Karrie Webb

Karrie Anne Webb (born 21 December 1974) is an Australian professional golfer. She plays mainly on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour, and also turns out once or twice a year on the ALPG Tour in her home country. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. She has 41 wins on the LPGA Tour, more than any other active player.

Early life and amateur career

Webb was born in Ayr, Queensland. She was a member of the Australian Amateur team, making six international appearances from 1992 to 1994, including a 1994 appearance in the Espirito Santo Trophy World Amateur Golf Team Championships. This was the year she became the Australian Stroke Play Champion

Professional career Webb began her professional golfing career in 1994 playing on the Ladies European Tour, where she finished second at the Women's Australian Open, In 1995 she became the youngest ever winner of the Weetabix Women's British Open in her rookie season in Europe, She was also the 1996 LPGA Rookie of the Year. and was voted 1997 ESPY Best Female Golfer. In 1999 Webb won her first major championship at the du Maurier Ltd. Classic and won her first LPGA Tour Player of the Year award.

Webb also took part in the largest playoff in LPGA Tour history at the 1999 Jamie Farr Kroger Classic. Se Ri Pak birdied the first sudden death playoff hole to defeat Webb, Mardi Lunn, Carin Koch, Sherri Steinhauer, and Kelli Kuehne.

In 2000, Webb won two more major championships, following up her win at the Nabisco Championship with a win at the U.S. Women's Open. This gained her a second consecutive Rolex Player of the Year title and Vare Trophy, and she topped the money list, missing out on a chance to become the LPGA's first single-season $2 million winner by taking a mid season break to return home to Australia to run with the Olympic torch. Teamed with Rachel Hetherington representing Australia she won the Women's World Cup in Malaysia, was awarded the preeminent sport award in Australia, the Dawn Fraser Award. and was named Female Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America.

She successfully defended her U.S. Women's Open title in 2001 and won the LPGA Championship, to become the youngest winner of the LPGA Career Grand Slam. She teamed with David Duval to play against Annika Sörenstam and Tiger Woods in a made-for-TV Battle at Bighorn between the two best male and two best female players in the world. At the time, it provided women's golf its largest audience ever. Webb's win at the 2002 Women's British Open, which had become an LPGA major in 2001, meant she completed a Super Career Grand Slam – every available major championship in women's golf in her career.

Webb then suffered a three-year slump. She collected just two LPGA wins in the next two years, and in 2005 had a best LPGA finish of tied sixth although she did team up with Rachel Hetherington to represent Australia at the Women's World Cup of Golf and won her fifth ANZ Ladies Masters title back home in Australia.

Webb qualified for entry to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2000, but was not eligible for induction until she had played ten LPGA Tour events in each of ten seasons. She met this criterion on 9 June 2005 when she completed the first round of the LPGA Championship. At age 30, she became the youngest living person ever to enter the Hall of Fame, She won four other tournaments including the Evian Masters and Mizuno Classic. Her 2006 Kraft Nabisco win took her into the top ten of the Women's World Golf Rankings for the first time since they were introduced in February 2006.

Her 41 LPGA Tour victories places her tied for 10th with Babe Zaharias on the list of players with the most career LPGA tournament wins and first among all active players.

Awards and honors In 1995, she earned Rookie of the Year honors on the Ladies European Tour. The following year she earned Rookie of the Year honors on the LPGA Tour. In 1996, she won the money list on the LPGA Tour. She also won the money list in 1999 and 2000. In 1999 and 2000, she earned Player of the Year honors on the LPGA Tou. In 2005, she was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Professional wins (56) LPGA Tour wins (41) Legend Major championships (7) Other LPGA Tour (34)

LPGA Tour playoff record (4–6)

LPGA majors are shown in bold.

ALPG Tour wins (13) 1998 (1) Australian Ladies Masters2 1999 (1) Australian Ladies Masters2 2001 (1) ANZ Ladies Masters4 2002 (1) AAMI Women's Australian Open4 2005 (1) ANZ Ladies Masters4 2008 (1) MFS Women's Australian Open4 2010 (1) ANZ Ladies Masters4 2013 (1) Volvik RACV Ladies Masters4 2014 (1) ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open5

LPGA of Japan Tour wins (3) 2000 (1) Nichirei Cup World Ladies 2001 (1) Nichirei Cup World Ladies 2006 (1) Mizuno Classic3

Ladies European Tour wins (15) 1995 (1) Women's British Open1 1997 (1) Women's British Open1 2000 (1) AAMI Women's Australian Open4 2001 (1) ANZ Ladies Masters4 2005 (1) ANZ Ladies Masters4 2006 (1) Evian Masters1 2008 (1) MFS Women's Australian Open4 2010 (1) ANZ Ladies Masters4 2013 (2) Volvik RACV Ladies Masters4, ISPS Handa Ladies European Masters 2014 (1) ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open5 Note: Webb won The Evian Championship (formerly named the Evian Masters) once before it was recognized as a major championship on the LPGA Tour in 2013, but after it was co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour in 2000. Webb won the Women's British Open twice before it was recognized as a major championship on the LPGA Tour in 2001, but after it was co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour in 1994 and once after it was recognized as a major championship in 2001.

Futures Tour wins (1) 1995 Golden Flake Golden Ocala Futures Classic

Other wins (2) 2000 Women's World Cup Golf (with Rachel Hetherington) 2003 ConAgra LPGA Skins Game