Jan Stephenson

Jan Lynn Stephenson (born 22 December 1951) is an Australian professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1974 and won three major championships and 16 LPGA Tour events. She has 41 worldwide victories including (10) LPGA Legends Tour wins and 8 worldwide major championships. She has 15 holes-in-one with nine in competition. She was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame, class of 2019.

Early life and amateur career Stephenson was born on 22 December 1951 in Sydney. While a teenager, she won five consecutive New South Wales Schoolgirl Championships in Australia, beginning in 1964, and followed that up with three straight wins in the New South Wales Junior Championship.

Professional career

In 1973, Stephenson turned professional. She won the Wills Australian Ladies Open that year. She joined the LPGA Tour in 1974 and was named LPGA Rookie of the Year.

Stephenson's first LPGA victory was the 1976 Sarah Coventry Naples Classic. Her most productive period was the early 1980s, when she won all of her majors in consecutive years: 1981 Peter Jackson Classic, the 1982 LPGA Championship and the 1983 U.S. Women's Open. referring to the large number of Korean-born players who were winning on tour, and calling for quotas on international players – although she was also an international player she believed that the LPGA should focus on American players. She later apologised, saying that she "did not intend to make it a racial issue."

Personal life Stephenson was briefly married to Sydney business man Gilbert Thomas in her young adulthood.

She was a contestant in the 2011 season of Dancing with the Stars on Channel Seven.

Awards and honours In 1974, Stephenson earned LPGA Rookie of the Year honors. In 1985, she was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. In the 2018 Australia Day Honours, Stephenson was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) "for service to golf, and to not-for-profit organisations." In 2019, she was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Professional wins (27) LPGA Tour (16) LegendLPGA Tour major championships (3)Other LPGA Tour (13)

LPGA Tour playoff record (0–4)

ALPG Tour (2) 1973 (1) Wills Australian Ladies Open 1977 (1) Wills Qantas Australian Ladies Open

Ladies European Tour (1) 1985 (1) Hennessy Cognac Ladies Cup

LPGA of Japan Tour (2) 1981 (1) World Ladies 1985 (1) Nichirei Ladies Cup

Legends Tour (4) 2000 HyVee Classic 2005 BJ's Charity Championship (with Cindy Rarick; tie with Pat Bradley and Patty Sheehan) 2007 Handa Australia Cup 2021 BJ's Charity Championship (with Laura Diaz)

Other (2) 1983 JCPenney Mixed Team Classic (with Fred Couples) 1990 JCPenney/LPGA Skins Game

Major championships

Wins (3) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner(s)-up 1981 Peter Jackson Classic −10 (69-66-70-73=278)1 stroke Pat Bradley, Nancy Lopez-Melton 1982 LPGA Championship −9 (69-69-70-71=279)2 strokes JoAnne Carner 1983 U.S. Women's Open +6 (72-73-71-74=290)1 stroke JoAnne Carner, Patty Sheehan

Team appearances Amateur Tasman Cup (representing Australia): 1970 (winners)

Professional Handa Cup (representing World team): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 (tie), 2013 (winners), 2015