The Ladies Professional Golf Association was founded in 1950. It was established by 13 women professionals who organized a tour and created a lasting institution for women’s professional golf in the United States.
The founders included stars such as Patty Berg, Louise Suggs, Babe Zaharias, Betty Jameson, Helen Hicks, Marilynn Smith, and Shirley Spork. Patty Berg became the organization’s first president. The LPGA succeeded the earlier Women’s Professional Golf Association, which had operated briefly in the 1940s.
The first LPGA tournament was the 1950 Tampa Women’s Open at Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club in Florida. Although the organization was built around professional competition, amateur Polly Riley won that inaugural event, an early reminder that the new tour faced exceptionally strong fields.
The year is sometimes confused with 1946, when the WPGA was founded, or with 1962, when the LPGA expanded its international profile. The LPGA is also more than a tournament circuit: it has supported instruction, junior golf, professional development, and broader opportunities for women in the sport.