1981 LPGA Tour
The 1981 LPGA Tour was the 32nd season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 29 to November 8. The season consisted of 36 official money events. Donna Caponi won the most tournaments, five. Beth Daniel led the money list with earnings of $206,998, becoming the first player to win over $200,000 in a season.
The season saw the first tournament with a $50,000 first prize, the World Championship of Women's Golf. There were five first-time winners in 1981: Patty Hayes, Kathy Hite, Cathy Reynolds, Patty Sheehan, and Beth Solomon.
The tournament results and award winners are listed below.
Tournament results
The following table shows all the official money events for the 1981 season. "Date" is the ending date of the tournament. The numbers in parentheses after the winners' names are the number of wins they had on the tour up to and including that event. Majors are shown in bold.Date | Tournament | Location | Winner | Score | Purse | 1st prize |
Feb 1 | Whirlpool Championship of Deer Creek | Florida | ![]() | 284 | 100,000 | 15,000 |
Feb 8 | Elizabeth Arden Classic | Florida | ![]() | 283 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
Feb 15 | S&H Golf Classic | Florida | ![]() | 215 | 100,000 | 15,000 |
Feb 22 | Bent Tree Ladies Classic | Florida | ![]() | 276 | 150,000 | 22,500 |
Mar 1 | Olympia Gold Classic | California | ![]() | 142 ^ | 150,000 | 22,500 |
Mar 8 | Arizona Copper Classic | Arizona | ![]() | 278 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
Mar 15 | Sun City Classic | Arizona | ![]() | 277 | 100,000 | 15,000 |
Mar 22 | LPGA Desert Inn Pro-Am | Nevada | ![]() | 286 | 200,000 | 30,000 |
Mar 29 | Women's Kemper Open | California | ![]() | 284 | 175,000 | 26,250 |
Apr 5 | Colgate-Dinah Shore | California | ![]() | 277 | 250,000 | 37,500 |
Apr 12 | American Defender/WRAL Golf Classic | North Carolina | ![]() | 208 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
Apr 19 | Florida Lady Citrus | Florida | ![]() | 281 | 100,000 | 15,000 |
Apr 26 | Birmingham Classic | Alabama | ![]() | 206 | 100,000 | 15,000 |
May 3 | CPC Women's International | South Carolina | ![]() | 287 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
May 10 | Lady Michelob | Georgia | ![]() | 209 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
May 17 | Coca-Cola Classic | New Jersey | ![]() | 211 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
May 24 | Corning Classic | New York | ![]() | 282 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
May 31 | Golden Lights Championship | Connecticut | ![]() | 285 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
Jun 7 | McDonald's Classic | Pennsylvania | ![]() | 282 | 150,000 | 22,500 |
Jun 14 | LPGA Championship | Ohio | ![]() | 280 | 150,000 | 22,500 |
Jun 21 | Lady Keystone Open | Pennsylvania | ![]() | 203 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
Jun 28 | The Sarah Coventry | New York | ![]() | 285 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
Jul 5 | Peter Jackson Classic | Canada | ![]() | 278 | 200,000 | 30,000 |
Jul 12 | Mayflower Classic | Indiana | ![]() | 279 | 150,000 | 22,500 |
Jul 19 | WUI Classic | New York | ![]() | 282 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
Jul 26 | U.S. Women's Open | Illinois | ![]() | 279 | 150,000 | 22,000 |
Aug 2 | Boston Five Classic | Massachusetts | ![]() | 276 | 150,000 | 22,500 |
Aug 9 | West Virginia Bank Classic | West Virginia | ![]() | 212 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
Aug 16 | Mary Kay Classic | Texas | ![]() | 198 | 155,000 | 23,250 |
Aug 23 | World Championship of Women's Golf | Ohio | ![]() | 284 | 150,000 | 50,000 |
Aug 30 | Columbia Savings LPGA Classic | Colorado | ![]() | 278 | 150,000 | 22,500 |
Sep 7 | Rail Charity Golf Classic | Illinois | ![]() | 205 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
Sep 13 | United Virginia Bank Classic | Virginia | ![]() | 205 | 125,000 | 18,750 |
Sep 20 | Henredon Classic | North Carolina | ![]() | 281 | 165,000 | 24,750 |
Oct 11 | Inamori Classic | California | ![]() | 286 | 150,000 | 22,500 |
Nov 8 | Mazda Japan Classic | Japan | ![]() | 213 | 250,000 | 30,000 |
^ - weather-shortened tournament