Safeco Classic

Safeco Classic

Tournament information
Location	Kent, Washington, U.S.
Established	1982
Course(s)	Meridian Valley C.C.
Par	72
Length	6,241 yards (5,707 m)
Tour(s)	LPGA Tour
Format	Stroke play - 72 holes
Prize fund	$650,000
Month played	September
Final year	1999
Tournament record score
Aggregate	270 Patty Sheehan (1990)
To par	–18 as above
Final champion
Maria Hjorth

Kent

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Location in the United States

Kent

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Location in Washington

The Safeco Classic (often styled as the SAFECO Classic) was a women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour in the Seattle area, sponsored by Safeco Insurance. It was played 18 times, from 1982 to 1999, at Meridian Valley Country Club in Kent, Washington, usually in mid-September, the week following the Safeway Classic in Portland. ^{[1] [2]}

With the opening of the Seattle Mariners' Safeco Field in Seattle in July 1999, Safeco entered a 20-year, $40 million agreement for the naming rights of the new major league baseball stadium. Safeco ended its sponsorship of the LPGA event in October 1999 and a new sponsor did not emerge. ^[3]

Multiple winners of the 72-hole event were Patty Sheehan (1982, 1990, 1995), Juli Inkster (1983, 1988), and Karrie Webb (1996, 1997).

Winners

Year	Dates	Champion	Country	Winning score	To par	Margin of victory	Purse ($)	Winner's share ($)
1999	Sep 16–19	Maria Hjorth	Sweden	271	−17	2 strokes	650,000	97,500
1998	Sep 10–13	Annika Sörenstam	Sweden	273	−15	5 strokes	600,000	90,000
1997	Sep 11–14	Karrie Webb (2)	Australia	272	−16	1 stroke	550,000	82,500
1996	Sep 12–15	Karrie Webb	Australia	277	−11	2 strokes	550,000	82,500
1995	Sep 14–17	Patty Sheehan (3)	United States	274	−14	2 strokes	500,000	75,000
1994	Sep 15–18	Deb Richard	United States	276	−12	1 stroke	500,000	75,000
1993	Sep 16–19	Brandie Burton	United States	274	−14	1 stroke	450,000	67,500
1992	Sep 17–20	Colleen Walker	United States	277	−11	2 strokes	450,000	67,500
1991	Sep 19–22	Pat Bradley	United States	280	−8	Playoff	400,000	60,000
1990	Sep 13–16	Patty Sheehan (2)	United States	270	−18	9 strokes	300,000	45,000
1989	Sep 14–17	Beth Daniel	United States	273	−15	6 strokes	300,000	45,000
1988	Sep 15–18	Juli Inkster (2)	United States	278	−10	3 strokes	225,000	33,750
1987	Sep 17–20	Jan Stephenson	Australia	277	−11	1 stroke	225,000	33,750
1986	Sep 11–14	Judy Dickinson	United States	274	−14	4 strokes	200,000	30,000
1985	Sep 12–15	Joanne Carner	United States	279	−9	2 strokes	200,000	30,000
1984	Sep 13–16	Kathy Whitworth	United States	279	−9	2 strokes	175,000	26,250
1983	Sep 15–18	Juli Inkster	United States	283	−6	1 stroke	175,000	26,250
1982	Sep 23–26	Patty Sheehan	United States	276	−12	1 stroke	175,000	26,250

Multiple winners

Three women won this tournament more than once; all three are members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

• 3 wins
  • Patty Sheehan: 1982, 1990, 1995
• 2 wins
  • Juli Inkster: 1983, 1988
  • Karrie Webb: 1996, 1997

References

1. "LPGA Tournament Chronology 1980-1989" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
2. "LPGA Tournament Chronology 1990-1999" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-20. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
3. Smith, Craig (October 6, 1999). "Safeco ends sponsorship - 18-Year association with LPGA Tour ends". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 8, 2015.

External links

• Meridian Valley Country Club

47°22′41″N122°09′25″W / 47.378°N 122.157°W / 47.378; -122.157