Who's who: Jan Stephenson

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

Who's who: Jan Stephenson

  • Name:

    Jan Lynne Stephenson
  • Country:

    Australia
  • Born:

    Dec 22, 1951 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer
  • Turned Pro:

    1973

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (3): du Maurier Classic (1981), US LPGA Championship (1982); US Women's Open (1983). Total professional wins (26), including LPGA Tour (16), Ladies European Tour (1), LPGA Japan Tour (2) and Australian Ladies Tour (2). LPGA Rookie of the Year (1974). Australian Ladies Open champion (1977). World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 2019).

Did you know?

During a highly successful career on the LPGA Tour in the 1970s and '80s, Stephenson recorded three wins in major championships and a total of 16 LPGA Tour wins. Other wins came in Europe, Japan and her native Australia.

Not without some controversy during her career, she encouraged the LPGA Tour to bring more glamour to the marketing of the women's game. In 2003 she apologised for remarking that "Asians were killing the Tour," a reference to the significant number of Korean-born players who were joining and succeeding on the LPGA Tour.

Top tournaments won by Jan Stephenson

1990
America
Stonebriar CC
6 skins
$200,000
JCPenney

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Stonebriar CC

Score

6 skins

Prize money

$200,000

Title sponsor

JCPenney

Played as the inaugural JCPenney LPGA Skins Game (unofficial LPGA Tr event). Stephenson won with a total of 6 skins worth $200,000. Second: JoAnne Carner (USA). Third: Nancy Lopez (USA). Fourth: Betsy King (USA) with skins worth $45,000. [Stonebriar CC, Frisco, nr Dallas, Texas].

1987
America
Meridian Valley CC
277 (-11)
$33,750
Safeco

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Meridian Valley CC

Score

277 (-11)

Prize money

$33,750

Title sponsor

Safeco

Played as the Safeco Classic. Second-placed Nancy Lopez (USA) finished 1 shot behind Stephenson (Aus), who claimed her 15th LPGA Tour win. [Meridian Valley CC, Kent, nr Seattle, WA].

1987
America
215 (-1)
$45,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Score

215 (-1)

Prize money

$45,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Santa Barbara Open. Second-placed Jane Geddes (USA) and Ayako Okamoto (Jpn) finished 1 shot behind Stephenson (Aus). [La Purisima GC, Lompoc, California; first round played at Sandpiper GC, Santa Barbara].

1987
America
Almaden G&CC
205 (-11)
$45,000
Konica

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Almaden G&CC

Score

205 (-11)

Prize money

$45,000

Title sponsor

Konica

Played as the Konica San Jose Classic. Second-placed Amy Alcott (USA) finished 5 shots behind Stephenson (Aus), who recorded the last of her 16 LPGA Tour wins. [Almaden G&CC, San Jose, California].

1985
Europe
283 (-13)
£5,000
Hennessy

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Score

283 (-13)

Prize money

£5,000

Title sponsor

Hennessy

Played as the inaugural Hennessy Cognac Ladies Cup (May 8-11). Second-placed Laura Davies (Eng), playing in only her second professional tournament, finished 5 shots behind Stephenson (Aus). [Vert course, Saint Cloud GC, Garches, nr Paris].

1985
Asia
Edosaki CC
138
$16,600
Nichirei Foods

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Edosaki CC

Score

138

Prize money

$16,600

Title sponsor

Nichirei Foods

Played as the Nichirei Cup Team Match (Nov 1-3; individual low score prize within the US-Japan team match). Stephenson (Aus) beat Alice Miller (USA) in a playoff for the low score prize. [Edosaki CC, Inashiki, Ibaraki, Japan].

1985
America
Oakmont CC, CA
290 (+2)
$37,500
GNA

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Oakmont CC, CA

Score

290 (+2)

Prize money

$37,500

Title sponsor

GNA

Played as the GNA Classic. Second-placed Amy Alcott (USA), Pat Bradley (USA) and Barbara Moxness (USA) finished 1 shot behind Stephenson (Aus). [Oakmont CC, Glendale, nr Los Angeles, California].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Score

207 (-9)

Prize money

$22,500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Tucson Conquistadores LPGA Open. Second-placed Amy Alcott (USA) finished 5 shots behind Stephenson (Aus). [North course, Randolph GC, Tucson, AZ].

1983
Majors
Cedar Ridge
290 (+6)
$32,780
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Cedar Ridge

Score

290 (+6)

Prize money

$32,780

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Women's Open (38th) (July 28-31). Second-placed JoAnne Carner (USA) and Patty Sheehan (USA) finished 1 shot behind Stephenson (Aus), who recorded the last of her three major championship wins. [Cedar Ridge CC, Broken Arrow, nr Tulsa, OK].

1983
America
264 (-24)
$50,000
JCPenney

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Score

264 (-24)

Prize money

$50,000

Title sponsor

JCPenney

Played as the JCPenney Mixed Team Classic (Dec 10/11; two-person team event; one PGA Tr, one LPGA Tr). Second placed Lou Hinkle (USA) & Jane Geddes (USA) finished 5 shots behind the winning team of Fred Couples (USA) & Jan Stephenson (Aus). [Bardmoor CC, Largo, FL].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Score

205 (-11)

Prize money

$30,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Lady Keystone Open. Second-placed Pat Bradley (USA) finished 1 shot behind defending champion Stephenson (USA). [West course, Hershey CC, Hershey, PA].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Score

211 (-5)

Prize money

$30,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Lady Keystone Open. Second-placed Barbara Moxness (USA) and Alexandra Reinhardt (USA) finished 1 shot behind Stephenson (USA). [West course, Hershey CC, Hershey, PA].

1982
Majors
Kings Island
279 (-9)
$30,000
LPGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Kings Island

Score

279 (-9)

Prize money

$30,000

Title sponsor

LPGA

The LPGA Championship (28th) (June 10-13). Second-placed JoAnne Carner (USA) finished 2 shots behind wire-to-wire winner Stephenson (Aus), who recorded her second major championship win. [Grizzly course, The Golf Center at Kings Island, Mason, OH].

1981
Majors
Summerlea G&CC
278 (-10)
$30,000
Peter Jackson

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Summerlea G&CC

Score

278 (-10)

Prize money

$30,000

Title sponsor

Peter Jackson

Played as the Peter Jackson Classic (July 2-5). Second-placed Nancy Lopez (USA) and Pat Bradley (USA) finished 1 shot behind Jan Stephenson (Aus), who recorded her fifth LPGA Tour win, and the first of her three major championship titles. [Summerlea G&CC, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Québec].

1981
America
Bent Tree CC, TX
198 (-18)
$23,250
Mary Kay

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Bent Tree CC, TX

Score

198 (-18)

Prize money

$23,250

Title sponsor

Mary Kay

Played as the Mary Kay Classic. Second-placed Sandra Haynie (USA) finished 11 shots behind Stephenson (Aus). [Bent Tree CC, Dallas, Texas].

1981
America
Sleepy Hole, VA
205 (-14)
$18,750
Utd Virginia Bank

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Sleepy Hole, VA

Score

205 (-14)

Prize money

$18,750

Title sponsor

Utd Virginia Bank

Played as the United Virginia Bank Golf Classic. Second-placed Sally Little (RSA) and Janet Alex (USA) finished 3 shots behind Stephenson (Aus). [Sleepy Hole GC, Suffolk, Virginia].

1980
America
Hillcrest GC, AZ
275 (-13)
$15,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Hillcrest GC, AZ

Score

275 (-13)

Prize money

$15,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Sun City Classic. Second-placed M.J. Smith (NZ) finished 1 shot behind Stephenson (Aus). [Hillcrest GC, Sun City West, Phoenix, AZ].

1978
America
Moss Creek Plantn
283 (-5)
$12,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Moss Creek Plantn

Score

283 (-5)

Prize money

$12,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Women's International. Second-placed Beth Daniel (USA, amateur) finished 4 shots behind Stephenson (Aus). [Moss Creek Plantation, Hilton Head Island, SC; now called Moss Creek GC].

1977
Aus/NZ
Manly GC
145 (-3)
Wills/Qantas

Category

Aus/NZ

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Manly GC

Score

145 (-3)

Prize money

Title sponsor

Wills/Qantas

Played as the Wills-Qantas Australian Ladies Open (March 6-7). Stephenson (Aus) beat Pat Bradley (USA) at the fourth playoff hole. Event reduced to 36 holes due to rain. [Manly GC, Manly, nr Sydney, Aus].

1976
America
Lely CC
218 (+2)
$8,500
Sarah Coventry

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Lely CC

Score

218 (+2)

Prize money

$8,500

Title sponsor

Sarah Coventry

Played as the inaugural Sarah Coventry Naples Classic. Second-placed Judy Meister (USA) and Sandra Haynie (USA) finished 1 shot behind first-time PGA Tour winner Stephenson (Aus). [Lely CC, nr Naples, FL].

1976
America
Green Valley CC
203 (-13)
$5,700
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Green Valley CC

Score

203 (-13)

Prize money

$5,700

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Birmingham Classic. Second-placed Kathy Martin (USA) finished 4 shots behind Stephenson (Aus), who recorded her second LPGA Tour win. [Green Valley CC, Birmingham, Alabama].

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Stephenson, Jan

Venue

Score

x

Prize money

Title sponsor

LPGA Tr

Stephenson (Aus) won the LPGA Tour 1974 Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year Award as the leading first-season player.

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Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

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Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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