The LPGA Tour was founded in 1950 by a group of 13 women, including American golf and athletics legend Babe Didrikson Zaharias. That group of women made the Tour very much a labour of love, as they not only organised all the events, but competed in them as well.

With women's sport very much in its developing stages in the 1950s, there was little or no prize money on offer for the competitors.

However, the 1960s saw the LPGA Tour start to find its feet as women's sport gradually gained more acceptance. By the end of the 1950s the Tour's prize money had reached $200,000 and in 1963 the LPGA received a major boost with the introduction of television coverage to a number of events.

A crucial time for women's golf occurred in the 1970s when the LPGA Tour shifted from a primarily player-based organisation to a modern business. A commissioner, Ray Volpe, was appointed in 1975 along with the formation of a board of directors and player council. On the course, Judy Rankin became the first ever LPGA player to win $100,000 in a season in 1976.

A new breed of female golfing starlets appeared in the 1980s thanks to the growing sophistication of women's sport in high schools and colleges across America. Players like Beth Daniel, Betsy King and Patty Sheehan made their presence felt as they challenged more experienced players for tour success.

Then, in 1990, it seemed the transition for women's golf from periphery activity to mainstream sport was complete as the LPGA announced two $1 million events. By 1996 there were five.