUMBER Classic (Sept. 14-17): 77-81—158--MC
- 2007 Sony Open In Hawaii (Jan. 11-14): 78-76—154--MC
- 2008 Legends Reno-Tahoe Open (July 31-Aug. 3): 73-80—153--MC
Brittany Lincicome
2018 Barbasol Championship (July 19-23): 78-71--159--MC
Lexi Thompson
Set to become the seventh woman to take to the tee in a PGA Tour event.