The 2004 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world which took place from March through December 2004. The tournaments were sanctioned by the United States–based Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). This was the 55th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season consisted of 32 official money events. Total prize money for all tournaments was $42,875,000.
Annika Sörenstam continued to dominate women's golf in 2004, winning eight tournaments and $2,544,707 in prize money. Four other players earned over $1 million. There were six first-time winners in 2004: Moira Dunn, Christina Kim, Lorena Ochoa, Jennifer Rosales, Kim Saiki, and Karen Stupples. Ochoa (Mexico) and Rosales (Philippines) were the first winners of their respective countries to win on the LPGA Tour.
For details of what happened in the main tournaments of the year see 2004 in golf.
Tournament schedule and results The number in parentheses after winners' names show the player's total number of official money, individual event wins on the LPGA Tour including that event.
Date Tournament Location Winner Purse ($) Winner'sshare ($) Mar 14 Welch's/Fry's Championship Arizona Karen Stupples (1) 800,000 120,000 Mar 21 Safeway International Arizona Annika Sörenstam (49) 1,200,000 180,000 Mar 28 Kraft Nabisco Championship California Grace Park (5) 1,600,000 240,000Apr 4 The Office Depot Championship California Annika Sörenstam (50) 1,750,000 262,500Apr 17 LPGA Takefuji Classic Nevada Cristie Kerr (2) 1,100,000 165,000May 2 Chick-fil-A Charity Championship Georgia Jennifer Rosales (1) 1,600,000 240,000May 9 Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill Virginia Se Ri Pak (22) 2,200,000 330,000May 16 Franklin American Mortgage Championship Tennessee Lorena Ochoa (1) 900,000 135,000May 23 Sybase Classic New York Sherri Steinhauer (6) 1,250,000 187,500May 30 LPGA Corning Classic New York Annika Sörenstam (51) 1,000,000 150,000Jun 6 Kellogg-Keebler Classic Illinois Karrie Webb (30) 1,200,000 180,000Jun 13 McDonald's LPGA Championship Delaware Annika Sörenstam (52) 1,600,000 240,000Jun 20 ShopRite LPGA Classic New Jersey Cristie Kerr (3) 1,300,000 195,000Jun 27 Wegmans LPGA New York Kim Saiki (1) 1,500,000 225,000Jul 4 U.S. Women's Open Massachusetts Meg Mallon (16) 3,100,000 560,000Jul 11 BMO Financial Group Canadian Women's Open Ontario Meg Mallon (17) 1,300,000 195,000Jul 18 Giant Eagle LPGA Classic Ohio Moira Dunn (1) 1,000,000 150,000Jul 24 Evian Masters France Wendy Doolan (3) 2,500,000 375,000Aug 1 Weetabix Women's British Open England Karen Stupples (2) 1,600,000 290,880Aug 8 Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Ohio Meg Mallon (18) 1,100,000 165,000Aug 22 Wendy's Championship for Children Ohio Catriona Matthew (2) 1,100,000 165,000Aug 29 Wachovia LPGA Classic Pennsylvania Lorena Ochoa (2) 1,000,000 150,000Sep 5 State Farm Classic Illinois Cristie Kerr (4) 1,200,000 180,000Sep 12 John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic Oklahoma Annika Sörenstam (53) 1,000,000 150,000Sep 19 Safeway Classic Oregon Hee-Won Han (3) 1,200,000 180,000Sep 26 Longs Drugs Challenge California Christina Kim (1) 1,000,000 150,000Oct 10 Asahi Ryokuken International Championship South Carolina Liselotte Neumann (13) 1,000,000 150,000Oct 17 Samsung World Championship California Annika Sörenstam (54) 825,000 206,250Oct 31 CJ Nine Bridges Classic South Korea Grace Park (6) 1,350,000 202,500Nov 7 Mizuno Classic Japan Annika Sörenstam (55) 1,000,000 150,000Nov 14 The Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions Alabama Heather Daly-Donofrio (2) 800,000 130,000Nov 21 ADT Championship Florida Annika Sörenstam (56) 1,000,000 215,000Dec 19 Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge Nevada LPGA Tour n/a
Tournaments in bold are majors.
Leaders Money List leaders RankPlayerCountryEarnings ($)Events1 Annika Sörenstam 2,544,707 182 Grace Park 1,525,471 253 Lorena Ochoa 1,450,824 274 Meg Mallon 1,358,623 215 Cristie Kerr 1,189,990 246 Karen Stupples 968,852 237 Mi Hyun Kim 931,693 288 Hee-Won Han 840,605 289 Karrie Webb 748,316 2210 Jennifer Rosales 693,625 25 Source:
Scoring Average leaders RankPlayerCountryAverage1 Annika Sörenstam 68.702 Grace Park 69.993 Lorena Ochoa 70.024 Cristie Kerr 70.335 Mi Hyun Kim 70.48 Source:
Award winners The three competitive awards given out by the LPGA each year are: The Rolex Player of the Year is awarded based on a formula in which points are awarded for top-10 finishes and are doubled at the LPGA's four major championships. The points system is: 30 points for first; 12 points for second; nine points for third; seven points for fourth; six points for fifth; five points for sixth; four points for seventh; three points for eighth; two points for ninth and one point for 10th. 2004 Winner: Annika Sörenstam. Runner-up: Grace Park The Vare Trophy, named for Glenna Collett-Vare, is given to the player with the lowest scoring average for the season. 2004 Winner: Grace Park. Runner-up: Annika Sörenstam The Louis Suggs Rolex Rooke of the Year Award is awarded to the first-year player on the LPGA Tour who scores the highest in a points competition in which points are awarded at all full-field domestic events and doubled at the LPGA's four major championships. The points system is: 150 points for first; 80 points for second; 75 points for third; 70 points for fourth; and 65 points for fifth. After fifth place, points are awarded in increments of three, beginning at sixth place with 62 points. Rookies who make the cut in an event and finish below 41st each receive five points. The award is named after Louise Suggs, one of the founders of the LPGA. 2004 Winner: Shi Hyun Ahn. Runner-up: Aree Song
See also 2004 in golf
References
External links LPGA official website