Kraft Nabisco Championship History and Past Winners

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NOTE: The Kraft Nabisco is now the ANA Inspiration.

The Kraft Nabisco began as a 54 hole event, 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.

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.” Viewers are sure to see the swim again this year.

The current name of the tournament reflects Kraft’s 2000 purchase of Nabisco brands. Kraft Nabisco’s support for the tournament is very strong, offeirng a purse of $1.8 million.

It’s a shame, though, that Dinah Shore’s name no longer is associated with the tournament she started.

Mission Hills 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.

 

Kraft Nabisco Winners
Year Country Champion Total score Total par
1972 USA Jane Blalock 213 -3
1973 USA Mickey Wright 284 -4
1974 USA Jo Ann Prentice 289 +1
1975 USA Sandra Palmer 283 -5
1976 USA Judy Rankin 285 -3
1977 USA Kathy Whitworth 289 +1
1978 CAN Sandra Post 283 -5
1979 CAN Sandra Post 276 -12
1980 USA Donna Caponi 275 -13
1981 USA Nancy Lopez 277 -11
1982 ZAF Sally Little 278 -10
1983 USA Amy Alcott 282 -6
1984 USA Juli Inkster 280 -8
1985 USA Alice Miller 275 -13
1986 USA Pat Bradley 280 -8
1987 USA Betsy King 283 -5
1988 USA Amy Alcott 274 -14
1989 USA Juli Inkster 279 -9
1990 USA Betsy King 283 -5
1991 USA Amy Alcott 273 -15
1992 USA Dottie Mochrie 279 -9
1993 SWE Helen Alfredsson 284 -4
1994 USA Donna Andrews 276 -12
1995 USA Nanci Bowen 285 -3
1996 USA Patty Sheehan 281 -7
1997 USA Betsy King 276 -12
1998 USA Pat Hurst 281 -7
1999 USA Dottie Pepper 269 -19
2000 AUS Karrie Webb 274 -14
2001 SWE Annika Sörenstam 281 -7
2002 SWE Annika Sörenstam 280 -8
2003 FRA Patricia Meunier-Lebouc 281 -7
2004 KOR Grace Park 277 -11
2005 SWE Annika Sörenstam 273 -15
2006 AUS Karrie Webb 279 -9
2007 USA Morgan Pressel 285 -3
2008 MEX Lorena Ochoa 277 -11
2009 USA Brittany Lincicome 279 -9
2010 TWN Yani Tseng 275 -13
2011 United States Stacey Lewis 275 -13
2012 South Korea Sun Young Y00 279 -9
2013 South Korea Inbee Park 273 -15
2014 United States Lexi Thompson 274 -14
2015 United States Brittany Lincicome 279 -9

 

2 thoughts on “Kraft Nabisco Championship History and Past Winners”

  1. I like the chances of Australia’s Karrie Webb and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko.

    Karrie has been in great form the last few months and another major from the veteran wouldn’t surprise.

    Lydia Ko is a real up and coming star and has justified her early move to the professional ranks. She’ll win her fair share of majors during her career.

    Reply
  2. It was not terribly long ago that Karrie Webb was “it” on the LPGA Tour. Then she virtually disappeared. I remember watching her in an Australian Open a couple of years ago and thinking “wow … she’s still around.”

    I thought she might be another David Duval story. Not so much, it seems.

    Reply

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