Thirteen was certainly a lucky number in 1950, when a group of talented female golfers joined forces to form the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), the oldest women’s professional sports league. While the first recorded women’s golf tournament was actually held in 1811 in Scotland, it wasn’t until 1950 that the LPGA held its first official tournament, the Tampa Open, won by Polly Riley.
LPGA growth has been explosive in the 75 years since. In 1950, ladies competed in just 15 events, with a total prize fund of $40,250. In 2025, the season includes 32 official events and a record prize fund of $131 million, which represents a 90% increase of more than $62 million since 2021.
The Tour has become truly global, with tournaments in 12 different countries, 14 U.S. states, and LPGA members representing 33 nationalities.
Honor the Past
The annual LPGA Founders Cup honors the history of the LPGA and the trailblazing Founders. It is a tournament where girls’ golf and the game’s future are on full display, sharing the stage with the LPGA past and present. Surviving Founders were always a welcome sight at the 18th green, greeting competitors as they finished their rounds.
Whether it was Shirley Spork playfully blowing bubbles, or Marilynn Smith (“Miss Personality”) zooming around in a golf cart chatting with anybody and everybody, it was always special to see these historic pioneers up close and in person.
Unfortunately, none of the Founders lived to celebrate the entire group’s induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2024. The last remaining Founder, Marlene Hagge-Vossler, passed away in 2023, leaving a sad void at the Founders Cup.
