Helen Alfredsson
Encyclopedia
Helen Christine Alfredsson (born 9 April 1965) is a Swedish
professional golfer
who plays primarily on the U.S. based LPGA Tour and is also a life member of the Ladies European Tour
.
, Sweden
. She represented Sweden in European Junior and Senior Team championships. She was a member of the Swedish
team in the Espirito Santo Trophy
World Amateur Team Championship in 1986 and 1988 and is a six-time Swedish national champion winning from 1981 through 1984, in 1986 and 1988.
She attended United States International University
, graduating in 1988 with a degree in International Business and then tried a career in Paris as a model. During 1986-1988 she played five times on the Swedish Telia Tour, winning at least once a year. She turned professional on 1 January 1989.
where she was rookie of the year in 1989. The next year, in 1990, she claimed her maiden professional win at the Women's British Open
. She won twice on the LET in 1991 and won once each on the ALPG and Japanese tours. She earned exempt status for the 1992 LPGA Tour season by tying for 17th at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
She earned Rookie of the Year honors on the LPGA Tour in 1992 and has won seven LPGA Tour events, including one LPGA major: the 1993 Nabisco Dinah Shore.
Alfredsson has continued to play a limited number of events in Europe, where she has won eleven events. She finished at the top of the European money list in 1998. She has been a member of the European team in the Solheim Cup
8 times: in 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2009. She was captain of the European Solheim Cup
team in the 2007 Solheim Cup
, in which Europe lost to the USA 12-16.
and is stepmother of his son, hockey player Robert Nilsson
.
LPGA Tour playoff record (1-3)
LPGA majors
are shown in bold.
Note: The Women's British Open was not co-sanctioned by the LPGA until 1994, and did not become an LPGA major until 2001.
^The Evian Masters has been co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour since 2000.
^ The Women's British Open replaced the du Maurier Classic as an LPGA major in 2001.
DNP = did not play
WD = withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
DQ = disqualified
"T" = tied
Green background for a win. Yellow background for a top-10 finish.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who plays primarily on the U.S. based LPGA Tour and is also a life member of the Ladies European Tour
Ladies European Tour
The Ladies European Tour is a professional golf tour for women which was founded in 1979. It is based in England. Like many UK-based sports organisations it is a company limited by guarantee, a legal structure which enables it to focus on maximising returns to its members through prize money,...
.
Amateur career
Alfredsson was born in GothenburgGothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. She represented Sweden in European Junior and Senior Team championships. She was a member of the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
team in the Espirito Santo Trophy
Espirito Santo Trophy
The Espirito Santo Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for women organised by the International Golf Federation. The inaugural event was held in 1964 and recent tournaments have featured teams from around forty countries. It is a strokeplay event, in which the best two...
World Amateur Team Championship in 1986 and 1988 and is a six-time Swedish national champion winning from 1981 through 1984, in 1986 and 1988.
She attended United States International University
Alliant International University
Alliant International University is a private, non-profit higher education institution based in San Diego, California. It offers programs in six California cities and four locations outside the United States...
, graduating in 1988 with a degree in International Business and then tried a career in Paris as a model. During 1986-1988 she played five times on the Swedish Telia Tour, winning at least once a year. She turned professional on 1 January 1989.
Professional career
Alfredsson began her professional career on the Ladies European TourLadies European Tour
The Ladies European Tour is a professional golf tour for women which was founded in 1979. It is based in England. Like many UK-based sports organisations it is a company limited by guarantee, a legal structure which enables it to focus on maximising returns to its members through prize money,...
where she was rookie of the year in 1989. The next year, in 1990, she claimed her maiden professional win at the Women's British Open
Women's British Open
The Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons...
. She won twice on the LET in 1991 and won once each on the ALPG and Japanese tours. She earned exempt status for the 1992 LPGA Tour season by tying for 17th at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
She earned Rookie of the Year honors on the LPGA Tour in 1992 and has won seven LPGA Tour events, including one LPGA major: the 1993 Nabisco Dinah Shore.
Alfredsson has continued to play a limited number of events in Europe, where she has won eleven events. She finished at the top of the European money list in 1998. She has been a member of the European team in the Solheim Cup
Solheim Cup
The Solheim Cup is a biennial golf tournament for professional women golfers contested by teams representing Europe and the United States. It is named after the Norwegian-American golf club manufacturer Karsten Solheim, who was a driving force behind its creation.The inaugural Cup was held in 1990,...
8 times: in 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2009. She was captain of the European Solheim Cup
Solheim Cup
The Solheim Cup is a biennial golf tournament for professional women golfers contested by teams representing Europe and the United States. It is named after the Norwegian-American golf club manufacturer Karsten Solheim, who was a driving force behind its creation.The inaugural Cup was held in 1990,...
team in the 2007 Solheim Cup
2007 Solheim Cup
The 2007 Solheim Cup, the tenth edition of the tournament, was held between Friday, 14 September and Sunday, 16 September, at Halmstad GK, Halmstad, Sweden. It was a three-day contest for professional female golfers, pitting the 12 best players born in the United States against the 12 best players...
, in which Europe lost to the USA 12-16.
Personal life
Alfredsson is married to former National Hockey League player Kent NilssonKent Nilsson
Kent Åke "Kenta" Nilsson is a retired professional ice hockey centre.During his NHL career he was called "Mr. Magic" and "The Magic Man"...
and is stepmother of his son, hockey player Robert Nilsson
Robert Nilsson
Robert Åke Nilsson is a Canadian-born Swedish professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League.-Playing career:...
.
LPGA Tour wins (7)
EWLINE
|
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 Mar 1993 1993 LPGA Tour The 1993 LPGA Tour was the 44th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from February 5 to November 7. The season consisted of 31 official money events. Brandie Burton won the most tournaments, three... |
Nabisco Dinah Shore | 2 strokes |  Tina BarrettTina Barrett (golfer) Christina "Tina" Barrett is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Barrett won once on the LPGA Tour in 1989.-LPGA Tour wins :-External links:... , Amy Benz, Betsy KingBetsy King Betsy King is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won six major championships and 34 LPGA Tour victories in all.-Career:... |
|
| 2 | 31 Jul 1994 1994 LPGA Tour The 1994 LPGA Tour was the 45th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from February 4 to November 6. The season consisted of 32 official money events. Beth Daniel won the most tournaments, four... |
PING/Welch's Championship PING/Welch's Championship The PING/Welch's Championship was an annual golf tournament for professional female golfers on the LPGA Tour. Founded in 1980 as the Boston Five Classic, it took place every year in the Boston, Massachusetts area from 1980 through 1997... |
4 strokes | Pat Bradley, Juli Inkster Juli Inkster Juli Inkster is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. With a professional career spanning 27 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $11 million in career earnings... |
|
| 3 | 25 Jan 1998 1998 LPGA Tour The 1998 LPGA Tour was the 49th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 16 to November 22. The season consisted of 36 official money events. Se Ri Pak and Annika Sörenstam won the most tournaments, four each... |
The Office Depot The Office Depot The Office Depot was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1997 to 2001. It was played at Ibis Golf & Country Club in West Palm Beach, Florida from 1997 to 2000 and at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami, Florida in 2001.-Winners:The Office Depot... |
2 strokes |  Liselotte NeumannLiselotte Neumann Liselotte Maria "Lotta" Neumann is a Swedish professional golfer. She currently plays primarily on the LPGA Tour.-Amateur career:... |
|
| 4 | 15 Mar 1998 1998 LPGA Tour The 1998 LPGA Tour was the 49th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 16 to November 22. The season consisted of 36 official money events. Se Ri Pak and Annika Sörenstam won the most tournaments, four each... |
Welch's/Circle K Championship | 1 stroke | Dana Dormann Dana Dormann Dana Lofland Dormann is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. She also played under her maiden name Dana Lofland and as Dana Lofland-Dormann.Lofland won the 1985 U.S... , Liselotte Neumann |
|
| 5 | 5 Oct 2003 2003 LPGA Tour The 2003 LPGA Tour was the 54th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from March 13 to November 23. The season consisted of 31 official money events. Annika Sörenstam won the most tournaments, six... |
Longs Drugs Challenge | 1 stroke |  Rachel HetheringtonRachel Hetherington Rachel Hetherington is an Australian professional golfer playing on the American LPGA Tour. Hetherington played under her married name, Rachel Teske, from 2001–2004.-Career overview:... , Pat HurstPat Hurst Pat Hurst is an American professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.Hurst's father is American and her mother is originally from Japan. She was born in San Leandro, California and raised in California.-Amateur career:... ,  Sarah LeeSarah Lee (golfer) Sarah Jung Yeon Lee is a South Korean professional golfer. She became a professional in 1998.-Personal:Lee majored in Physical Education at Kyung Hee University... , Grace ParkGrace Park (golfer) Grace Park is a South Korean professional golfer on the LPGA Tour.-Amateur career:Park was born in Seoul, South Korea. She moved to Hawaii at the age of 12, and then to Arizona. She received the 1996 Dial Award as top female high-school scholar-athlete in the United States... , Se Ri PakSe Ri Pak Pak Se Ri is a South Korean professional golfer, playing on the LPGA Tour. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2007.-Career overview:... |
|
| 6 | 27 Jul 2008 2008 LPGA Tour The 2008 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world that took place from February through December 2008. The tournaments were sanctioned by the United States based Ladies Professional Golf Association... |
Evian Masters Evian Masters The Evian Masters is a women's professional golf tournament played at the Evian Masters Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France each July.Founded in 1994 on the Ladies European Tour, it is one of two major championships on the LET. Not a major on the LPGA Tour, it became an LPGA co-sanctioned event in... ^ |
Playoff |  Angela ParkAngela Park Angela Park is a Brazilian-American professional golfer currently playing on the LPGA Tour. She holds dual citizenship in Brazil and the United States.-Childhood and personal life:... Na Yeon ChoiNa Yeon Choi Na Yeon Choi is a South Korean female professional golfer playing on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.-Amateur career:At age 17 in 2004, Choi won the ADT CAPS Invitational on the LPGA of Korea Tour , beating future Hall-of-Famer Se Ri Pak by four strokes. Choi turned professional shortly thereafter, in... |
|
| 7 | 26 Oct 2008 2008 LPGA Tour The 2008 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world that took place from February through December 2008. The tournaments were sanctioned by the United States based Ladies Professional Golf Association... |
Grand China Air LPGA Grand China Air LPGA The Grand China Air LPGA was a golf tournament on the American LPGA Tour and was the first LPGA event to be played in China. The event was played in Haikou, China... |
3 strokes |  Yani TsengYani Tseng Yani Tseng is a Taiwanese professional golfer currently playing on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She is the youngest player ever, male or female, to win five major championships and is currently ranked number 1 in the Women's World Golf Rankings.... |
LPGA Tour playoff record (1-3)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1992 | Mazda Japan Classic | Betsy King Betsy King Betsy King is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won six major championships and 34 LPGA Tour victories in all.-Career:... |
Lost to birdie on fourth extra hole |
| 2 | 1997 | Samsung World Championship of Women's Golf | Juli Inkster Juli Inkster Juli Inkster is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. With a professional career spanning 27 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $11 million in career earnings... , Kelly Robbins |
Inkster won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 3 | 2008 | Evian Masters Evian Masters The Evian Masters is a women's professional golf tournament played at the Evian Masters Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France each July.Founded in 1994 on the Ladies European Tour, it is one of two major championships on the LET. Not a major on the LPGA Tour, it became an LPGA co-sanctioned event in... |
Angela Park Angela Park Angela Park is a Brazilian-American professional golfer currently playing on the LPGA Tour. She holds dual citizenship in Brazil and the United States.-Childhood and personal life:... Na Yeon ChoiNa Yeon Choi Na Yeon Choi is a South Korean female professional golfer playing on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.-Amateur career:At age 17 in 2004, Choi won the ADT CAPS Invitational on the LPGA of Korea Tour , beating future Hall-of-Famer Se Ri Pak by four strokes. Choi turned professional shortly thereafter, in... |
Won with birdie on third extra hole Park eliminated with birdie on first hole |
| 4 | 2008 | Safeway Classic Safeway Classic The Safeway Classic is an annual golf tournament for professional female golfers on the LPGA Tour. Founded in 1972, the 54-hole event takes place every year in the Portland, Oregon area and is the oldest continuous event on the LPGA Tour. Tournament Golf Foundation has managed the tournament since... |
Sophie Gustafson Sophie Gustafson Sophie Gustafson is a Swedish professional golfer. She is a member of U.S. based LPGA Tour and a life member of the Ladies European Tour. She has five LPGA and 21 international wins in her career... , Cristie KerrCristie Kerr Cristie Kerr is an American professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She has 14 wins on the LPGA Tour, including two major championships, and over $13 million in career earnings... |
Kerr won with birdie on first extra hole |
LPGA majors
Women's major golf championships
Women's golf has a set of major championships which parallels that in men's golf, but the women's system is younger and has been less stable than the men's. Many professional stroke play events for women are played over three rounds , but the majors are played over four rounds , which is the...
are shown in bold.
Ladies European Tour wins (11)
- 1990 Women's British OpenWomen's British OpenThe Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons...
- 1991 Hennessy Ladies Cup, Trophee Coconut Skol,
- 1992 Hennessy Ladies Cup, IBM Ladies Open
- 1994 Evian MastersEvian MastersThe Evian Masters is a women's professional golf tournament played at the Evian Masters Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France each July.Founded in 1994 on the Ladies European Tour, it is one of two major championships on the LET. Not a major on the LPGA Tour, it became an LPGA co-sanctioned event in...
- 1996 Hennessy Cup
- 1997 WPGA Championship of Europe
- 1998 Evian MastersEvian MastersThe Evian Masters is a women's professional golf tournament played at the Evian Masters Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France each July.Founded in 1994 on the Ladies European Tour, it is one of two major championships on the LET. Not a major on the LPGA Tour, it became an LPGA co-sanctioned event in...
- 2001 WPGA Championship of Europe
- 2008 Evian MastersEvian MastersThe Evian Masters is a women's professional golf tournament played at the Evian Masters Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France each July.Founded in 1994 on the Ladies European Tour, it is one of two major championships on the LET. Not a major on the LPGA Tour, it became an LPGA co-sanctioned event in...
^
Note: The Women's British Open was not co-sanctioned by the LPGA until 1994, and did not become an LPGA major until 2001.
^The Evian Masters has been co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour since 2000.
Other wins (2)
- 1991 Benson & Hedges Trophy (with Anders ForsbrandAnders ForsbrandAnders Forsbrand was one of the first Swedish professional golfers to make a major impact on the European Tour.Forsbrand was born in Filipstad, Sweden, and turned professional in 1981. He first played on the European Tour in 1982, and has been a member since...
) - 1992 Sunrise Cup World Team Championship (with Liselotte NeumannLiselotte NeumannLiselotte Maria "Lotta" Neumann is a Swedish professional golfer. She currently plays primarily on the LPGA Tour.-Amateur career:...
)
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Margin | Runners-up |
|---|---|
| 1993 1993 Nabisco Dinah Shore The 1993 Nabisco Dinah Shore was played at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. This was the 22nd edition of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, and the 11th edition as a major championship. It was played from March 25–28.... |
Nabisco Dinah Shore |
| 2 strokes | Tina Barrett Tina Barrett (golfer) Christina "Tina" Barrett is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Barrett won once on the LPGA Tour in 1989.-LPGA Tour wins :-External links:... , Amy Benz, Betsy KingBetsy King Betsy King is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won six major championships and 34 LPGA Tour victories in all.-Career:... |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kraft Nabisco Championship Kraft Nabisco Championship The Kraft Nabisco Championship is one of the four major championships on the LPGA Tour. It was founded in 1972 by Dinah Shore and has been classified as a major since 1983... |
T49 | DNP | 1 | T48 | CUT | T48 | T54 | T3 | T10 | T57 |
| LPGA Championship LPGA Championship The LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour... |
DNP | T5 | CUT | T35 | T38 | CUT | T67 | T51 | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Women's Open | CUT | T13 | T2 | T9 | T40 | CUT | T48 | T13 | T12 | CUT |
| du Maurier Classic | DNP | T28 | T8 | T31 | T9 | CUT | T14 | T34 | CUT | T40 |
| Tournament | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kraft Nabisco Championship Kraft Nabisco Championship The Kraft Nabisco Championship is one of the four major championships on the LPGA Tour. It was founded in 1972 by Dinah Shore and has been classified as a major since 1983... |
T46 | T45 | T64 | T40 | T35 | T8 | T37 | T21 | T12 |
| LPGA Championship LPGA Championship The LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour... |
9 | CUT | CUT | T61 | CUT | CUT | DNP | CUT | T57 |
| U.S. Women's Open | T26 | DNP | DQ | CUT | T23 | CUT | DNP | 2 | WD |
| Women's British Open Women's British Open The Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons... ^ |
T64 | T40 | T61 | T60 | T42 | CUT | CUT | T56 | CUT |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| Kraft Nabisco Championship Kraft Nabisco Championship The Kraft Nabisco Championship is one of the four major championships on the LPGA Tour. It was founded in 1972 by Dinah Shore and has been classified as a major since 1983... |
DNP | CUT |
| LPGA Championship LPGA Championship The LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour... |
T42 | DNP |
| U.S. Women's Open | CUT | DNP |
| Women's British Open Women's British Open The Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons... |
CUT | DNP |
^ The Women's British Open replaced the du Maurier Classic as an LPGA major in 2001.
DNP = did not play
WD = withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
DQ = disqualified
"T" = tied
Green background for a win. Yellow background for a top-10 finish.