Activities Sports & Athletics Women's Australian Open Golf Tournament Share PINTEREST Email Print After winning the 2017 Women's Australian Open, Ha Na Jang got the trophy and got to pet a kangaroo joey. Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images Sports & Athletics Golf Golf Tournaments Basics History Gear Golf Courses Famous Golfers Baseball Basketball Bicycling Billiards Bodybuilding Bowling Boxing Car Racing Cheerleading Cricket Extreme Sports Football Gymnastics Ice Hockey Martial Arts Professional Wrestling Skateboarding Skating Paintball Soccer Swimming & Diving Table Tennis Tennis Track & Field Volleyball Other Activities Learn More By Brent Kelley Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. our editorial process Brent Kelley Updated February 16, 2020 The Women's Australian Open golf tournament began in 1974, and from 1974-78 it was a 54-hole event. The 1978 tourney, however, was the last one until the event re-emerged in 1994 as a 72-hole tourney. The tournament is staged by Golf Australia and sanctioned by the Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) tour. The Ladies European Tour began cosanctioning it in 2000, and since 2012 it has also been an LPGA Tour tournament. 2020 Women's Australian OpenInbee Park won for the 20th time in her LPGA career. Park finished at 14-under 278 and won by three strokes over the runner-up Amy Olson despite carding a 1-over 74 in the final round. 2019 Tournament Nelly Korda joined sister Jessica as a winner of this tournament, claiming a two-stroke victory. Jessica Korda won in a playoff in 2012. Nelly finished at 17-under 271, besting runner-up and defending champ Jin Young Ko. 2018 Women's Australian OpenJin Young Ko closed with a round of 69 and won by three strokes. It was the second career LPGA Tour win for Ko, who finished at 14-under 274. That was three ahead of runner-up Hyejin Choi. Official website LPGA Tour site Women's Australian Open Records 18 holes: 62 - Chella Choi, 201472 holes: 270 - Karrie Webb, 2000 Women's Australian Open Golf Courses From 1995 through 2002, the tournament was played annually at Yarra Yarra Golf Club in Melbourne. Other than that period, the tournament has rotated to courses around Australia. Victoria Golf Club, site of the 2014 tourney, was the first golf course used in 1974. Other notable courses used include Royal Melbourne, Royal Adelaide, Royal Canberra, Royal Sydney and Kingston Heath. The 2012 Women's Australian Open was the first-ever women's pro event played on the Composite Course at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. Women's Australian Open Trivia and Notes The tournament got off to a good start: Its very first winner, in 1974, was Japan LPGA legend and future Hall of Famer Chako Higuchi. The next two winners - JoAnne Carner and Donna Caponi - were also future Hall of Famers.The first Australian golfer to win was Jan Stephenson in 1977, the fourth year of the event. The tourney was shortened to 36 holes by rain that year, and Stephenson defeated Pat Bradley in a playoff.When this event was resuscitated in 1994, the winner was Annika Sorenstam. And it was Sorenstam's very first victory in a pro golf tournament.The 1994 tournament that marked Sorenstam's first pro victory also was also the site of Karrie Webb's first start after turning pro. Webb later won the tournament five times, which is the event record.Webb, in 2007-08, and Yani Tseng in 2010-11, are the only back-to-back champions.Catriona Matthew's first professional win happened at the 1996 WAO.Lydia Ko, a 15-year-old amateur at the time, set the tournament's 18-hole scoring record (since broken) in 2013 with a 63 in the first round. She finished third that year.One pair of sisters have won this tournament: Jessica Korda, in a playoff, won in 2012; Nelly Korda won in 2019. Their father, Petr Korda, won the Australian Open tennis championship in 1998. And their younger brother Sebastian won the junior championship at the 2018 Australian Open tennis tournament. Winners of the Women's Australian Open (p-won playoff; w-shortened by weather) ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open2020 - Inbee Park, 2782019 - Nelly Korda, 2712018 - Jin Young Ko, 2742017 - Ha Na Jang, 2822016 - Haru Nomura, 2722015 - Lydia Ko, 2832014 - Karrie Webb, 2762013 - Jiyai Shin, 2742012 - Jessica Korda-p, 2892011 - Yani Tseng, 276 Handa Women's Australian Open2010 - Yani Tseng, 283 Women's Australian Open2009 - Laura Davies, 285 MFS Women's Australian Open2008 - Karrie Webb-p, 2842007 - Karrie Webb, 278 AAMI Women's Australian Open2006 - Not played2005 - Not played2004 - Laura Davies, 2832003 - Mhairi McKay, 2772002 - Karrie Webb-p, 2782001 - Sophie Gustafson, 2762000 - Karrie Webb, 2701999 - Not played1998 - Marnie McGuire, 280 Toyota Women's Australian Open1997 - Jane Crafter, 279 Holden Women's Australian Open1996 - Catriona Matthew, 2831995 - Liselotte Neumann, 2831994 - Annika Sorenstam, 286 Wills Qantas Australian Ladies Open1979-1993 - Not played1978 - Debbie Austin, 2131977 - Jan Stephenson-w-p, 1451976 - Donna Caponi, 2061975 - JoAnne Carner, 228 Wills Australian Ladies Open1974 - Chako Higuchi, 219