Sophie Gustafson

Sophie Gustafson (born December 27 1973) is a Swedish professional golfer.

She is a member of U.S. based LPGA Tour and a life member of the Ladies European Tour. cite web
title = Gustafson named Life Member of the Ladies European Tour
publisher = LPGA
url = http://www.lpga.com/content_1.aspx?pid=9004&mid=2
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] She has four LPGA and 22 international wins in her career. She is a two time LET Order of Merit winner cite web
title = Sophie Gustafson Player Profile
publisher = LET
url = http://www.ladieseuropeantour.info/profiles/010572.htm
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] and has represented Europe in the Solheim Cup in each match since 1998. cite web
title = 1990-2003 Solheim Cup Teams
publisher = LPGA
url = http://www.lpga.com/content/Teams,%20Members,%20WinLoss%20Records.pdf
accessdate = 2007-03-10 ] cite web
title = 2005 European Solheim Cup Team
publisher = LPGA
url = http://www.lpga.com/content_1.aspx?pid=4575&mid=1
accessdate = 2007-03-07 ]

Professional career

Sophie Gustafson turned professional in 1992 whilst studying marketing, economics and law at Aranasskolan & Komvux University in Sweden. cite web
title = Full Career Biography
publisher = LPGA
url = http://www.lpga.com/content/2007PlayerBiosPDF/Gustafson-07.pdf
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] In the next three years she played 12 Telia Tour and four Ladies European Tour tournaments. On the Telia tour she had six top ten finishes. Her best finish on the LET was a 22nd at her home tournament in Sweden. cite web
title = 1992 Results
publisher = Golfdata from golf.se
url = http://www.golfdata.se/guide/spg_res.asp?path=/guide/index.asp&nr=3016&year=1992
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] cite web
title = 1993 Results
publisher = Golfdata from golf.se
url = http://www.golfdata.se/guide/spg_res.asp?path=/guide/index.asp&nr=3016&year=1993
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] cite web
title = 1994 Results
publisher = Golfdata from golf.se
url = http://www.golfdata.se/guide/spg_res.asp?path=/guide/index.asp&nr=3016&year=1994
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ]

1995 saw her join the Ladies European Tour gaining two top 10 finishes in 13 starts. cite web
title = 1995 Results
publisher = Golfdata from golf.se
url = http://www.golfdata.se/guide/spg_res.asp?path=/guide/index.asp&nr=3016&year=1995
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] 1996 was her first full year on the Ladies European Tour. She gained her first professional wins, winning once on the Telia Tour at the Rörstrand Ladies Open cite web
title = Rörstrand Ladies Open
publisher = Golfdata from golf.se
url = http://www.golfdata.se/tour/scorelist.asp?TID=M9620XX
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] and once on the Ladies European Tour at the Déesse Ladies Swiss Open. cite web
title = Déesse Ladies Swiss Open
publisher = Golfdata from golf.se
url = http://www.golfdata.se/tour/scorelist.asp?TID=W9624XX
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] In 1997 she earned her first win on the Ladies Asian Tour at the Thailand Ladies Open cite web
title = Thailand Ladies Open
publisher = Golfdata from golf.se
url = http://www.golfdata.se/tour/scorelist.asp?TID=K9707XX
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] and finished T40th at LPGA Q School to earn non-exempt status for 1998.

In 1998 Gustafson won twice on the LET at the Donegal Irish Ladies' Open and at the Marrakech Palmeraie Open, finish second on the Order of Merit and was voted Waterford Players' Player of the Year. She also played four times on the LPGA tour, recording a second place finish at the co-sanctioned Women’s British Open. She also won the Telia Tour Finale cite web
title = Telia Ladies Finale Johannesberg
publisher = Golfdata from golf.se
url = http://www.golfdata.se/tour/scorelist.asp?TID=M9839XX
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] and made her debut in the Solheim Cup, replacing the injured Trish Johnson at the last minute. cite web
title = Tough play being the reserve
publisher = BBC
date = 2002-09-17
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/2263986.stm
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] During 1999, Gustafson played on both the LPGA and LET Tours. Her best result was a tie for 2nd at the Ladies' German Open on the LET Tour.

2000 was a breakthrough year for Gustafson. She got her maiden win on the LPGA at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, cite web
title = Chick-fil-A Charity Championship 2000
publisher = GolfWeek Magazine
url = http://www.golfweekrankings.com/scores/2000/pro/lpga/2210.asp
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] and added a second LPGA title at the co-sanctioned Women’s British Open. cite web
title = Gustafson hangs on for victory
publisher = BBC
date = 2000-08-20
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/889044.stm
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] She had two other wins in Europe at the Ladies Italian Open and at the Waterford Crystal Ladies Irish Open cite web
title = Gustafson voted LET player of the year
publisher = Golf Today
date = 2000-08-20
url = http://www.golftoday.co.uk/news/yeartodate/news01/gustafson.html
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] and partnered with Carin Koch to win the inaugural TSN Ladies World Cup Golf. cite web
title = Swedes hold off English pair
publisher = BBC News
date = 2000-09-17
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/928370.stm
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] She also won 2 and a half out of a possible four points in Europe's Solheim Cup victory at Loch Lomond. The year ended with Gustafson topping the Evian Order of Merit and official Evian moneylist, being voted Swedish Player of the Year by the Association of Swedish Golf Writers and becoming Players' Player of Year'. cite web
title = Gustafson gets gong
publisher = BBC News
date = 2001-02-01
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/1148303.stm
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ]

In 2001 Gustafson won once on both the LPGA Tour at the Subaru Memorial of Naples cite web
title = Gustafson bags Naples title
publisher = BBC News
date = 2001-01-21
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/1129957.stm
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] and LET Tour at the Australian Open cite web
title = Gustafson holds off Webb
publisher = BBC News
date = 2001-03-11
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/1214320.stm
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] crossing the LPGA Tour career $1million earnings mark. The defence of her LPGA title ended with her losing in a playoff to Annika Sörenstam. cite web
title = Sorenstam eyes Tiger showdown
publisher = BBC News
date = 2001-05-07
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/1316934.stm
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] In 2002 she played seven LET events, posting four top 10 finishes, ending the season with one victory at the Biarritz Ladies Classic cite web
title = Gustafson wins Biarritz thriller
publisher = LET
date = 2002-10-05
url = http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_news.php?Id=4684
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] and 3rd place in the Order of Merit as well as winning the Vivien Saunders Stroke average trophy. She made 15 of 20 cuts on the LPGA, with her best finish an 11th.

In 2003 she won three out of eight LET events cite web
title = Gustafson cruises to third Irish victory
publisher = LET
date = 2003-06-15
url = http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_news.php?Id=4172
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] cite web
title = Sophie snaps up HP Open
publisher = LET
date = 2003-08-10
url = http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_news.php?Id=4230
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] cite web
title = Gustafson completes Irish double
publisher = BBC
date = 2003-08-17
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/3158601.stm
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] and secured another LET Order of Merit title. She also won her third LET Players' Player of the Year award and the Vivien Saunders Stroke Average trophy. cite web
title = Evian Tour 2003 Awards
publisher = LET
date = 2003-10-13
url = http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_news.php?Id=4343
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] She won the Samsung World Championship on the LPGA tour, cite web
title = Gustafson on top of the World
publisher = LET
date = 2003-10-13
url = http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_news.php?Id=4341
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] her 4th LPGA win, crossing the $2million LPGA Tour career earnings mark. She became the first woman to compete in a men's Japan Golf Tour event. cite web
title = Gustafson out in Japan
publisher = BBC
date = 2003-11-29
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/3242932.stm
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] and was part of the winning European Solheim Cup team in her native Sweden.

During 2004 Gustafson struggled with illness due to deep vein thrombosis in her leg. Her best finish of the year was a tie for third on the LPGA tour where she led the tour in driving distance at 270.2 yards. At the start of 2005, Gustafson represented Sweden with Carin Koch in the 2005 Women's World Cup of Golf in SA. cite web
title = Australia, England and Sweden favourites
publisher = LET
date = 2005-02-10
url = http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_news.php?Id=3694
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] Three LET events in 2005 yielded a second place finish at the Weetabix Women's British Open and 3rd place on the LET Money List. On the LPGA Tour she had seven top 10 finishes and tied her career low round of 64 at the Wendy's Championship for Children. Gustafson made her 5th appearance in the Solheim Cup. cite web
title = Meet the 2005 European Solheim Cup Team
publisher = LET
date = 2005-09-02
url = http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_feature.php?Id=3903
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] and was a member of the International Team in the inaugural Lexus Cup. cite web
title = Annika Sorenstam heads Lexus Cup field
publisher = Golf Today
date = 2005-12-07
url = http://www.golftoday.co.uk/news/yeartodate/news05/lexus.html
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ]

In 2006 Gustafson played in just three LET events but finished fourth on the New Star Money List after claiming her first victory in almost three years at the Siemens Ladies Golf Open at Golfclub Fohrenwald in Wiener Neustadt in Austria. She earned her thirteenth LET win in 2007 at the De Vere Ladies Scottish Open.

Gustafson was a member of Europe's Solheim Cup team in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2007. Gustafson is married to former LPGA commissioner Ty Votaw, cite web
title = Sophie Gustafson weds Ty Votaw
publisher = LET
date = 2006-07-08
url = http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_feature.php?Id=6248
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] who left his post following the 2005 Solheim Cup.

Professional wins (22)

LPGA Tour (4)

*2000 (2) Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, Women's British Open
*2001 (1) Subaru Memorial of Naples
*2003 (1) Samsung World Championship

Note: The Women's British Open did not become an LPGA major until 2001

Ladies European Tour (13)

*1996 (1) Deesse Ladies' Swiss Open
*1998 (2) Donegal Irish Ladies Open, Marrakech Palmeraie Open
*2000 (3) Ladies Italian Open, Waterford Crystal Irish Open, Women's British Open (see note 1)
*2001 (1) AAMI Women's Australian Open (co-sanctioned with the ALPG Tour)
*2002 (1) Biarritz Ladies Classic
*2003 (3) Ladies Irish Open, HP Open, BT Ladies Open
*2006 (1) Austrian Ladies Open
*2007 (1): De Vere Ladies Scottish Open

Notes:
1: Gustafson Women's British Open win is also listed in the LPGA Tour section as it was co-sanctioned by the two tours.

Other (5)

*1996 (1) Rörstrand Ladies Open (Telia Tour)
*1997 (1) Thailand Open (Ladies Asian Tour)
*1998 (1) Telia Ladies Finale (Telia Tour), Praia d'El Rey European Cup (team event)
*1999 (1) Praia d'El Rey European Cup (Ladies European Tour team event)
*2000 (1) TSN Ladies World Cup Golf (team event)

Results in LPGA majors

olheim Cup record

Notes and References

External links

* [http://www.lpga.com/player_results.aspx?id=201 LPGA Tour profile]
* [http://www.ladieseuropeantour.info/profiles/010572.htm Ladies European Tour profile]
* [http://www.mylpga.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=44 Ask Sophie on myLPGA.com]

Persondata
NAME=Gustafson, Sophie
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Professional Golfer
DATE OF BIRTH= December 27, 1973
PLACE OF BIRTH= Varberg, Sweden