Hisako Higuchi
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox golfer
Hisako "Chako" Higuchi (Template:Langx, born 13 October 1945 in Kawagoe, Saitama) is a Japanese professional golfer.
Higuchi won the LPGA Championship on 12 June 1977,[1] making her the first Asian-born player to win a major championship for either men or women. (No Asian-born player would win a men's major until Yang Yong-eun won the 2009 PGA Championship.) Alongside Ayako Okamoto, she dominated the 1970s and 1980s in Japanese women's golf.
Higuchi studied golf from Torakichi Nakamura, a member of Japan's winning team at the 1957 World Cup of Golf. She turned pro in 1967 and went on to win 69 titles on the LPGA of Japan Tour. She was 31 when she won her LPGA Championship.
Higuchi became President of the LPGA of Japan Tour in 1996. In 2003, she became the first Japanese golfer to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.[2][3]
Professional wins
LPGA of Japan Tour (69)
- 1968 (2) Japan Women's Open, Japan LPGA Championship
- 1969 (2) Japan Women's Open, Japan LPGA Championship
- 1970 (3) Japan Women's Open, Japan LPGA Championship, JGP Ladies Open
- 1971 (4) Japan Women's Open, Japan LPGA Championship, JGP Ladies Open, Tokai Classic
- 1972 (5) Japan LPGA Championship, JPGA Asahi Kokusai Tournament, JGP Ladies Open, Tokai Classic, Mizuno Golf
- 1973 (7) Japan LPGA Championship, World Ladies, JGP Ladies Open, La Coste Cup Japan vs. U.S., Matsushima Ladies Open, Tokai Classic, Mizuno Golf
- 1974 (8) Japan Women's Open, Japan LPGA Championship, World Ladies, LPGA Japan Classic, Chikuma Kogen Ladies Open, Tokyo Charity Classic, Sunster Ladies Match, Mizuno Golf
- 1975 (1) Tokai Classic
- 1976 (5) Japan Women's Open, Japan LPGA Championship, Sanpo Champions, Miyagi TV Cup Ladies Open Golf Tournament, Tokai Classic
- 1977 (3) Japan Women's Open, Japan LPGA Championship, Tokai Classic
- 1978 (3) Junon Ladies Open, Shinkoh Classic LPGA Tournament, Japan LPGA East vs. West
- 1979 (5) Fuji Heigen Ladies Open, Shinkoh Classic LPGA Tournament, Japan LPGA East vs. West, Hokuriku Queens Golf Cup, Toyotomi Ladies
- 1980 (3) Japan Women's Open, KBS Kyoto Ladies Golf Tournament, Tokai Classic
- 1981 (3) Okinawa Makiminato Auto Ladies Tournament, Tokushima Tsukinomiya Ladies Open Golf Tournament, Pioneer Cup
- 1982 (2) Hokuriku Queens Golf Cup, Kumamoto Cyuoh Ladies
- 1983 (5) Kibun Ladies Classic, Paris Ladies Classic, Japan LPGA East vs. West, LPGA Japan vs. U.S., Daioh Seishi Elleair Ladies Open Golf Tournament
- 1984 (2) Kumamoto Cyuoh Ladies, Kibun Ladies Classic
- 1985 (1) Chukyo TV-Bridgestone Ladies Open
- 1986 (2) Fujitsu Ladies, Tsumura-Itsuki Classic
- 1987 (1) Yamaha Cup Ladies Open
- 1990 (2) an Queens, Kohsaido Asahi Golf Cup
LPGA Tour (2)
| Legend |
|---|
| LPGA Tour major championships (1) |
| Other LPGA Tour (1) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 Aug 1976 | Colgate European Open | −12 (68-74-68-74=284) | 6 strokes | Template:Flagicon Sandra Palmer Template:Flagicon Kathy Whitworth |
| 2 | 12 Jun 1977 | LPGA Championship | −9 (71-67-72-69=279) | 3 strokes | Template:Flagicon Pat Bradley Template:Flagicon Sandra Post Template:Flagicon Judy Rankin |
LPGA Tour playoff record (0–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponents | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1979 | Women's Kemper Open | Template:Flagicon Donna Caponi Template:Flagicon JoAnne Carner Template:Flagicon Nancy Lopez Template:Flagicon Jan Stephenson |
Carner won with par on second extra hole Caponi, Lopez, and Stephenson eliminated by par on first hole |
ALPG Tour (1)
Other (1)
- 1983 Sports Nippon Team Match
Major championships
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | LPGA Championship | −9 (71-67-72-69=279) | 3 strokes | Template:Flagicon Pat Bradley, Template:Flagicon Sandra Post, Template:Flagicon Judy Rankin |
References
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