Professional women's golf has come a long way from the days when it was essentially limited to American women looking to stand apart from their male counterparts. Those early pioneers of the women's game are still among the sport's greatest golfers -- they helped open the door for women everywhere to shine on the LPGA Tour.
Women's golf has blossomed into an international game, especially in the Asian markets where it has become an obsession for some. While its future looks bright, it's fun to look back and honor the past.
Here's a rundown of some the all-time greats in LPGA Tour history.
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Alcott made a name for herself by earning her first pro victory in her third start. She won 29 times on the LPGA Tour and is a five-time major winner, including three times at the ANA Inspiration (formerly referred to as the Dinah Shore). The LPGA Rookie of the Year in 1975, Alcott was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1999 and is a prominent golf course designer.
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No women's golfer has won more majors than Berg's 15. One of the most important figures in the history of women's golf, Berg was a founding member of the LPGA and won the first U.S. Women's Open in 1946. Berg enjoyed a stellar LPGA career, which featured 60 wins (fifth all time). The Hall of Famer was named The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year three times (1938, '43 and '55).
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The third woman to achieve the LPGA's career grand slam (1986), Bradley was one of the Tour's main stars during the 1980s. She won 31 LPGA Tour events, and her six major tournament championships came between 1980 and 1986. She is the aunt of Keegan Bradley, current PGA Tour member and 2011 PGA Championship winner.
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Of Caponi's 24 victories on the LPGA Tour, four came in majors. She won her initial major title at the 1969 U.S. Open, the first of two straight, and her last in 1981 at the Women's PGA Championship. Since her playing days ended, Caponi has served as a broadcaster and analyst for the Golf Channel.
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"Big Mama" was a fan favorite during her LPGA Tour career. She is now, too. In addition to her 43 career LPGA Tour victories, with two at the U.S. Open, Carner is the only golfer to win the U.S. Girls' Junior, U.S. Women's Amateur and U.S. Women's Open. One of the great personalities in golf, Carner was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982.
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Daniel seemed destined for a successful pro career after winning the U.S. Women's Amateur in 1975 and '77. The 1979 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year won 41 times as a pro, 33 on Tour. Daniel's only major triumph came at the 1990 Women's PGA Championship, but she was a three-time Player of the Year and Tour money leader three times.
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Davies is still successful on the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour. She has won 87 professional events, 20 on the LPGA Tour, where she earned Player of the Year honors in 1996. The four-time major winner is the all-time leader with 45 victories on the European Tour, and she is a Hall of Famer.
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Babe Didrikson Zaharias
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Often regarded as the greatest female athlete, the Babe was an Olympic gold medalist in track and field at the 1932 Olympics. Zaharias won 41 events on the LPGA Tour, including 10 majors. In 1950, she won all three majors on the schedule, the last at the 1954 U.S. Open — one year after being diagnosed with colon cancer. She died two years later at age 56.
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One of the founders of the LPGA, Hagge might be the greatest golfer born in South Dakota. A star in the women's ranks in the 1950s, Hagge won 26 LPGA Tour events. Her only major title came at the 1956 Women's PGA Championship. The Hall of Famer was named The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 1949.
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Haynie was still a teenager when she became a member of the LPGA Tour, and she won her first tournament at 19. The Texan won 42 LPGA events and was the Tour's Player of the Year in 1970. The Hall of Famer won four majors, her last in 1982, and placed in the top 10 on the LPGA Tour's money list for 13 consecutive years, starting in 1963.
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Inkster turns 59 in June, but age is nothing but a number to this active legend. Her 31 career victories on the LPGA Tour rank second all time among active golfers, while her seven major titles are tied for the most among those still playing. The Hall of Famer has more Solheim Cup match victories than any other American, and she will return in 2019 as U.S. team captain in that event for a third consecutive time.
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What's perhaps most impressive about King is that starting in 1984, she won at least one LPGA tournament in 11 straight seasons. King earned 34 titles on the LPGA Tour, including six majors. Two of those came at the U.S. Open, where she won in 1989 and successfully defended her title the next year. King was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1995 — she won her last major two years later.
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It's still somewhat hard to believe the success Lopez earned during her torrid 1978 rookie season. Lopez won nine of her 48 LPGA Tour victories, including the Women's PGA Championship, that season. Though Lopez won only three majors during her career, she was the face of the LPGA Tour for roughly two decades. She ranks seventh all time in Tour wins and still remains a popular personality in the sport.
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Mallon has pretty much done it all during her illustrious golf career. The Hall of Famer won 18 times, including four majors. Two of those major victories came in 1991, when she won the Women's PGA Championship and U.S. Women's Open. (She won another U.S. Open in 2004.) Mallon played on eight U.S. Solheim Cup teams, captaining the 2013 team.
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Mann had a stellar professional career, winning 38 LPGA Tour events from 1964 into the mid- 1970s. Two of those victories came in majors, including the 1965 U.S. Open. She was the Tour's money leader in 1969 and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1977.
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The first Mexican golfer to earn the world's No. 1 ranking, Ochoa was a force on the LPGA Tour from 2003-10. During her relatively brief time on Tour before retiring to begin a family, Ochoa won 27 times, including major titles at the ANA Inspiration and Women's Open Championship. A four-time LPGA Tour Player of the Year, Ochoa was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2017.
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Pak was not only a successful golfer, but she also was a pioneer. She opened the door for Korean female golfers on the LPGA Tour and made the game popular on TV in South Korea. From 1998-2016, Pak won 25 events on Tour, including five majors. Three of those major victories came at the Women's PGA Championship. She entered the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2007.
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Some might consider it a stretch to put Park on this list, but she certainly has the credentials. The former world No. 1 golfer turns 31 in July and is still going strong. She has won 29 tournaments as a professional, including 19 on the LPGA Tour, which Park joined in 2007. Perhaps most impressive, Park has already won seven majors, including the Women's PGA Championship three times.
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During her 20-plus-year run, Rawls won 55 times on the LPGA Tour, sixth best all time. Her eight major championship wins, highlighted by four U.S. Open titles, also rank sixth. There was arguably no greater women's golfer during the 1950s than Rawls, who won six of her major titles in that decade. A former LPGA president, Rawls was an inaugural member of the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame.
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Few golfers show their love for the game more than Sheehan. Usually smiling and upbeat, the Vermont native won 35 times on the LPGA Tour, including six major titles. Sheehan was LPGA Rookie of the Year in 1981 and two years later was named the Tour's Player of the Year. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1993.
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Arguably the greatest women's golfer of all time, Sorenstam dominated in the late 1990s and most of the 2000s. Her 72 career LPGA Tour victories are third most in history, and her 10 major championships are tied for fourth. Sorenstam was named LPGA Player of the Year a record eight times and was the Tour's top money winner eight times. She is also one of the most successful golfers in the history of the Solheim Cup.
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A founding LPGA member and an LPGA Tour Hall of Famer, Suggs ranks fourth all time with 61 career victories on Tour. Eleven of her Tour victories came in majors, third on the all-time list. She was the Tour's money leader twice (1953, '60). Suggs died in 2015 at 91.
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The active leader with 41 LPGA Tour victories, Webb is the greatest female golfer from Australia. Since turning pro in 1994, she has won 57 tournaments, including seven majors. She won back-to-back U.S. Open titles in 2000-2001. The Hall of Famer is a three-time LPGA Tour money leader and two-time Player of the Year recipient.
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The LPGA's all-time leader with 88 wins, Whitworth was perhaps the most dominating female golfer during the late 1960s and early '70s. She won LPGA Tour Player of the Year seven times from 1966-73 and became the first women's golfer to earn $1 million on the Tour. Whitworth won six major titles.
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Wright's 82 LPGA Tour victories are second only to Whitworth. Her 13 major championships, including four U.S. Open wins, also rank No. 2 all time in Tour history. Ten of those major titles came during the 1960s, when the Hall of Famer was the Tour's money leader four times. She was named The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year twice (1963 and '64).