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The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is established, replacing the Women's Professional Golf Association. Among the 13 founders of the LPGA are Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Patty Berg and Louise Suggs.
The first official event on the LPGA Tour is the Tampa Open. Amateur Polly Riley wins.
Babe Didrikson Zaharias wins the U.S. Women's Open by nine strokes over Betsy Rawls. Zaharias also wins the other two LPGA majors played this year.
In his first tournament since a near-fatal car crash less than a year earlier, Ben Hogan ends 72 holes tied with Sam Snead at the Los Angeles Open. Snead wins an 18-hole playoff for the victory. Hogan would go on to win the U.S. Open.
Sam Snead wins 11 events on the PGA Tour, including the PGA Championship. He also wins the Texas Open by one shot over Jimmy Demaret by shooting closing rounds of 63-63.
Jimmy Demaret becomes the first three-time winner of The Masters.
Entertainer Bing Crosby enters the British Amateur Championship but loses in the first round.
Born This Year:
• Bob Gilder, PGA Tour, Seniors Tour• Andy North, 2-time U.S. Open champion
• Rex Caldwell, PGA Tour
• Jim Simons, PGA Tour
• Debbie Massey, LPGA Tour
Died This Year:
• James Braid, 5-time British Open champion• William C. Fownes, 1910 U.S. Amateur champ and president of the USGA in 1926-27
Money Leaders:
PGA: Sam Snead, $35,758.83LPGA: Babe Didrikson Zaharias, $14,800
Scoring Leaders:
PGA (Vardon Trophy): Sam Snead, 69.23Men's Major Championship Winners:
The Masters: Jimmy DemaretU.S. Open: Ben Hogan
British Open: Bobby Locke
PGA Championship: Sam Snead
Women's Major Championship Winners:
U.S. Open: Babe Didrikson ZahariasTitleholders: Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Western Open: Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Amateur Champions
U.S.: Sam Urzetta
British: Frank Stranahan
U.S. Women's: Beverly Hanson
British Women's: Lally de St. Sauveur
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