In golf, experience and composure are often the ultimate advantage, and some LPGA players have proven that age is no barrier to success. While rising stars often make headlines, such as Yuka Saso, who is one of the youngest LPGA Major winners, seasoned veterans have stepped up to claim Major titles, defying expectations. So, who are the oldest players to ever win an LPGA Major?
Uruguay’s Fay Crocker holds the record as the oldest Major winner, capturing the Titleholders Championship in 1960 at 45 years, 7 months, and 10 days. The Titleholders Championship originated long before the LPGA existed but is now officially recognised as a Major. Crocker was also the first US Women’s Open champion from outside the United States, securing the title in 1955.
Another legend of the game, Babe Zaharias, was a trailblazer not only in golf but also in basketball, baseball, and track and field. She won the Titleholders Championship both as an amateur and later as a pro. In 1954, she secured her 10th Major title at the US Women’s Open at 43 years and 7 days, cementing her legacy as one of the greatest female athletes of all time.
Sherri Steinhauer joined the list of veteran Major champions when she won the Weetabix Women’s British Open at 43 years, 7 months, and 10 days. Meanwhile, three-time US Solheim Cup captain and multiple LPGA title winner Juli Inkster was nearly the same age when she claimed the 2002 US Women’s Open at 42 years and 13 days.
Scotland’s Catriona Matthew captured her first and only Major just weeks before turning 40. Her victory at the 2009 Women’s British Open was even more remarkable considering she had given birth to her second child just 11 weeks earlier.
More recently, while 34 might not seem old, Amy Yang became the oldest Major winner since Angela Stanford’s 2018 Evian Championship victory at age 40 when she triumphed at the 2024 KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Similarly, Anna Nordqvist had just turned 34 when she won the AIG Women’s Open in 2021.
As the LPGA continues to evolve, who will be the next veteran player to add their name to this exclusive list? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain, when it comes to greatness in golf, age is just a number.
