Given the career that she would go on to enjoy, it was fitting that the first victory Annika Sorenstam would have on the LPGA came in a major championship.
Annika Sorenstam had secured her first victory on the Ladies European Tour in Austria in June 1995. And she had quickly followed that by clinching the Hennessy Cup at the start of July. But she went into that year’s US Women’s Open still awaiting her maiden win in the States.
Sorenstam had played in the previous three majors, finishing no lower than 24th in that run. She also registered a first top 10 in the majors at the LPGA Championship at DuPont Country Club in May.
However, Sorenstam’s only previous experience at the US Women’s Open had come in 1992 when she finished in a tie for 63rd.
How Annika Sorenstam won the first of her 10 major titles at the 1995 US Women’s Open
The defending champion that week was Meg Mallon, who won two of her four major titles in 1991. And it seemed that Mallon was well placed to win the US Women’s Open again four years later.
Heading into the final round at The Broadmoor, Mallon was at five under par – two shots clear of second place Julie Larsen. Mallon had taken control of the tournament with a superb 66 in the third round. It would be the joint lowest round of the entire week.
Unfortunately for the American, her hopes of a third major title were dashed with a 74 on Sunday in Colorado. Mallon made a triple bogey on the fourth hole.
And it would be Sorenstam who would manage to capitalise. The Swede made three birdies in a row around the turn on her way to winning by one shot.
Annika Sorenstam made history with her win at The Broadmoor
Sorenstam helped make a piece of history that week as she tied the record for the largest comeback ever in the final round of the US Women’s Open.
It would be a little while before Sorenstam became the dominant force in the biggest events of the year. Eight of her 10 major titles came between 2001 and 2006. Sorenstam also played on the PGA Tour in that time.
But she was able to retain her crown in 1996, becoming the first foreign player to win multiple US Women’s Opens.