Juli Inkster
American professional golfer
Juli Inkster Inkster in August 2009
Full name Juli Simpson Inkster Born (1960-06-24 ) June 24, 1960 (age 64) Santa Cruz, California , U.S.Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) Sporting nationality United States Residence Los Altos, California , U.S.Spouse Brian Inkster (m. 1980) Children Hayley, Cori College San Jose State University Turned professional 1983 Current tour(s) LPGA Tour (joined 1983)Legends Tour Professional wins 45 LPGA Tour 31 Ladies European Tour 2 Other 13 Chevron Championship Won : 1984 , 1989 Women's PGA C'ship Won : 1999 , 2000 U.S. Women's Open Won : 1999 , 2002 du Maurier Classic Won : 1984 Women's British Open T4: 2006 Evian Championship T26: 2017 (For a full list of awards, see here )
Juli Inkster (nee Simpson ; born June 24, 1960) is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour . With a professional career spanning 29 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $14 million in career earnings. She also has more wins in Solheim Cup matches than any other American, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame . Inkster is the only golfer in LPGA Tour history to win two majors in a decade for three consecutive decades by winning three in the 1980s, two in the 1990s, and two in the 2000s.
Amateur career
Born and raised in Santa Cruz, California , Simpson graduated from Harbor High School in 1978 and played college golf at nearby San Jose State ,[ 1] where she was an All-American in 1979, 1981, and 1982. She was also All Nor-Cal 1979–1981 and SJSU Athlete of the Year in 1981, and is a member of the San Jose State Sports Hall of Fame.[ 2] From 1980 to 1982, Inkster won three consecutive U.S. Women's Amateurs , her first victory coming three weeks after her marriage to Brian Inkster. She became the first woman since 1934 to win three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles.[ 3]
She was a member of the winning U.S. Curtis Cup team in 1982.[ 4] She was also a member of the winning U.S. team at the Espirito Santo Trophy in 1980 and 1982.
She won the 1981 California Women's Amateur Championship , was California's 1981 Amateur of the Year, and 1982 Bay Area Athlete of the Year. She won the Broderick Award, (now the Honda Sports Award ) as the nation's best female collegiate golfer in 1982.[ 5]
Professional career
She turned professional and enjoyed success in her rookie year of 1983 with a victory at the Safeco Classic . She won two major championships in 1984 , her first full LPGA season, and was LPGA Rookie of the Year. She has won 31 tournaments on the LPGA Tour , including seven majors and the career Grand Slam for ladies' golf. As of 2012[update] she is fifth on the LPGA career money list.[ 6] Inkster won a tournament in 16 out of 24 seasons from 1983 to 2006, but has never finished at the top of the money list; her best finishes were second in 1999, and third in both 1986 and 2002.[ 7] [ 8]
Inkster played on the United States Solheim Cup team in 1992 , 1998 , 2000 , 2002 , 2003 , 2005 , 2007 , 2009 , and 2011 ; she has won a total of 18.5 points, making her the winningest American Solheim Cup player as of 2011. She teamed with Pat Hurst , represented the United States at the 2007 Women's World Cup of Golf .[ 9] She was voted Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year in 1999[ 10] and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2000.[ 11] She was recognized during the LPGA’s 50th Anniversary in 2000 as one of the LPGA’s top-50 players and teachers.
Inkster was a player and assistant captain on the 2011 Solheim Cup team.[ 12] She was the oldest player and the first playing assistant captain in Solheim Cup history.
In late 2011 at age 51, Inkster suffered the first major injury of her career, necessitating surgery in January 2012 to repair nerve and tendon damage in her right elbow. The surgery kept her out of the 2012 season until late June.[ 13]
Solheim Cup captaincy
Inkster was the captain for the United States team in the 2015 Solheim Cup . The United States started the final day down 10–6, but mounted a historic comeback to capture the victory by a final score of 14.5–13.5. Inkster captained the United States team again in the 2017 Solheim Cup set at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club in West Des Moines, Iowa, which the team won 16.5-11.5. On January 31, 2018, it was announced that Inkster would captain the United States team for a third consecutive match in 2019 at Gleneagles.[ 14] Europe won the match against United States 14.5–13.5.
Senior career
Inkster has won four tournaments in the Legends Tour and finished second in the 2018 U.S. Senior Women's Open .
Broadcast career
In 2014, Inkster began a career as a golf commentator for the Golf Channel , gaining experience as both interviewer and analyst. In 2015, she joined Fox Sports to serve as commentator for that network's coverage of USGA events.[ 15] [ 16]
Professional wins (45)
LPGA Tour wins (31)
Legend
LPGA Tour major championships (7)
Other LPGA Tour (24)
No.
Date
Tournament
Winning score
Margin of victory
Runner(s)-up
Ref
1
Sep 18, 1983
Safeco Classic
−6 (69-71-72-71=283)
1 stroke
Kathy Whitworth
[ 17]
2
Apr 1, 1984
Nabisco Dinah Shore
−8 (70-73-69-68=280)
Playoff
Pat Bradley
[ 18]
3
Jul 29, 1984
du Maurier Classic
−9 (69-68-74-67=279)
1 stroke
Ayako Okamoto
[ 19]
4
Jun 30, 1985
Lady Keystone Open
−7 (69-72-68=209)
2 strokes
Betsy King
[ 20]
5
Mar 9, 1986
Women's Kemper Open
−12 (72-64-70-70=276)
1 stroke
Amy Alcott
[ 21]
6
Jun 8, 1986
McDonald's Championship
−7 (68-67-69-77=281)
3 strokes
Mary Beth Zimmerman
[ 22]
7
Jun 15, 1986
Lady Keystone Open (2)
−6 (70-7-70=210)
Playoff
Debbie Massey Cindy Hill
[ 23]
8
Aug 24, 1986
Atlantic City LPGA Classic
−4 (67-71-71=209)
3 strokes
Patti Rizzo
[ 24]
9
May 8, 1988
Crestar Classic
−7 (70-70-69=209)
Playoff
Nancy Lopez Rosie Jones Betsy King
[ 25]
10
Aug 21, 1988
Atlantic City Classic (2)
−7 (72-69-65=206)
Playoff
Beth Daniel
[ 26]
11
Sep 15, 1988
Safeco Classic (2)
−10 (76-70-65-67=278)
3 strokes
Ok-Hee Ku
[ 27]
12
Apr 2, 1989
Nabisco Dinah Shore (2)
−9 (66-69-73-71=279)
5 strokes
JoAnne Carner Tammie Green
[ 28]
13
May 7, 1989
Crestar Classic (2)
−6 (69-72-69=210)
5 strokes
Beth Daniel Liselotte Neumann
[ 29]
14
Jul 28, 1991
LPGA Bay State Classic
−13 (70-72-66-67=275)
1 stroke
Caroline Keggi
[ 30]
15
Jul 19, 1992
JAL Big Apple Classic
−11 (66-64-69-74=273)
2 strokes
Nancy Lopez
[ 31]
16
Oct 19, 1997
Samsung World Championship of Women's Golf
−8 (67-74-72-67=280)
Playoff
Kelly Robbins Helen Alfredsson
[ 32]
17
Oct 25, 1998
Samsung World Championship of Women's Golf (2)
−13 (70-73-66-66=275)
3 strokes
Annika Sörenstam
[ 33]
18
Mar 15, 1999
Welch's/Circle K Championship
−15 (68-71-69-65=273)
1 stroke
Dottie Pepper
[ 34]
19
Apr 4, 1999
Longs Drugs Challenge
−8 (69-67-73-70=279)
4 strokes
Sherri Steinhauer
[ 35] [ 36]
20
Jun 6, 1999
U.S. Women's Open
−16 (65-69-67-71=272)
5 strokes
Sherri Turner
[ 37]
21
Jun 20, 1999
McDonald's LPGA Championship
−16 (68-66-69-65=268)
4 strokes
Liselotte Neumann
[ 38]
22
Sep 26, 1999
Safeway LPGA Golf Championship
−9 (67-70-70=207)
6 strokes
Tina Barrett Grace Park
[ 39]
23
Apr 16, 2000
Longs Drugs Challenge (2)
−13 (70-67-66-72=275)
5 strokes
Brandie Burton
[ 40]
24
Jun 25, 2000
LPGA Championship (2)
−3 (72-69-65-75=281)
Playoff
Stefania Croce
25
Oct 15, 2000
Samsung World Championship
−14 (69-67-69-69=274)
4 strokes
Annika Sörenstam
[ 41]
26
May 13, 2001
Electrolux USA Championship
−14 (73-67-69-65=274)
1 stroke
Catriona Matthew
[ 42]
27
May 5, 2002
Chick-fil-A Charity Championship
−12 (66-66=132)
2 strokes
Kelly Robbins
[ 43]
28
Jul 7, 2002
U.S. Women's Open (2)
−4 (67-72-71-66=276)
2 strokes
Annika Sörenstam
29
May 25, 2003
LPGA Corning Classic
−24 (66-68-67-62=264)
4 strokes
Lorie Kane
[ 44]
30
Jul 26, 2003
Evian Masters
−21 (66-72-64-65=267)
6 strokes
Hee-Won Han
[ 45]
31
Mar 19, 2006
Safeway International
−15 (68-68-70-67=273)
2 strokes
Sarah Lee
LPGA Tour playoff record (6–4)
Ladies European Tour wins (2)
Other wins (7)
Legends Tour wins (6)
2015 Legends Championship
2016 Walgreens Charity Classic, Walgreens Charity Championship
2017 Walgreens Charity Classic
2019 Suquamish Clearwater Legends Cup
2021 Land O'Lakes Legends Classic
Major championships
Wins (7)
1 Defeated Bradley on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff
2 Defeated Croce on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff
Results timeline
Results not in chronological order before 2019.
^ The Women's British Open replaced the du Maurier Classic as an LPGA major in 2001.
^^ The Evian Championship was added as a major in 2013.
Win
Top 10
Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut.
DQ = disqualified
NT = no tournament
T = tied
Summary
Most consecutive cuts made – 16 (twice)
Longest streak of top-10s – 4 (twice)
LPGA Tour career summary
Year
Tournaments played
Cuts made*
Wins
2nds
3rds
Top tens
Best finish
Earnings ($ )
Money list rank
Scoring average
Scoring rank
1978
1
1
0
0
0
0
T23
n/a
74.75
1979
1
0
0
0
0
0
MC
81.50
1980
2
2
0
0
0
0
11
73.80
1981
1
1
0
0
0
0
T52
78.00
1982
4
4
0
0
0
0
T14
74.56
1983
8
8
1
1
0
2
1
52,220
30
72.92
1984
23
23
2
1
0
10
1
186,501
6
73.07
1985
27
22
1
1
0
7
1
99,651
19
73.13
1986
23
23
4
1
2
9
1
285,293
3
72.15
1987
24
24
0
0
0
12
T4
140,739
14
72.27
1988
26
25
3
0
1
12
1
235,344
10
71.78
1989
21
16
2
0
1
4
1
180,848
14
72.98
1990
18
13
0
0
0
3
5
54,251
73
73.32
1991
26
21
1
0
1
6
1
213,096
17
72.28
1992
23
22
1
2
1
10
1
392,063
7
71.43
1993
21
15
0
1
0
2
2
116,583
47
72.50
52
1994
16
13
0
1
0
3
2
113,829
49
72.00
23
1995
20
16
0
1
2
5
2
195,739
33
72.46
36
1996
22
20
0
0
0
7
4
259,660
21
71.64
11
1997
24
24
1
1
3
10
1
557,988
6
70.64
4
1998
25
23
1
3
0
12
1
656,012
6
70.78
6
1999
24
23
5
0
3
18
1
1,337,253
2
70.04
2
2000
19
18
3
3
2
13
1
980,330
4
70.73
4
2001
20
18
1
0
0
5
1
445,087
22
71.34
14
2002
20
18
2
2
0
10
1
1,154,349
3
70.82
6
2003
21
18
2
1
1
9
1
1,028,205
5
70.55
6
2004
21
21
0
1
1
7
T2
654,967
13
70.87
12
2005
19
19
0
1
1
6
2
579,240
24
71.33
7
2006
21
21
1
2
0
12
1
1,326,442
7
70.48
5
2007
20
18
0
1
2
6
2
736,521
18
72.09
22
2008
18
16
0
1
1
3
2
441,484
38
71.78
25
2009
20
18
0
0
0
1
T10
259,339
51
72.08
39
2010
21
19
0
1
0
3
2
402,974
29
71.93
30
2011
20
14
0
0
0
4
T4
298,123
36
72.38
35
2012
6
3
0
0
0
0
T23
48,815
100
73.31
n/a
2013
21
13
0
0
0
0
T13
150,628
69
72.53
69
2014
14
10
0
0
0
0
T15
125,505
82
72.83
109
2015
13
9
0
0
0
1
T7
133,489
80
72.07
60
2016
13
9
0
0
0
0
T19
104,433
97
71.63
51
2017
10
7
0
0
0
0
T24
69,693
120
71.74
73
2018
11
1
0
0
0
0
T69
3,050
176
73.33
149
2019
6
0
0
0
0
0
MC
0
n/a
74.17
n/a
2020
3
1
0
0
0
0
T70
3,274
172
72.71
n/a
2021
4
1
0
0
0
0
T66
5,084
178
72.80
n/a
2022
1
0
0
0
0
0
MC
0
n/a
78.00
n/a
official as of 2022 season[ 46]
* Includes match play and other events without a cut.
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur
Professional
Solheim Cup : 1992 , 1998 (winners), 2000 , 2002 (winners), 2003 , 2005 (winners), 2007 (winners), 2009 (winners), 2011 , 2015 Solheim Cup (non-playing captain, winners), 2017 Solheim Cup (non-playing captain, winners), 2019 Solheim Cup (non-playing captain)
World Cup : 2007, 2008
Handa Cup : 2014 (winners), 2015 (winners)
Solheim Cup record
Awards
See also
Notes and references
^ "Famous Alumni: Juli Inkster" . San Jose State University . Retrieved April 24, 2007 .
^ "Women's Golf Record Book" (PDF) . San Jose State University . Archived from the original (PDF) on July 9, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2007 .
^ "1980 U.S. Women's Amateur" . USGA. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "1982 Curtis Cup Match" . USGA. Retrieved April 24, 2007 .
^ "Women's Golf Greats To Be Honored Tuesday" . SJSU Athletics. December 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2020 .
^ "Career Money List" . LPGA Tour . Retrieved June 11, 2012 .
^ "LPGA Tournament Chronology 1980-1989" (PDF) . LPGA. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "LPGA Tournament Chronology 1990-1999" (PDF) . LPGA. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Paraguay dominates field at Women's World Cup" . USA Today . January 21, 2007. Retrieved April 24, 2007 .
^ "Juli Inkster named Sportswoman of the Year" . Golf Today. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2007 .
^ "World Golf Hall of Fame Profile: Juli Inkster" . World Golf Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 4, 2013 .
^ "Inkster, Steinhauer named U.S. Solheim Cup Assistant Captains" . LPGA. Retrieved June 22, 2010 .
^ Kroichick, Ron (March 2, 2012). "Juli Inkster sidelined by elbow nerve damage" . San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ Inglis, Martin (January 31, 2018). "Juli Inkster named 2019 US Solheim Cup captain" . bunkered .
^ "Juli Inkster" . Fox Sorts . Retrieved June 28, 2015 .
^ Mell, Randall (November 7, 2014). "Juli Inkster joining Fox Sports as Golf Commentator for USGA events" . Golf Channel . Archived from the original on July 4, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015 .
^ "Inkster Triumphs as Whitworth Falters" . Tuscaloosa News . September 19, 1983. p. 11. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Juli Inkster Richer by $55,000 in Shore" . Gettysburg Times . AP . April 9, 1984. p. 11. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster Registers Second LPGA Win" . Schenectady Gazette . AP . July 30, 1984. p. 28. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster Charges to LPGA Crown" . Montreal Gazette . AP . July 2, 1985. p. C-4. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster Claims Kemper Golf Crown" . Schenectady Gazette . UPI . March 10, 1986. p. 32. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster holds on for McDonald's title" . The Sumter Daily Item . AP . June 9, 1986. p. 5B. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster wins Lady Keystone Open" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . AP . June 16, 1986. p. 14. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ Juliano, Joe (August 25, 1986). "Inkster Beats Rizzo By 3 In Atlantic City Classic" . Philly.com . Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster wins Playoff at Classic" . Ellensburg Daily Record . UPI . May 9, 1986. p. 11. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster ties tired Daniel, wins playoff" . Eugene Register-Guard . August 22, 1988. p. 2C. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster wins by three strokes" . Ellensburg Daily Record . UPI . September 19, 1988. p. 12. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Kraft Nabisco Championship History -- Past Champions - 1989" . Kraft Nabisco Championship. Archived from the original on December 10, 2011. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster wins by three strokes" . Gainesville Sun . AP . May 8, 1989. p. 3C. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster ends skid" . Times-News . AP . July 29, 1991. p. 15. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster falters, hangs on to win Big Apple Classic" . The Milwaukee Sentinel . AP . July 20, 1992. p. 5B. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .[permanent dead link ]
^ "Inkster wins in playoff" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . AP . October 20, 1997. p. C7. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ Soffian, Seth (October 25, 1998). "Crowd Pleaser: Inkster Defends Samsung Title" . Ocala Star-Banner . p. 1D. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "1999 Welch's/Circle K Championship results" . ESPN . March 8, 2000. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster wins Longs Drugs by four strokes" . Boca Raton News . April 5, 1999. p. 1D. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster on top in Longs Drugs Challenge" . TimesDaily . AP . April 4, 1999. p. 7C. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster secures U.S. Open Championship" . The Robesonian . AP . June 7, 1999. p. 1B. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster fires a 65 to secure LPGA Championship win" . Kentucky New Era . AP . June 21, 1999. p. 2B. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Safeway win gets Inkster is (sic) into Hall" . Portsmouth Daily Times . AP . September 27, 1999. p. B2. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster Defends Longs Drugs Title" . Lodi News-Sentinel . AP . April 17, 2000. p. 9. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster Rolls in World Championship" . The Southeast Missourian . October 16, 2000. p. 3B. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster Wins" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . AP . May 14, 2001. p. C-7. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster Wins Rain-Shortened Event" . The New York Times . May 6, 2002. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Inkster Closes with 62" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . AP . May 26, 2003. p. B9. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Evian Masters Final Results" . The Victoria Advocate . July 27, 2003. p. 3B. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
^ "Juli Inkster results" . LPGA. Retrieved December 1, 2022 .
^ "Golf" . CWSA. Retrieved March 28, 2020 .
^ "Inkster, Compton and Bisher honored by GWAA" . PGA Tour . January 13, 2009. Archived from the original on January 31, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2012 .
External links
† event won in a playoff; ‡ event won wire-to-wire
† event won in a playoff; ‡ event won wire-to-wire
† event won in a playoff; ‡ winner held lead wire-to-wire; # event won by an amateur; ∞ event won in match-play
† indicates the event was won in a playoff
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