Winners of the du Maurier Classic, Former LPGA Major

The du Maurier Classic was an LPGA Tour golf tournament that was, for 22 years, one of the major championships of women's golf. Its time as a major spanned from the late 1970s to the early 2000s, and many of the LPGA's biggest stars were winners during that period. During the earliest years of that run, the tournament was named the Peter Jackson Classic.

First year as a major: 1979

Last year as a major: 2000

The du Maurier Classic was played in Canada, and, in fact, it is still played in Canada today — just not under that name, and not as a major championship (this is explained below the list of winners). This tournament was replaced as a major championship when the LPGA elevated the Women's British Open to major championship status in 2001.

During the du Maurier Classic's major championship years, the biggest winner was Pat Bradley. Bradley was a three-tme champion, winning in 1980, 1985 and 1986. She is also the major's only back-to-back winner. Her 1986 victory came on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff against Ayako Okamoto.

Brandie Burton was the only other multiple winner during the du Maurier's major championship years. Her two victories were in 1993 and 1998. In her second win in 1998, Burton set the scoring records for the event's major years, with a 270 total and an 18-under par score.

The du Maurier Classic was known for producing tightly contested tournaments. From 1979-2000, only twice was the margin of victory greater than two strokes. Amy Alcott won by three strokes in 1979, and Nancy Scranton won by three strokes in 1991. Of the 22 times it was played as a major, the margin of victory was one stroke or a playoff 13 times.

Who were the title sponsors? The original title sponsor, Peter Jackson, was a cigarette brand. The longtime title sponsor, du Maurier, was ... a cigarette brand. Both brands were part of the Imperial Tobacco Canada company. When Canadian laws regarding the advertising of cigarettes changed, the company's sponsorship ended.

Major Championship Winners of the du Maurier Classic

1979 — Amy Alcott, 285
1980 — Pat Bradley, 277
1981 — Jan Stephenson, 278
1982 — Sandra Haynie, 280
1983 — Hollis Stacy, 277
1984 — Juli Inkster, 279
1985 — Pat Bradley, 278
1986 — Pat Bradley, 276 (def. Ayaka Okamoto in playoff)
1987 — Jody Rosenthal, 272
1988 — Sally Little, 279
1989 — Tammie Green, 279
1990 — Cathy Johnston, 276
1991 — Nancy Scranton, 279
1992 — Sherri Steinhauer, 277
1993 — Brandie Burton, 277 (def. Betsy King in playoff)
1994 — Martha Nause, 279
1995 — Jenny Lidback, 280
1996 — Laura Davies, 277
1997 — Colleen Walker, 278
1998 — Brandie Burton, 270
1999 — Karrie Webb, 277
2000 — Meg Mallon, 282

Winners Before It Was a Major

This tournament was founded in 1973 as the La Canadienne. From 1974-83, it was known as the Peter Jackson Classic. The six tournaments played from 1973-78 took place before the tournament was elevated to major championship status. Therefore, the following golfers, although du Maurier winners, are not credited with majors for their wins in these years:

1973 — Jocelyne Bourassa, 214 (def. Sandra Haynie, Judy Rankin in playoff)
1974 — Carole Jo Skala, 208
1975 — JoAnne Carner, 214 (def. Carol Mann in playoff)
1976 — Donna Caponi, 212 (def. Judy Rankin in playoff)
1977 — Judy Rankin, 212
1978 — JoAnne Carner, 278

Note that Bourassa was the only Canadian winner of this tournament from its founding through the end of its major championship status after 2000.

Winners After It Was No Longer a Major

After the 2000 du Maurier Classic, the LPGA Tour "demoted" it to a "regular" (non-major) tour event. Beginning in 2001, the Women's British Open replaced the du Maurier as an LPGA major.

But this same tournament is still played today. In 2001 it took the name Canadian Women's Open, and although not a major championship the Canadian Women's Open remains a popular LPGA Tour stop. For the list of champions post-major championship, see the tournament's official website.