Karrie Webb

Karrie Anne Webb Bio

Karrie Anne Webb AO is an Australian professional golfer, born on 21 December 1974 in Ayr, Queensland. She plays mainly on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and also competes a few times each year on the ALPG Tour in Australia. A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame since 2005, Webb has recorded 41 wins on the LPGA Tour, the most of any active player on that circuit. She is also recognised for winning all available women’s major championships, becoming the youngest player to complete the LPGA Career Grand Slam.

Early Life and Background

Karrie Anne Webb was born and raised in Ayr, a small town in Queensland, Australia. Growing up in a regional part of the country gave her ready access to outdoor sporting opportunities and helped shape her early interest in golf. She developed her game on local courses and quickly moved through the junior ranks in Queensland before representing her country as a teenager.

Webb was a member of the Australian Amateur team from 1992 to 1994, making six international appearances for her country during that period. In 1994 she played in the Espirito Santo Trophy World Amateur Golf Team Championships, one of the premier team events in amateur golf. That same year she became the Australian Stroke Play Champion, a title that confirmed her status as one of the top amateur players in the country and set the stage for her move into the professional ranks.

Path to Professional Golf

Webb began her professional career in 1994, playing on the Ladies European Tour and the developmental Futures Tour in the United States. In her first season she finished second at the Women’s Australian Open and won one tournament on the Futures Tour. The following year, 1995, she became the youngest winner of the Weetabix Women’s British Open during her rookie season in Europe, a victory she would repeat in 1997.

She qualified for the LPGA Tour after finishing second at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, even while playing with a broken bone in her wrist. Webb earned the Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year award in 1995, demonstrating that her transition from amateur standout to professional golfer was already complete at a very young age. Her early international experience on the amateur circuit had prepared her for the demands of professional competition.

Karrie Anne Webb Career

Early Career (1994-1995)

Webb’s first two years as a professional established her as a rising talent in women’s golf. After turning professional in 1994, she competed on the Ladies European Tour and the Futures Tour, winning one Futures Tour event and earning top finishes in Europe. Her runner-up result at the Women’s Australian Open showed she could compete against the leading players in the game from the start.

In 1995 Webb became the youngest winner of the Weetabix Women’s British Open during her rookie season in Europe, a remarkable achievement for a player still in her first full year on tour. She also earned the Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year award in 1995, capping a season that included multiple international victories. These early results convinced her to pursue a full-time career on the LPGA Tour in the United States.

LPGA Tour Breakthrough (1996-1999)

Webb joined the LPGA Tour in 1996 and made an immediate impact. She won her first LPGA tournament in just her second start at the HealthSouth Inaugural, capturing the title on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff. She won three other events that season, became the first LPGA player to surpass the $1 million mark in single-season earnings, and was named 1996 LPGA Rookie of the Year.

In 1997 Webb won three times on the LPGA Tour, including another Weetabix Women’s British Open title, and earned her first Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average on tour. She was also voted 1997 ESPY Best Female Golfer. In 1999 she captured her first major championship at the du Maurier Ltd. Classic and won her first LPGA Tour Player of the Year award. She also took part in the largest playoff in LPGA Tour history at the 1999 Jamie Farr Kroger Classic, eventually finishing in a tie after Se Ri Pak birdied the first sudden-death hole.

Major Championships and Grand Slam Era (2000-2002)

The 2000 season marked the beginning of Webb’s most dominant run in major championships. She won the Nabisco Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open, earning her second consecutive Rolex Player of the Year title and Vare Trophy while again topping the money list. She also won the Women’s World Cup in Malaysia with Rachel Hetherington and was named Female Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America.

In 2001 Webb successfully defended her U.S. Women’s Open title and won the LPGA Championship, becoming the youngest winner of the LPGA Career Grand Slam. She was awarded the Centenary Medal on 1 January 2001 in recognition of her contributions to Australian sport. Her victory at the 2002 Women’s British Open, by then an LPGA major, completed a Super Career Grand Slam by capturing every available major championship in women’s golf.

Comeback and Hall of Fame Era (2003-2006)

Following her Grand Slam achievement, Webb went through a three-year slump, collecting just two LPGA wins over the next two seasons. In 2005 she finished no better than a tie for sixth on the LPGA Tour, although she continued to represent Australia at the Women’s World Cup of Golf and won her fifth ANZ Ladies Masters title at home.

Webb qualified for the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2000 but was not eligible for induction until she had played ten LPGA Tour events in each of ten seasons. She met that requirement on 9 June 2005 at the LPGA Championship and, at age 30, became the youngest living person ever inducted into the Hall of Fame. She staged a comeback season in 2006, winning her second Kraft Nabisco Championship with a memorable eagle on the 18th hole and a birdie on the first playoff hole against Lorena Ochoa. She added four other victories that year, including the Evian Masters and Mizuno Classic.

Notable Events and Milestones

Webb’s 2006 Kraft Nabisco Championship win is among the most memorable in major championship history, with a 116-yard eagle shot from the fairway on the 72nd hole followed by a birdie on the first playoff hole. Her 2002 Women’s British Open victory completed a Super Career Grand Slam, a feat unmatched by any other woman in golf. With 41 LPGA Tour victories, she is tied for 10th on the all-time list with Babe Zaharias and ranks first among active players.

Karrie Anne Webb Career Wins

Karrie Anne Webb has compiled 56 professional victories across multiple tours worldwide, including 41 wins on the LPGA Tour, 15 on the Ladies European Tour, three on the LPGA of Japan Tour, 13 on the WPGA Tour of Australasia, one on the Futures Tour, and two in other events. She has captured seven major championships, including the Nabisco Championship in 2000 and 2006, the LPGA Championship in 2001, the U.S. Women’s Open in 2000 and 2001, the du Maurier Classic in 1999, and the Women’s British Open in 2002.

LPGA Tour Highlights

Webb’s 41 LPGA Tour wins place her first among active players and tied for 10th all-time. Her first LPGA victory came at the 1996 HealthSouth Inaugural, and she added multiple titles each season through the early 2000s. Her major championship wins across the LPGA Tour span from the 1999 du Maurier Classic to the 2006 Kraft Nabisco Championship, demonstrating consistency at the highest level of the game.

Other Wins and Performances

Beyond the LPGA Tour, Webb has recorded 15 victories on the Ladies European Tour, including the Weetabix Women’s British Open in 1995 and 1997, and three wins on the LPGA of Japan Tour. She has won 13 events on the WPGA Tour of Australasia and represented Australia at the Women’s World Cup of Golf alongside Rachel Hetherington, winning the team event in 2000.

Karrie Anne Webb Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Webb was born and raised in Ayr, Queensland, in a regional part of Australia. Her upbringing in a small Queensland town provided her with access to local golf courses that helped launch her career. The strong amateur golf infrastructure in Queensland supported her development from junior golf through to international amateur competition.

Personal Life

Webb makes her home in Boynton Beach, Florida, in the United States, where she has lived for much of her LPGA Tour career. She has been recognised for her charitable and community work, including as a benefactor and supporter of a range of health and disability organisations. On 26 January 2010 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for service to golf and the community, and in January 2018 she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to the sport.

2025 Season Performance

Karrie Anne Webb continues to be recognised as a leading figure in women’s golf, with her 41 LPGA Tour victories still placing her first among active players. While her competitive schedule has been limited in recent years, she remains active in mentoring and supporting emerging Australian golfers, consistent with her Order of Australia citation for distinguished service to the development of female golfers.

She was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2022, reinforcing her standing as one of the most decorated Australian golfers in history. As of 2025, Webb continues to make occasional appearances on the ALPG Tour in Australia and remains a respected voice in the sport through her charitable work and role as a mentor to younger players.

Webb’s legacy in 2025 includes her record-setting seven major championships, her Super Career Grand Slam, and her position as the youngest living Hall of Famer at the time of her 2005 induction. Her career statistics, including her Vare Trophies, Rolex Player of the Year titles, and LPGA money list leadership, continue to serve as benchmarks for the next generation of women’s golfers.