1956 LPGA Tour
Encyclopedia
The 1956 LPGA Tour was the seventh season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 14 to October 21. The season consisted of 25 official money events. Marlene Hagge
won the most tournaments, eight. She also led the money list with earnings of $20,235.
The season saw the first tournament outside United States, the Havana Open
in Cuba. There were five first-time winners in 1956, Kathy Cornelius
, Betty Dodd
, Mary Lena Faulk
, Mickey Wright
, and Joyce Ziske
. Wright would win 82 LPGA events in her career, second only to Kathy Whitworth
's 88.
The tournament results and award winners are listed below.
are shown in bold.
Marlene Hagge
Marlene Hagge , also known as Marlene Bauer before her marriage, is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002....
won the most tournaments, eight. She also led the money list with earnings of $20,235.
The season saw the first tournament outside United States, the Havana Open
Havana Open
The Havana Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1956 to 1958. It was played at the Biltmore Country Club in Havana, Cuba.-Winners:Havana Biltmore Open*1958 Fay CrockerHavana Open*1957 Patty Berg*1956 Louise Suggs...
in Cuba. There were five first-time winners in 1956, Kathy Cornelius
Kathy Cornelius
Kathy Cornelius is an American golfer.Cornelius was born in Boston, Massachusetts and attended Florida Southern College, where she played on the men's golf team, as the school did not have a women's team at the time. She turned pro in 1953 and married golf pro Bill Cornelius the same year...
, Betty Dodd
Betty Dodd
Elizabeth "Betty" Dodd was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Dodd won twice on the LPGA Tour, in 1956 and 1957. She was a close friend of fellow golfer Babe Zaharias. According to Susan Cayleff's biography Babe, Dodd was quoted as to saying "I had such admiration for this...
, Mary Lena Faulk
Mary Lena Faulk
Mary Lena Faulk was an American professional golfer.Faulk was born in Chipley, Florida but at the age of 14 moved to Thomasville, Georgia where she won three consecutive Georgia Women's Amateur Matchplay Championships from 1946 to 1948.In 1953, Faulk won the U.S. Women's Amateur. In 1954 she was...
, Mickey Wright
Mickey Wright
Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
, and Joyce Ziske
Joyce Ziske
Joyce Ziske is an American professional golfer. She played on the LPGA Tour from 1955 to 1960 and in 1960 she won the Women's Western Open which was one of the LPGA major championships at that time. She had her best finish in the U.S. Women's Open that same year, placing second...
. Wright would win 82 LPGA events in her career, second only to Kathy Whitworth
Kathy Whitworth
Kathy Whitworth is an American professional golfer. Throughout her playing career she won 88 LPGA Tour tournaments, more than anyone else has won on either the LPGA Tour or the PGA Tour. In 1981 she became the first woman to reach career earnings of $1 million on the LPGA Tour...
's 88.
The tournament results and award winners are listed below.
Tournament results
The following table shows all the official money events for the 1956 season. "Date" is the ending date of the tournament. The numbers in parentheses after the winners' names are the number of wins they had on the tour up to and including that event. MajorsWomen's major golf championships
Women's golf has a set of major championships which parallels that in men's golf, but the women's system is younger and has been less stable than the men's. Many professional stroke play events for women are played over three rounds , but the majors are played over four rounds , which is the...
are shown in bold.
Date | Tournament | Location | Winner | Score | Purse ($ United States dollar The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies.... ) | 1st prize ($) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 15 | Sea Island Open Sea Island Open The Sea Island Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1954 to 1963. It was played in Sea Island, Georgia at the Sea Island Golf Club from 1954 to 1957 and 1963 and at the Cloister Country Club from 1958 to 1962.-Winners:... |
Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788... |
Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge , also known as Marlene Bauer before her marriage, is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.... (4) |
152 | 3,000 | 630 |
Jan 22 | Tampa Open Tampa Women's Open The Tampa Women's Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1947 to 1960. It was played at the Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club in Tampa, Florida. The 1950 event was the first official event on the LPGA Tour... |
Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... |
Betsy Rawls Betsy Rawls Elizabeth Earle "Betsy" Rawls is an American professional golfer.Rawls was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After attending the University of Texas, Rawls joined the LPGA Tour in its second season in 1951. She won 55 tournaments on the tour, including eight major championships... (19) |
293 | 4,500 | 900 |
Feb 5 | Havana Open Havana Open The Havana Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1956 to 1958. It was played at the Biltmore Country Club in Havana, Cuba.-Winners:Havana Biltmore Open*1958 Fay CrockerHavana Open*1957 Patty Berg*1956 Louise Suggs... |
Cuba Cuba The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city... |
Louise Suggs Louise Suggs Mae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager... (35) |
227 | 4,500 | 1,000 |
Feb 12 | Serbin Open Serbin Open The Serbin Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1953 to 1957. It was played at the Bayshore Golf Club in Miami Beach, Florida.-Winners:Serbin Open*1957 Fay Crocker*1956 Fay Crocker*1955 Fay Crocker*1954 Babe ZahariasSerbin Miami Beach Open... |
Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... |
Fay Crocker Fay Crocker Fay Crocker was the first non-American golfer to win one of the LPGA major golf championships. Her first major was the 1955 U.S. Women's Open and her second was the 1960 Titleholders Championship, where she set a record for the oldest LPGA major champion of 45 years, 7 months and 1 day.Crocker was... (4) |
144 | 3,500 | 630 |
Feb 19 | St. Petersburg Open St. Petersburg Women's Open The St. Petersburg Women's Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1954 to 1989. It was played at three different courses in the St. Petersburg, Florida area.... |
Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... |
Kathy Cornelius Kathy Cornelius Kathy Cornelius is an American golfer.Cornelius was born in Boston, Massachusetts and attended Florida Southern College, where she played on the men's golf team, as the school did not have a women's team at the time. She turned pro in 1953 and married golf pro Bill Cornelius the same year... (1) |
287 | 5,000 | 900 |
Feb 26 | Sarasota Open Sarasota Open (LPGA Tour) The Sarasota Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1952 to 1956. It was played in Sarasota, Florida at the Sarasota Bay Country Club from 1952 to 1954 and at the Bobby Jones Golf Club from 1955 to 1956.-Winners:*1956 Betsy Rawls*1955 Betty Jameson... |
Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... |
Betsy Rawls Betsy Rawls Elizabeth Earle "Betsy" Rawls is an American professional golfer.Rawls was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After attending the University of Texas, Rawls joined the LPGA Tour in its second season in 1951. She won 55 tournaments on the tour, including eight major championships... (20) |
291 | 5,000 | 1,000 |
Mar 5 | Jacksonville Open Jacksonville Ladies Open The Jacksonville Ladies Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour played from 1951 to 1959, and again in 1975. It was played at several different courses in the Jacksonville, Florida area.-Tournament locations:-Winners:Jacksonville Ladies Open... |
Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... |
Mickey Wright Mickey Wright Mary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:... (1) |
294 | 4,500 | 900 |
Mar 11 | Titleholders Championship Titleholders Championship The Titleholders Championship was a women's golf tournament played from in 1937 to 1966 and again in 1972. It was later designated a major championship by the LPGA Tour.It should not be confused with two other LPGA events with similar names:... |
Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788... |
Louise Suggs Louise Suggs Mae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager... (36) |
302 | 5,000 | 1,000 |
Apr 15 | Babe Zaharias Open Babe Zaharias Open The Babe Zaharias Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1953 to 1967. It was played at in Beaumont, Texas at the Beaumont Country Club from 1953 to 1964 and at the Bayou Din Golf Club from 1965 to 1967. Babe Zaharias, LPGA co-founder and Beaumont resident, hosted the tournament until her... |
Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge , also known as Marlene Bauer before her marriage, is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.... (5) |
219 | 4,000 | 900 |
Apr 22 | Dallas Open Mary Kay Classic The Mary Kay Classic was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1956 to 1982. It was played at four different courses in the Dallas, Texas area.-Tournament locations:-Winners:Mary Kay Classic*1982 Sandra Spuzich*1981 Jan Stephenson*1980 Jerilyn Britz... |
Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... (41) |
291 | 7,500 | 1,350 |
Apr 29 | Peach Blossom Open Peach Blossom Open The Peach Blossom Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1953 to 1966. It was played at the Spartanburg Country Club in Spartanburg, South Carolina... |
South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence... |
Betsy Rawls Betsy Rawls Elizabeth Earle "Betsy" Rawls is an American professional golfer.Rawls was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After attending the University of Texas, Rawls joined the LPGA Tour in its second season in 1951. She won 55 tournaments on the tour, including eight major championships... (21) |
292 | 4,000 | 900 |
Jun 3 | Pittsburgh Open Pittsburgh Open (LPGA Tour) The Pittsburgh Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour, played only in 1956. It was played at the Churchill Valley Country Club in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Marlene Hagge won the event.... |
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... |
Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge , also known as Marlene Bauer before her marriage, is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.... (6) |
293 | 6,000 | |
Jun 10 | Triangle Round Robin Triangle Round Robin The Triangle Round Robin was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1953 to 1962. It was played at several different courses on the East Coast of the United States.... |
Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... |
Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge , also known as Marlene Bauer before her marriage, is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.... (7) |
+50 | 10,000 | 2,000 |
Jun 24 | LPGA Championship LPGA Championship The LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour... |
Michigan Michigan Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake".... |
Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge , also known as Marlene Bauer before her marriage, is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.... (8) |
291 | 6,500 | 1,350 |
Jul 1 | Women's Western Open | Iowa Iowa Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New... |
Beverly Hanson Beverly Hanson Beverly Hanson is an American professional golfer who played on the United States-based LPGA Tour.Hanson was born in Fargo, North Dakota. She studied at the University of North Dakota, Mills College in Oakland, California and the University of Wisconsin and was a bassoon player, performing with... (8) |
304 | 5,000 | 1,000 |
Jul 8 | Syracuse Open Syracuse Open The Syracuse Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour, played only in 1956. It was played at the Drumlins Golf Club in Syracuse, New York . Joyce Ziske won the event.... |
New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... |
Joyce Ziske Joyce Ziske Joyce Ziske is an American professional golfer. She played on the LPGA Tour from 1955 to 1960 and in 1960 she won the Women's Western Open which was one of the LPGA major championships at that time. She had her best finish in the U.S. Women's Open that same year, placing second... (1) |
221 | 6,500 | 1,316 |
Jul 28 | U.S. Women's Open | Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state... |
Kathy Cornelius Kathy Cornelius Kathy Cornelius is an American golfer.Cornelius was born in Boston, Massachusetts and attended Florida Southern College, where she played on the men's golf team, as the school did not have a women's team at the time. She turned pro in 1953 and married golf pro Bill Cornelius the same year... (2) |
302 | 6,000 | 1,500 |
Aug 5 | All American Open All American Open (LPGA Tour) The All American Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1943 to 1957. It was played at the Tam O'Shanter Country Club in Niles, Illinois. It was played concurrently with the men's All American Open on the PGA Tour as well as All American Amateur events... |
Illinois Illinois Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... |
Louise Suggs Louise Suggs Mae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager... (37) |
301 | 5,000 | 1,000 |
Aug 12 | World Championship World Championship (LPGA Tour) The World Championship was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1958 to 1957. It was played at the Tam O'Shanter Country Club in Niles, Illinois. It was played concurrently with the men's World Championship of Golf on the PGA Tour as well as World Amateur events... |
Illinois Illinois Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... |
Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge , also known as Marlene Bauer before her marriage, is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.... (9) |
298 | 14,000 | 6,000 |
Aug 19 | St. Louis Open | Missouri Missouri Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It... |
Fay Crocker Fay Crocker Fay Crocker was the first non-American golfer to win one of the LPGA major golf championships. Her first major was the 1955 U.S. Women's Open and her second was the 1960 Titleholders Championship, where she set a record for the oldest LPGA major champion of 45 years, 7 months and 1 day.Crocker was... (5) |
288 | 4,000 | 880 |
Aug 26 | Denver Open Mile High Open The Mile High Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1955 to 1956. It was played at the Lakewood Country Club in Lakewood, Colorado, a Denver suburb.... |
Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains... |
Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge , also known as Marlene Bauer before her marriage, is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.... (10) |
284 | 4,000 | 800 |
Sep 16 | Clock Open Clock Open The Clock Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1955 to 1956. It was played at the Clock Country Club in Whittier, California.... |
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge , also known as Marlene Bauer before her marriage, is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.... (11) |
292 | 4,500 | 900 |
Oct 7 | Kansas City Open Heart of America Invitational The Heart of America Invitational was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1955 to 1962. It was played in Kansas City, Missouri area.-Tournament locations:-Winners:Heart of America Invitational*1962 Mickey WrightKansas City Open*1961 Louise Suggs... |
Missouri Missouri Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It... |
Mary Lena Faulk Mary Lena Faulk Mary Lena Faulk was an American professional golfer.Faulk was born in Chipley, Florida but at the age of 14 moved to Thomasville, Georgia where she won three consecutive Georgia Women's Amateur Matchplay Championships from 1946 to 1948.In 1953, Faulk won the U.S. Women's Amateur. In 1954 she was... (1) |
214 | 5,000 | 880 |
Oct 14 | Arkansas Open Arkansas Open The Arkansas Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour, played only in 1956. It was played at the Country Club of Hot Springs in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Patty Berg won the event.... |
Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River... |
Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... (42) |
287 | 4,000 | 880 |
Oct 21 | Lawton Open Lawton Open The Lawton Open was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1956 to 1958. It was played in Lawton, Oklahoma at the Lawton Municipal Golf Course in 1956 and at the Lawton Country Club in 1957 and 1958.... |
Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state... |
Betty Dodd Betty Dodd Elizabeth "Betty" Dodd was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Dodd won twice on the LPGA Tour, in 1956 and 1957. She was a close friend of fellow golfer Babe Zaharias. According to Susan Cayleff's biography Babe, Dodd was quoted as to saying "I had such admiration for this... (1) |
214 | 4,000 | 880 |
Awards
Award | Winner | Country |
---|---|---|
Money winner | Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge Marlene Hagge , also known as Marlene Bauer before her marriage, is an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.... |
|
Scoring leader (Vare Trophy) | Patty Berg Patty Berg Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer... (3) |