ANA Inspiration Winners and History

ANA Inspiration Winners

ANA Inspiration Winners and History.

The ANA Inspiration is the latest incarnation of the “Dinah Shore,” a major on the LPGA Tour since 1983.

ANA is All Nippon Airways.

The 2020 ANA Inspiration will be played in September, rather than the usual April date due to the COVID pandemic.

The ANA Inspiration began as a 54 hole tournament in 1972, and was known as the Colgate Dinah Shore Tournament. It has always been held at the Old Course at Mission Hills Country Club. The inaugural event was won by Jane Blalock.

Nabisco became the sponsor in 1982. That year, the Dinah Shore was the first LPGA event to have all four rounds broadcast on national television (by ABC—always a friend to golf). The tournament was designed a “Major” by the LGPA the following year.

For those who are not old enough to remember, Dinah Shore was a singer, actress and pioneering television talk show host. Beginning her career in radio as a singer, she had her own program by 1943. During the Second World War, Shore was the first woman to visit troops at the front. After the war, she recorded more than 70 songs, including one called “Dinah”, which gave her the nickname (her real name was Frances Rose). She had her own television variety and talk show starting in 1951. In the late ‘60s and ‘70s, the show was called “Dinah!” and was enormously popular (my mother watched it religiously). She certainly was the pioneer who made Oprah! possible. Shore died in 1994.

For the LPGA, Shore was a tireless promoter—kind of the Bob Hope of women’s golf. Dinah Shore is the first—and only—honorary member of the LPGA Hall of Fame. She was awarded the Patty Berg Award for her contributions to women’s golf. It’s a shame that Dinah Shore’s name no longer is associated with the tournament she started.

Shore also left her mark in the traditional celebratory swim after the event. In 1991, she joined Amy Alcott for the dunk—the “swim at the Shore.” ANA Inspiration winners now make it an annual tradition.

The “Dinah Shore” was also for many years (and may still be) known as the “Lesbian Spring Break.  Read the full story at the link.

Over the years, the tournament has been sponsored by Colgate, Nabisco, Kraft, and now, ANA.

YearsTournament name
1972–1980Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle
1981Colgate-Dinah Shore
1982Nabisco Dinah Shore Invitational
1983–1999Nabisco Dinah Shore
2000–2001Nabisco Championship
2002–2014Kraft Nabisco Championship
2015–presentANA Inspiration

The tournament has played at Mission Hills. It will play as a 6,569 yard par 72 for the tournament. The course was designed by Desmond Muirhead. The signature is the 531 yard par 5, with an island green sitting right in front of the clubhouse.

The list of ANA Inspiration Winners follows:

YearChampionScoreTotalTo parMargin
2019Ko Jin-young69-71-68-70278-103 Strokes
2018Pernilla Lindberg65-67-70-71273−15Playoff
2017Ryu So-yeon68-69-69-68274−14Playoff
2016Lydia Ko70-68-69-69276−121 stroke
2015Brittany Lincicome (2)72-68-70-69279−9Playoff
2014Lexi Thompson73-64-69-68274−143 strokes
2013Inbee Park70-67-67-69273−154 strokes
2012Sun-Young Yoo69-69-72-69279−9Playoff
2011Stacy Lewis66-69-71-69275−133 strokes
2010Yani Tseng69-71-67-68275−131 stroke
2009Brittany Lincicome66-74-70-69279−91 stroke
2008Lorena Ochoa68-71-71-67277−115 strokes
2007Morgan Pressel74-72-70-69285−31 stroke
2006Karrie Webb (2)70-68-76-65279−9Playoff
2005Annika Sörenstam (3)70-69-66-68273−158 strokes
2004Grace Park72-69-67-69277−111 stroke
2003Patricia Meunier-Lebouc70-68-70-73281−71 stroke
2002Annika Sörenstam (2)70-71-71-68280−81 stroke
2001Annika Sörenstam72-70-70-69281−73 strokes
2000Karrie Webb67-70-67-70274−1410 strokes
1999Dottie Pepper (2)70-66-67-66269−196 strokes
1998Pat Hurst68-72-70-71281−71 stroke
1997Betsy King (3)71-67-67-71276−122 strokes
1996Patty Sheehan71-72-67-71281−71 stroke
1995Nanci Bowen69-75-71-70285−31 stroke
1994Donna Andrews70-69-67-70276−122 strokes
1993Helen Alfredsson69-71-72-72284−42 strokes
1992Dottie Mochrie69-71-70-69279−9Playoff
1991Amy Alcott (3)67-70-68-68273−158 strokes
1990Betsy King (2)69-70-69-75283−52 strokes
1989Juli Inkster (2)66-69-73-71279−95 strokes
1988Amy Alcott (2)71-66-66-71274−142 strokes
1987Betsy King68-75-72-68283−5Playoff
1986Pat Bradley68-72-69-71280−82 strokes
1985Alice Miller70-68-70-67275−133 strokes
1984Juli Inkster70-73-69-68280−8Playoff
1983Amy Alcott70-70-70-72282−62 strokes

ANA Inspiration Winners Prior To Major Status

YearChampionScoreTotalTo parMargin
1982Sally Little76-67-71-64278−103 strokes
1981Nancy Lopez71-73-69-64277−112 strokes
1980Donna Caponi71-67-66-71275−132 strokes
1979Sandra Post (2)68-70-68-70276−121 stroke
1978Sandra Post65-75-72-72283−5Playoff
1977Kathy Whitworth76-70-72-7128911 stroke
1976Judy Rankin74-72-71-68285−33 strokes
1975Sandra Palmer70-70-70-73283−51 stroke
1974Jo Ann Prentice71-71-74-732891Playoff
1973Mickey Wright71-74-71-68284−42 strokes
1972Jane Blalock71-70-72213−33 strokes

1 thought on “ANA Inspiration Winners and History”

  1. I agree that its a shame that Dinah Shore’s name is no longer associated. Very fond memories of those early days. Given the choice of losing the tournament altogether I think its a regrettable but necessary change.

    Reply

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