The 50 Greatest LPGA Players of All Time

by hound dog on Jan 7, 2009 3:00 PM PST Comment 10 comments

Well here it is...my list of the greatest LPGA players ever. I spelled out how I developed this list and my thoughts behind the processes yesterday but wanted to add a couple of things.

I intend for this list to change, due to added results of new seasons (a 2009 POY title could move Ochoa up 5-6 spots) or by modifications to the method. The day I quit tinkering with this process will probably be the day before I stop blogging. Also, I'm posting the list without individual comments so you can look at it objectively and make your own (and by all means, please do comment). I'll address whatever comments there are in a follow-up post. All LPGA Hall Of Fame members are in bold, full-time active players are in italics.

Here you go...

1. Kathy Whitworth

2. Annika Sorenstam

3. Nancy Lopez

4. Patty Sheehan

5. Sandra Haynie

6. Pat Bradley

7. Mickey Wright

8. Betsy King

9. JoAnne Carner

10. Juli Inkster

11. Beth Daniel

12. Karrie Webb

13. Betsy Rawls

14. Louise Suggs

15. Amy Alcott

16. Dottie Pepper

17. Jane Blalock

18. Judy Rankin

19. Meg Mallon

20. Rosie Jones

21. Donna Caponi

22. Carol Mann

23. Patty Berg

24. Se Ri Pak

25. Laura Davies

26. Sandra Palmer

27. Ayako Okamoto

28. Lorena Ochoa

29. Jan Stephenson

30. Marlene Hagge

31. Mi Hyun Kim

32. Marilynn Smith

33. Cristie Kerr

34. Hollis Stacy

35. Babe Zaharias

36. Jane Geddes

37. Shirley Englehorn

38. Liselotte Neumann

39. Kelly Robbins

40. Lorie Kane

41. Beverly Hanson

42. Paula Creamer

43. Brandie Burton

44. Sally Little

45. Tammie Green

46. Donna Andrews

47. Sandra Post

48. Hee-Won Han

49. Clifford Ann Creed

50. Colleen Walker

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Comments

snap observation

Looking at Whitworth and Inkster’s positions, looks like your system favors longevity above all. I wonder how the list would look if you averaged it out (dividing every player’s total by their numbers of years on tour)?

by The Constructivist on Jan 7, 2009 5:26 PM PST reply actions

longevity

Wouldn’t you define greatness as excelling within your peer group over a long period of time? Dividing a player’s total by years on tour would yield a number, but I don’t think it would represent “greatness.”

Truth has a well-known liberal bias.

by dianemarie on Jan 8, 2009 10:31 AM PST up reply actions

Time for observations

I hope you will be watching the comments on this article for a while, because it will take time to go through the list and made comments on complete list.

by tatkins on Jan 7, 2009 7:35 PM PST reply actions

will do

by hound dog on Jan 8, 2009 3:53 AM PST up reply actions

Kim/Kerr

This is one of the career rivalries I looked closely at, so I’d love to hear more about why someone with 3 more wins, including 1 more major, and her 1st substantial money list lead on her rival is ranked 2 spots lower….

http://mlyhlss.blogspot.com/2009/01/lpgas-top-rivalries-battles-of-veteran.html

by The Constructivist on Jan 7, 2009 10:44 PM PST reply actions

Ayako Okamoto

Is a member of the Hall of Fame

Bill

by Bill Jempty on Jan 8, 2009 3:05 AM PST reply actions

Above comments

1. Kim/Kerr – Kerr has played two years longer and her early years did not yield much in Hound Dog’s rating system. Her highs are higher than Kim’s but her lows are much lower. I would say that a trend line would show Kerr has gotten closer to Kim over the last several years and will soon pass Kim if the current trend continues.

2. Lorena Ochoa is not yet a member of the Hall Of Fame as it requires a 10 year minimum.

by tatkins on Jan 8, 2009 8:48 AM PST reply actions

Englehorn/Creed/Berning

37. Englehorn 1959 Rookie 11 wins 1 major
49. Creed 1962 Rookie 11 wins 0 majors
? Berning 1964 Rookie 11 wins 4 majors

by tatkins on Jan 8, 2009 9:19 AM PST reply actions

Additional Players

Any players, I might question as to why they are included in the top 50, are toward the bottom of the list. I would like to know the ranking of a few additional players.

Christa Johnson 1980 rookie 9 wins 1 major
Sherri Steinhauer 1986 rookie 8 wins 2 majors
Rachael Hetherington 1997 rookie 8 wins 0 majors
Pat Hurst 1995 rookie 5 wins 1 major

Plus the above mentioned Susie Maxwell Berning.

I guess that I may have more problems with the position of players on the list than the people that are actually on the list.

by tatkins on Jan 8, 2009 10:49 AM PST reply actions