Dame Laura Jane Davies, DBE (born 5 October 1963) is an English professional golfer. She has achieved the status of her nation's most accomplished female golfer of modern times,[2][3] being the second non-American to finish at the top of the LPGA money list[2] as well as winning the Ladies European Tour (LET) Order of Merit a record seven times: in 1985, 1986, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2004 and 2006.[4][5]
As of 2018, Davies has 87 professional wins worldwide, with 20 on the LPGA Tour, including four majors.[6] From 1985 to 2010, she won at least one individual title somewhere in the world every season, except for 2005, and was the first golfer, male or female, to win tournaments on five continents in one year. She is a member of U.S.-based LPGA Tour and a life member of the Ladies European Tour.[7] She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2015.[8]
Amateur career
A native of Coventry, Davies began as an amateur international player for Great Britain, compiling a notable record. She was the 1983 English Intermediate Champion, the 1984 Welsh Ladies Open Stroke Play Champion and the South Eastern Champion in both 1983 and 1984.[4] She was also a member of the Great Britain and IrelandCurtis Cup Team in 1984.[9] She turned professional in 1985.
In 1987 she went to the United States and won the U.S. Women's Open in an 18-hole playoff against Ayako Okamoto and JoAnne Carner. It was a victory that led the LPGA to amend its constitution. Davies was not a member of the LPGA Tour, so the LPGA changed its constitution to grant Davies automatic membership.[12] Davies became the third non-U.S. citizen and the second European player, after Catherine Lacoste in 1967, to win the U.S. Women's Open. For six days, Davies was holder of both the U.S and British Open titles. The 1987 Women's British Open took place the week after the U.S. Women's Open and in her defence Davies finished tied second, one shot behind winner Alison Nicholas.[4]
Since 1988 Laura Davies has played on both the LPGA and Ladies European Tours. In 1988 Davies won twice as a rookie on the LPGA Tour, three times on the Ladies European Tour and once in Japan, becoming the first woman ever to win on all three major Tours in the same year.[2]
In 1990 she was a member of the inaugural European Solheim Cup Team. She returned as part of every European team through 2011, the only player to do so. Davies is the all-time leader in points won in the Solheim Cup, breaking the record of Annika Sörenstam by winning a Saturday fourballs match partnered by Melissa Reid on 24 September 2011.[13] Davies went on the increase her record point total to 25 by halving her singles match with Juli Inkster on 25 September 2011, as the Europeans captured the Solheim Cup for the fourth time.[4]
In 1994 she was the first golfer, male or female, to win on five different golf tours in one calendar year: US, Europe, Asia, Japan and Australia.[4][14] and became the first European player to be ranked unofficial number one in the world on the Ping Leaderboard.[2] In 1996, she was again ranked number one on the Ping leaderboard.
Davies is the only player to participate in the first 12 Solheim Cup matches (1990–2011) on either the United States or European side.[15] She was appointed as non-playing assistant captain for the European teams at the 2019, 2021 and 2023 Solheim Cup tournaments.[16][17]
Davies was part of the LPGA team at the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge three times between 1994 and 1996.[18]
Her four consecutive victories at the J Golf Phoenix LPGA International between 1994 and 1997 made Davies the first LPGA player to win the same tournament in four consecutive years.[22]
In 2004 Davies was the first woman to compete in the men's European Tour, entering the ANZ Championship in Sydney, Australia, playing from the same tees as the men.[28][29] She failed to make the cut, finishing second to last. She currently holds the LPGA Tour record for most eagles in a season, scoring 19 during the 2004 season.[citation needed]
In January 2013, the Golf Writers Association of America announced that Davies would be the year's recipient of the ASAP Sports/Jim Murray Award, which recognises a golfer for "cooperation, quotability and accommodation with the media." The other finalists were Luke Donald and Greg Norman. The award was presented at the annual GWAA dinner at Augusta, Georgia, on 10 April.[38]
On 18 April 2016, Davies was appointed the first honorary president of the Parliamentary Golf Group, an all-party organisation of MPs working to improve the state of golf in the United Kingdom.[40] On 12 July 2016, Davies was presented with the "Spirit of Golf" Award from the Golf Foundation in a ceremony at Royal Troon. Davies is the first recipient of the prestigious honour.[41]
Off-course activities
Laura Davies on the practice range during the Women's British Open 2004 at Sunningdale Golf Club
Davies enjoys all sports and is an avid football fan and a Liverpool F.C. supporter.[4] She organises the annual football match at the Evian Masters tournament in France[43][44][45] and she has in the past been fined by the Ladies European Tour for watching an England versus Spain European Championship football match on a portable television during the final round of the 1996 Evian Masters in France, a tournament she nevertheless won.[7]
She is also the captain of the Rest of the World team in the annual Rest of the World V Australia cricket match held during the ANZ Ladies Masters.[46][47]
In 2001, Davies joined the BBC Sport commentary team member at The Open Championship.[48] and has regularly appeared in the commentary box for major golfing events on the BBC.
Davies has built a nine-hole golf course (one full size green and greenside bunker plus nine tees) in the garden of her house.
In 2004, she hosted a celebrity fourball tournament for the charity Sport Relief.[49]
Davies has always had an interest in gambling, having formerly been a bookmaker's assistant, and this interest led to her becoming a racehorse owner.[50]
In 1997, 33-year-old Davies signed a four-year contract worth $1 as part of a publicity stunt for newly established American soccer team Myrtle Beach Seadawgs in the USISL D-3 Pro League. She played in one league game for the club, a six-minute cameo in a 4–1 loss against New Jersey Imperials on 18 April 1997.[1] The future United States national soccer team international Tim Howard made his away debut in the game. Howard wrote in his book that the Seadawgs had offered a bonus of $500 to any player who could assist Davies score a goal.[53]
Note: Davies won the Women's British Open once before it became co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour in 1994 and recognized as a major championship by the LPGA Tour in 2001 and the Evian Championship (formerly named the Evian Masters) twice before it became co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour in 2000 and recognized as a major championship by the LPGA Tour in 2013.
* Includes match play and other events without a cut. 1 Davies played in 1986 and 1987 as non-member of the LPGA Tour, why her money won was considered unofficial.[90] 2 Davies's earnings of $37,549 at the 2010 Honda PTT LPGA Thailand were considered unofficial under LPGA rules and are not included in this total.
1 Davies's 2000 LET appearances, cuts made, wins, top tens, best finish and earnings include her win at the individual event at the 2000TSN Ladies World Cup Golf with a first prize of £25,000, which was considered unofficial in the Order of Merit but counted among her LET wins.[79] 2 2000–2004 and 2018–2022 LET Order of Merit rankings were decided by a points system. 3 Five tournaments included in 2021 LET earnings, Order of Merit and scoring average, not including 2021 Aramco Team Series - Jeddah. 4 Includes match play and other events without a cut.
^"Siffror, WPGA-touren" [Numbers, WPGA Tour]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 12. December 1986. p. 71. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
^"Siffror, WPGA-touren" [Numbers, WPGA Tour]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 10. October 1987. p. 89. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
^"Tävling, WPGA" [Competition, WPGA]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 6. June 1988. p. 91. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
^"Tävling, WPGA" [Competition, WPGA]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 10. October 1988. p. 91. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
^"Tävling, WPGA" [Competition, WPGA]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 11. November 1988. p. 87. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
^"Tävling, WPGA" [Competition, WPGA]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 11. November 1989. p. 95. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
^"Tävling" [Competition]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 11. November 1990. p. 89. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
^"Tävling" [Competition]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 6. June 1991. p. 129. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
^"Resultat" [Results]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 6. June 1992. p. 57. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
^"Resultat" [Results]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 9. September 1992. p. 62. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
^"Resultat" [Results]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 11. November 1992. p. 63. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
^"Resultat" [Results]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 10. October 1993. p. 63. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
^ ab"Resultat" [Results]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 9. September 1994. pp. 60–61. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
^"Tävling" [Competition]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 8. August 1995. p. 78. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
^"Tävling" [Competition]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 9. September 1995. p. 79. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
^ ab"Tävling" [Competition]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 10. October 1995. pp. 73–75. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
^"Tävling" [Competition]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 11. November 1996. p. 89. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
^"Tävling" [Competition]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 12. November 1996. p. 89. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
^"Tävling, European Ladies Tour" [Competition, European Ladies Tour]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 8. August 1999. p. 96. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
^ ab"Tävling, European Ladies Tour" [Competition, European Ladies Tour]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 9. September 1999. p. 113. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
^Nilsmark, Fredrik (October 1999). "Compaq Open 1999, Laura Davies Järnladyn" [Compaq Open 1999, Laura Davies the Iron Lady]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 10/1999. pp. 81–83, 98. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
^"Mästerskap, JEM Flickor" [Championships, European Lady Junior's Team Championship]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 6/1983. August 1983. pp. 59, 78. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
^Persson, Lars-Åke (August 1984). "Guldtjejerna" [The Golden Girls]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 8/1984. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
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