April 2024 will mark 45 years since 30 female golfers broke the mould of professional golf and formed the WPGA.
The group launched the tour with 12 events and one sponsor, Carlsberg. Among the founding group was Newcastle’s Jenny Lee Smith – now Jenny Lucas – who went on to win the tour’s order of merit in 1981 and 1982.
“My first winner’s cheque was £225, hardly enough to keep going, but we managed somehow,” said Jenny, who also competed on the LPGA Tour in the US.
Jenny was among 10 of the original founder members of the WPGA tour who gathered to celebrate those 45 years and what the tour, now the Ladies European Tour, has become.
The reunion was organised by Chris Langford, director of golf at Thorpness Golf Club and Hotel, and Jenny added: “It was a wonderful reunion, and we had an amazing celebration dinner and shared memories of our days on tour. We also watched messages from those girls who, sadly, couldn’t be there.”
Christine and Cathy Panton Lewis, also founder members, and golf writers Liz Kahn and Lewine Mair were also part of the celebrations.
“We have been called pioneers and trailblazers of women’s golf, and I feel very proud to be part of this group of lovely ladies,” added Jenny, who won the inaugural British Women’s Open in 1976 at Fulford before turning professional the following year.
