Laura Davies is one of England's most decorated golfers ever, male or female, and will forever be known as an icon of women's golf. Discover more about her life and career via these facts.
Laura Davies Facts
1. Laura Davies was born on October 5, 1963, in Coventry, England.
2. In 1968, she moved to Georgia in the United States for three years, due to her father's job as an engineer for the Lockeed Aircraft Corporation. Davies returned to the UK in 1971 following her parents' divorce, settling in Surrey where Laura still lives to this day.
3. The golfer first picked up a club at Corby Municipal Golf Club in Northamptonshire at 10 years old, where she played with her dad and elder brother.
4. Davies played at Guildford Golf Club and West Byfleet Golf Club in her teenage years, with the latter where she met the person she credits for influencing her career the most - club professional David Regan.
5. As an amateur, Davies was the 1983 English Intermediate champion, the 1984 Welsh Open Stroke Play champion and the South Eastern champion in both 1983 and 1984, before turning professional in 1985.
6. She initially joined the Ladies European Tour in 1985, where she won both the Rookie of the Year and Order of Merit titles.
7. Davies has won the LET Order of Merit a record seven times, in 1985, 1986, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2004, and 2006.
8. The Englishwoman has won 45 events on the LET, the most of any player.
9. Davies was granted automatic membership for the LPGA Tour in 1987, after winning the US Women's Open, despite not being a member of the tour. The LPGA changed its constitution because of Davies' win, allowing her to play on the tour on which she has won 20 times, four of which are LPGA Majors - the 1987 US Women's Open, the 1994 and 1996 Women's PGA Championship, and the 1996 du Maurier Classic.
10. Davies became the first woman ever to win on all three major Tours in the same year in 1988, when she won twice on the LPGA Tour, three times on the LET, and once on the LGPA of Japan Tour.
11. In total, Davies has 87 professional wins to her name, including 45 on the LET, 20 on the LPGA Tour, seven on the LPGA of Japan Tour, eight on the ALPG Tour, two on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour, plus five other professional wins.
12. She also has four Legends Tour wins, two of which are Legends Majors.
13. Davies played in 12 consecutive Solheim Cups, from its inception in 1990 until 2011 - though she only won four times. From 2019 through to 2024, she was also vice-captain (four times).
14. She is the Solheim Cup's all-time leading point scorer, winning 25 points from 46 matches.
15. Davies became the first European player to be ranked unofficial number one in the world in 1994, due to the Women's World Golf Rankings only being introduced officially in 2006.
16. She was named the Sports Journalists' Association Sportswoman of the Year in 1995 and 1996, and the Golf Writers Association of America Female Player of the Year in 1994 and 1996.
17. Her four consecutive victories at the J Golf Phoenix LPGA International from 1994 to 1997 made her the first LPGA player to win the same tournament for four consecutive years.
18. In 1994, Davies was the first golfer, male or female, to win on five different golf tours in one calendar year: US, Europe, Asia, Japan and Australia.
19. Davies was named the LET Player of the Year in 1996 and 1999, plus the LPGA Tour Player of the Year in 1996.
20. She also finished first on the LGPA Tour money list in 1994, making her the first non-American to top the list.
21. Davies won an individual tournament on a tour every year between 1985 to 2010, except from in 2005.
22. Davies published an autobiography in 1996, called Naturally... Laura Davies.
23. She is a keen football fan and supports Liverpool FC.
24. Davies organises the annual football match at the Evian Masters tournament, and was fined by the LET in 1996 for watching England's European Championship quarter-final against Spain on a portable television during the final round of the Evian Masters - a tournament she managed to win.
25. The Englishwoman signed a four-year contract in 1997 worth $1 for newly established American soccer team Myrtle Beach Seadawgs as part of a publicity stunt. She played one league for the club, as part of a six minute cameo.
26. Davies became the first woman to compete in the men's European Tour in 2004, after entering the ANZ Championship in Australia - though she failed to make the cut.
27. Laura was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in the 2014 honours list, after receiving an MBE in 1988 and CBE in 2000, all for services to golf.
28. She was announced as one of the first female members of the R&A Golf Club of St Andrews in 2015, and then was appointed the first honorary president of the Parliamentary Golf Group in 2016.
29. Davies was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2015.
30. The esteemed golfer is now a regular commentator for Sky Sports Golf in England after first breaking into broadcasting with the BBC in 2001 at The Open Championship.
31. Formerly a bookmaker's assistant, Davies is now a racehorse owner with a keen interest in gambling.
32. Davies completed a 56-mile charity walk along the Great Wall of China to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital in 2006.
33. Davies competed at the Women's Open every year between 1980 and 2023, but chose not to play at the 2024 championship at St Andrews in what was the final year of her exemption following victory in 1986.
34. Davies built a nine-hole golf course (one full size green and greenside bunker plus nine tees) in the garden of her house.
35. She represented England four times at the World Cup - 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007.
Laura Davies Bio
Laura Davies Major Wins
*Women's Open was not officially classified as a Major until 2001
