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All the Vare Trophy winners, from Patty Berg to Ayaka Furue, in LPGA history

Kathy Whitworth, the winningest player in professional golf history, died suddenly on Christmas Eve with family and friends. She was 83.
Kathy Whitworth, the winningest player in professional golf history, died suddenly on Christmas Eve with family and friends. She was 83.

The LPGA, founded in 1950, first recognized the tour's scoring leader in 1953. Patty Berg was the first winner, and she'd go on to win three of the first four titles. The Vare Trophy, named after the legendary Glenna Collett Vare, is considered by many players to be the true measure of a season given that every stroke counts. It's the mark of consistent greatness.

Kathy Whitworth, the winningest player in all of golf, won the Vare Trophy a record seven times. Annika Sorenstam, who holds the record for the lowest scoring average of 68.70 in 2002, won it six times.

In 2024, Ayaka Furue becamse the first Japanese player to win the award in its now 72-year history.

To be eligible for the Vare, a player must compete in a minimum of 60 total or 60 percent of official tournament rounds with an individual score, whichever is less, during the season.

She must also compete in a minimum of 70 total or 70 percent of total official tournament rounds, whichever is less, during the season; in seasons that include the Olympic Games, rounds played also count toward this requirement.

Here's the complete list of Vare winners:

Year

Player

Scoring average

2024

Ayaka Furue

69.988

2023

Atthaya Thitikul

69.533

2022

Lydia Ko

68.988

2021

Lydia Ko

69.329

2020

Danielle Kang

70.082

2019

Jin Young Ko

69.062

2018

Ariya Jutanugarn

69.415

2017

Lexi Thompson

69.114

2016

In Gee Chun

69.583

2015

Inbee Park

69.415

2014

Stacy Lewis

69.53

2013

Stacy Lewis

69.48

2012

Inbee Park

69.643

2011

Yani Tseng

69.66

2010

Na Yeon Choi

69.873

2009

Lorena Ochoa

70.157

2008

Lorena Ochoa

69.699

2007

Lorena Ochoa

69.685

2006

Lorena Ochoa

69.236

2005

Annika Sorenstam

69.329

2004

Grace Park

69.99

2003

Se Ri Pak

70.03

2002

Annika Sorenstam

68.697

2001

Annika Sorenstam

69.421

2000

Karrie Webb

70.049

1999

Karrie Webb

69.433

1998

Annika Sorenstam

69.987

1997

Karrie Webb

70.00

1996

Annika Sorenstam

70.47

1995

Annika Sorenstam

71.00

1994

Beth Daniel

70.904

1993

Betsy King

70.85

1992

Dottie Pepper

70.80

1991

Pat Bradley

70.66

1990

Beth Daniel

70.54

1989

Beth Daniel

70.38

1988

Colleen Walker

71.26

1987

Betsy King

71.14

1986

Pat Bradley

71.10

1985

Nancy Lopez

70.73

1984

Patty Sheehan

71.40

1983

JoAnne Carner

71.41

1982

JoAnne Carner

71.49

1981

JoAnne Carner

71.75

1980

Amy Alcott

71.51

1979

Nancy Lopez

71.20

1978

Nancy Lopez

71.76

1977

Judy Rankin

72.16

1976

Judy Rankin

72.25

1975

JoAnne Carner

72.40

1974

JoAnne Carner

72.87

1973

Judy Rankin

73.08

1972

Kathy Whitworth

72.38

1971

Kathy Whitworth

72.88

1970

Kathy Whitworth

72.26

1969

Kathy Whitworth

72.38

1968

Carol Mann

72.04

1967

Kathy Whitworth

72.74

1966

Kathy Whitworth

72.60

1965

Kathy Whitworth

72.61

1964

Mickey Wright

72.46

1963

Mickey Wright

72.81

1962

Mickey Wright

73.67

1961

Mickey Wright

73.55

1960

Mickey Wright

73.25

1959

Betsy Rawls

74.03

1958

Beverly Hanson

74.92

1957

Louise Suggs

74.64

1956

Patty Berg

74.57

1955

Patty Berg

74.47

1954

Babe Zaharias

75.48

1953

Patty Berg

75.00

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: All the Vare Trophy winners, from Patty Berg to Ayaka Furue, in LPGA history