Marathon Classic Winners and History – LPGA

Marathon Classic Winners and History

The LPGA’s Marathon Classic was founded—curiously—after PGA Tour Caddie Judd Silverman decided to bring an LPGA tournament to his hometown of Toledo, Ohio. Silverman was able to recruit both sponsors and the help of another Toledo native, MASH star Jamie Farr. Farr lent his name to the event, worked as host and brought celebrity friends along for the ride.

Jamie Farr stepped down from the tournament after 2012, but it continues as the Marathon Classic Presented by Owens Corning and O-I (Owens-Illinois).

Owens-Corning is headquartered in Toledo.

Grocery store chain Kroger has been involved in the event since 1997:

1984–1996: Jamie Farr Toledo Classic
1997–2000: Jamie Farr Kroger Classic
2001–2003: Jamie Farr Kroger Classic Presented by ALLTEL
2004–2010: Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger
2012: Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Presented by Kroger, Owens Corning and O-I
2013: Marathon Classic Presented by Owens Corning and O-I

The Marathon Classic has been held at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania (just outside Toledo) since 1989. From 1984 to 1988 it was at the Glengarry Country Club in nearby Holland.

The largest playoff in LPGA history took place at the 1999 Jamie Farr, a six-player affair involving Karrie Webb, Carin Koch, Sherri Steinhauer, Se Ri Pak, Kelli Kuehne, and Mardi Lunn. Pak won it on first hole of sudden death by making a ten-foot birdie putt.

In 2007, Se Ri Pak won the Farr for the fifth time, becoming only the fourth LPGA golfer to win the same tournament on five different occasions.

After 2009, the tournament nearly ceased operations as the LPGA struggled under the leadership of commissioner Carolyn Bivens. When Bivens resigned, however, it was revived for another year, but with the purse reduced from $1.4 million to $1 million.

The tournament was not held in 2011 because the US Senior Open was held at Inverness Club in Toledo and organizers felt as though the area could not sustain two golf tournaments in a single summer.

I have attended several editions of the Marathon Classic and can tell you that they are a lot of fun and very family friendly. If you live in the area, it is worth a visit.

A complete list of Marathon Classic winners follows:

Year	Champion	Country	Winning score	To par	Margin	Purse ($)
2017						1600000
2016	Lydia Ko (2)	New Zealand	68-66-67-69=270	−14	Playoff	1500000
2015	Chella Choi	South Korea	73-66-65-66=270	−14	Playoff	1500000
2014	Lydia Ko	New Zealand	67-67-70-65=269	−15	1 stroke	1400000
2013	Beatriz Recari	Spain	69-65-67-66=267	−17	1 stroke	1300000
2012	So Yeon Ryu	South Korea	67-68-67-62=264	−20	7 strokes	1300000
2011	No Tournament
2010	Na Yeon Choi	South Korea	64-67-68-71=270	−14	Playoff	1000000
2009	Eunjung Yi	South Korea	68-66-61-71=266	−18	Playoff	1400000
2008	Paula Creamer	United States	60-65-70-73=268	−16	2 strokes	1300000
2007	Se Ri Pak (5)	South Korea	63-68-69-67=267	−17	3 strokes	1300000
2006	Mi Hyun Kim	South Korea	68-66-67-65=266	−18	Playoff	1200000
2005	Heather Bowie	United States	72-66-69-67=274	−10	Playoff	1200000
2004	Meg Mallon	United States	66-69-74-68=277	−7	1 stroke	1100000
2003	Se Ri Pak (4)	South Korea	69-67-64-71=271	−13	2 strokes	1000000
2002	Rachel Teske	Australia	67-73-64-66=270	−14	2 strokes	1000000
2001	Se Ri Pak (3)	South Korea	70-62-69-68=269	−15	2 strokes	1000000
2000	Annika Sörenstam	Sweden	70-67-66-71=274	−10	Playoff	1000000
1999	Se Ri Pak (2)	South Korea	68-69-68-71=276	−8	Playoff	900000
1998	Se Ri Pak	South Korea	71-61-63-66=261	−23	9 strokes	800000
1997	Kelly Robbins (2)	United States	67-64-67-67=265	−19	8 strokes	700000
1996	Joan Pitcock	United States	68-66-70=204	−9	1 stroke	575000
1995	Kathryn Marshall	Scotland	67-71-67=205	−8	1 stroke	500000
1994	Kelly Robbins	United States	69-70-65=204	−9	Playoff	500000
1993	Brandie Burton	United States	68-66-67=201	−12	1 stroke	500000
1992	Patty Sheehan	United States	70-73-66=209	−4	1 stroke	400000
1991	Alice Miller	United States	69-66-70=205	−8	Playoff	350000
1990	Tina Purtzer	Canada	67-72-66=205	−8	4 strokes	325000
1989	Penny Hammel (2)	United States	69-66-71=206	−7	2 strokes	275000
1988	Laura Davies	England	69-70-69-69=277	−11	3 strokes	275000
1987	Jane Geddes	United States	71-73-69-67=280	−8	2 strokes	225000
1986	No Tournament
1985	Penny Hammel	United States	72-69-72-65=278	−10	1 stroke	175000
1984	Lauri Peterson	United States	68-72-65-73=278	−10	2 strokes	175000

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