Golf in Asia has exploded since the turn of the millennium. This shift in power is especially noticeable on the LPGA Tour, with many of the records being broken by Asian-born players.
We have nine impressive resumes here that all happened within the last 20ish years. Many of the women featured are still playing and adding to their legacy with each tournament.
Here are the top 9 Asian LPGA lady golfers of all time:
- Se Ri Pak
- Inbee Park
- Ko Jin-Young
- Lydia Ko
- Yani Tseng
- Na Yeon Choi
- Jiyai Shin
- Ai Miyazato
- In Kyung Kim
Plus, there are many popular golfers of Asian descent who have made waves in the industry, whether that’s winning tournaments or dominating social media.
- Muni “Lily” He
- Tisha Alyn
- Minjee Lee
- Michelle Wie
- Danielle Kang
- Muni “Lily” He
- Tisha Alyn
In a way, we are witnessing history, and Asian-born players are constantly breaking records and showing no signs of slowing down.
Let’s start with the popular Asian golfers and then dive into our best all-time list.
Popular Asian Female Golfers in 2023
Muni “Lily” He
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- Majors: 0
- Wins: 0
- Top 10s: 1
- Money Earned: $289,101
- Country: China
- Years Played: 2019-Present
Muni Lily He has been playing the game since she was a young girl. She began playing competitively in college and has since gone on to have success on the professional tour.
Muni Lily He is known for her strong short game and her ability to remain composed during rounds. She is also an excellent teacher, and she has taught a variety of golfers, from amateur to professional. She has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and ESPN.
In addition to her golf career, Muni Lily He is also an active philanthropist. She has donated money to a variety of organizations, including the Special Olympics and the Asian American Youth Leadership Program. She is also a public speaker and has spoken at events such as the Women’s Leadership Forum.
Muni Lily He is an inspiration to many, and she continues to pursue her golf career with the same passion and dedication that she has had since she was a young girl. Her success on the golf course and her commitment to giving back to her community make her an exemplary role model for aspiring golfers.
Tisha Alyn
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- Majors: 0
- Wins: 0
- Top 10s: 0
- Money Earned: $0
- Country: Philippines
- Years Played: N/A
Tisha Alyn is currently ranked in the top 10 on the Symetra Tour. She began her golf career at an early age and quickly developed a passion for the sport, winning multiple junior tournaments.
After college, she decided to pursue a professional career in golf, and quickly began to make a name for herself in the sport. In 2018, she won the Tullymore Classic and was named the Player of the Year on the Symetra Tour. In 2019, she was the runner-up at the Symetra Tour Championship, earning enough points to qualify for the LPGA Tour.
After competing on the LPGA Tour for a few years, Tisha Alyn decided to return to the Symetra Tour in 2021. She has had an impressive 2021 season, with three top-10 finishes and a win at the Symetra Tour Championship, earning her a promotion to the LPGA Tour for the 2022 season.
Tisha Alyn is a talented golfer who has achieved a great deal of success in her career. She is a role model for aspiring golfers, and her commitment to the sport is inspiring. She continues to strive for excellence, and she is sure to achieve even greater success in the years to come.
Michelle Wie
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- Majors: 1
- Wins: 5
- Top 10s: 49
- Money Earned: $6,825,282
- Country: USA via South Korea
- Years Played: 2009-2022
Michelle Wie is an American professional golfer who began her career at a very young age. She started playing golf at the age of four and turned professional at the age of 15. She was the youngest player ever to qualify for a USGA amateur championship event. In 2004, she became the youngest player to qualify for a LPGA Tour event and the youngest to make the cut at an LPGA Tour event.
In 2006, Wie won her first LPGA Tour event, the CN Canadian Women’s Open, becoming the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history. She won the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in 2009 and finished in the top 10 in four major championships. She was also a member of the U.S. Solheim Cup team in 2009 and 2013.
Wie has had some struggles with her game and injuries, but she has managed to stay competitive. She has won four times on the LPGA Tour and 13 international events. She also has six runner-up finishes on the LPGA Tour. In 2018, she won the U.S. Women’s Open to become the first Hawaiian to win a major championship.
Michelle Wie is considered one of the most successful golfers in recent history and has made a lasting impact on the game. Recently she announced her retirement from the game to focus on her family. We are sorry to see her go but happy she is living her best life.
Minjee Lee
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- Majors: 2
- Wins: 8
- Top 10s: 65
- Money Earned: $$12,213,168
- Country: Australia via South Korea
- Years Played: 2015-Present
Minjee Lee is an Australian professional golfer who has had a successful career thus far and well on her way to being one of the best Asian female golfers in history.
She was born in 1997 in Perth, Western Australia and began playing golf at age 7. She was an instant success, becoming the youngest player to qualify for the Australian Ladies Amateur Championship at age 11.
Lee turned professional in 2014, at the age of 17. She won her first professional tournament the same year, the Volvik RACV Ladies Masters, and became the second-youngest player ever to win an event on the Ladies European Tour. She was also the youngest winner on the LPGA Tour in 2015, winning the Blue Bay event in China.
In 2016, Lee won her first major championship, the 2016 Lotte Championship. She was the first Australian to win the Lotte Championship and the first non-American to win it since 2011. She went on to finish in the top 10 of the Rolex Rankings and was named the 2017 Rolex Player of the Year.
Lee continues to have success on the LPGA Tour, with numerous top 10 finishes and wins. She has consistently been ranked in the top 50 of the Rolex Rankings since she turned professional. Minjee Lee is a young and talented golfer who has had an impressive career thus far and is sure to continue to have success in the future.
Danielle Kang
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- Majors: 1
- Wins: 6
- Top 10s: 54
- Money Earned: $8,108,279
- Country: USA via Korea
- Years Played: 2012-Present
Danielle Kang is an American professional golfer who has had a successful career since she started playing professionally in 2012. She has had a total of six professional wins, including one major championship.
Kang began her career as an amateur golfer, winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship twice in 2010 and 2011. This earned her a spot on the U.S. Curtis Cup team in 2012. After turning professional, Kang won her first major in 2017 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
Kang is currently ranked 2nd in the world by the Women’s World Golf Rankings. She is known for her aggressive play and her ability to make clutch putts. With six professional wins and one major championship already, Danielle Kang looks to be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come.
The Best Asian Women Golf Pros as of 2023
| Majors | Wins | Top 10s | Career Money | |
|
5 | 25 | 123 | $12,583,713 |
|
7 | 21 | 118 | $18,262,344 |
|
2 | 13 | 46 | $10,363,456 |
|
2 | 12 | 101 | $16,695,357 |
|
5 | 15 | 67 | $10,551,388 |
|
1 | 9 | 79 | $10,988,718 |
|
2 | 11 | 46 | $6,148,668 |
|
0 | 9 | 60 | $8,302,365 |
|
1 | 7 | 79 | $9,884,878 |
The Best Asian Female Golfers of All-Time
1. Se Ri Pak
- Majors: 5
- Wins: 25
- Top 10s: 123
- Money Earned: $12,583,713
- Country: South Korea
- Years Played: 1998-2016
Se Ri Pak is among the most successful players in the sport’s history. She was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1982. She began playing golf at a young age and quickly became an elite player.
She won her first major title at the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open and achieved a career-best world number-one ranking in 2003. She has won an impressive 25 tournaments on the LPGA Tour, including five majors, and has won a total of 34 professional titles worldwide.
In addition, she has been a dominant force in Korean golf for almost two decades, winning 13 Korean LPGA Tour events. Se Re Pak is also a member of the LPGA Hall of Fame and the World Golf Hall of Fame, making her one of the most decorated golfers in the history of the sport, including the men’s side.
She has also been a leader in the fight for gender equality in golf and has been a vocal advocate for the growth of South Korean golf. Se Re Pak’s career achievements have paved the way for future generations of female golfers, and her legacy will be remembered for many years to come.
2. Inbee Park
- Majors: 7
- Wins: 21
- Top 10s: 118
- Money Earned: $18,262,344
- Country: South Korea
- Years Played: 2007-Present
Inbee Park is a seven-time major champion and was ranked world number one in the Women’s World Golf Rankings for a total of 109 weeks. Park is a member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association Hall of Fame and was the youngest player to be inducted.
She turned professional in 2006 and won her first major in 2008, the U.S. Women’s Open. She is the only player to have won four major championships in a single season and holds the record for the lowest score in relation to par in a major championship.
Park has won 21 LPGA Tour events and 25 international tournaments. She has also won the LPGA Tour’s money title three times and has been named the LPGA Tour’s Rolex Player of the Year twice.
Park has represented South Korea in the Women’s World Cup of Golf on four occasions, with a best finish of second place in 2013. Park is an iconic figure in the world of women’s golf, and her numerous accomplishments have secured her place in the Hall of Fame.
3. Jin Young Ko
- Majors: 2
- Wins: 13
- Top 10s: 46
- Money Earned: $10,363,456
- Country: South Korea
- Years Played: 2016-Present
Jin Young Ko has quickly become one of the top players on the LPGA Tour. She turned pro in 2015 and quickly made her presence felt, winning the LPGA Rookie of the Year in 2016.
She went on to win the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the 2019 Evian Championship, and the 2019 AIG Women’s Open. She was also the Player of the Year in 2019, becoming the youngest player ever to win the award.
Ko has also succeeded on the international stage, winning the 2019 HSBC Women’s World Championship. She’s also had top-five finishes in the U.S. Women’s Open, the ANA Inspiration, and the Women’s PGA Championship. She has been a consistent presence in the world rankings, finishing as high as second in 2019.
Ko’s success on the course has earned her numerous awards, including the Rolex Player of the Year in 2019 and the Rookie of the Year in 2016. She is also a two-time winner of the Honda LPGA Thailand and the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship. In 2021, she became the first golfer to win the LPGA Player of the Year and the Race to the CME Globe in the same season.
4. Lydia Ko
- Majors: 2
- Wins: 12
- Top 10s: 101
- Money Earned: $16,695,357
- Country: South Korea/New Zealand
- Years Played: 2014-Present
Lydia Ko is a professional golfer from New Zealand but was born in South Korea.
In 2013, Ko won the Evian Championship at only 15 years old, becoming the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history. She also became the youngest professional golfer to win a major championship and became the sport’s youngest-ever world number one at 17.
She won the New Zealand Women’s Open the same year, and the following year she won the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic and became the youngest player to win multiple LPGA Tour events.
In 2015, Ko won the Kia Classic and the Canadian Open, becoming the youngest player in history to win three LPGA Tour events. She also won the New Zealand Women’s Open for the third time, becoming the first player to win the event three times.
Ko also had great success in amateur golf. She won the New Zealand Stroke Play Championship in 2011 and 2012 and the Australian Amateur in 2012. In 2014, she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur and the Mark H. McCormack Medal, becoming the first player to win both in the same year.
Ko has won 19 professional events, including 12 LPGA Tour events and seven Ladies European Tour events. In 2021, she became the first player to win the LPGA Tour’s season-long points race three times. She has also won the LPGA Tour’s Player of the Year Award twice.
5. Yani Tseng
- Majors: 5
- Wins: 15
- Top 10s: 67
- Money Earned: $10,551,388
- Country: Taiwan
- Years Played: 2008-Present
Yani Tseng is a professional golfer from the relatively small country of Taiwan. She is one of the most successful players on the LPGA Tour and has won five major championships. She began playing golf at the age of five and became the youngest player to win a professional golf tournament at the age of 14.
She then became the first female golfer to win four consecutive major championships and the youngest player to win five major championships. Tseng has also won 32 professional tournaments, including two Women’s British Opens and one LPGA Championship.
She has been ranked as the number-one female golfer worldwide for 109 weeks.
Tseng has received numerous awards, including the LPGA Player of the Year in 2011 and the LPGA Tour Player of the Year in 2012. She is currently playing on the LPGA Tour and is a Taiwanese national golf team member. Tseng is widely regarded as one of the greatest female LPGA Asian golfers in history.
Related: See Who’s Not Liked On Tour
6. Na Yeon Choi
- Majors: 1
- Wins: 9
- Top 10s: 79
- Money Earned: $10,988,718
- Country: South Korea
- Years Played: 2008-2022
Na Yeon Choi is a South Korean professional golfer who has had a long and successful career on the LPGA Tour. Choi began her career in 2007 when she won the U.S. Women’s Open, becoming the youngest player to ever win the event.
She went on to win three more LPGA events in the same year and finished the season as the Rookie of the Year. In 2008, she won her first major championship at the LPGA Championship. She has since gone on to win ten more LPGA events and one more major championship, the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship.
In addition to her success on the LPGA Tour, Choi has also represented South Korea in numerous team events, including the Solheim Cup and the International Crown. She has also won a number of awards, including the Rolex Player of the Year Award in 2011.
Choi has recently announced her retirement from the LPGA Tour as one of the top Asian golfers of all time.
7. Jiyai Shin
- Majors: 2
- Wins: 11
- Top 10s: 46
- Money Earned: $6,148,668
- Country: South Korea
- Years Played: 2008-Present
Jiyai Shin is a professional South Korean golfer who in 2008 became the youngest person ever to win the Women’s British Open. She was only eighteen at the time, and it was only her second professional tournament.
Since then, Shin has gone on to have an impressive career. She won the LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year Award in 2008, and in 2009 she became the first South Korean player to be ranked number one in the Women’s World Golf Rankings. She also won the LPGA Championship in 2009 and was the first to win three consecutive LPGA tournaments in the same season.
In 2010, Shin won the Evian Masters, and in 2011 she won the Kraft Nabisco Championship. In 2012, she achieved five victories, the most by any player that season, and she was named the LPGA Player of the Year.
Shin is currently ranked number four in the world and is a major force on the LPGA Tour. She is known for her consistent play and her ability to perform under pressure. Her competitive spirit and drive to succeed have made her a fan favorite, and she is one of the most famous Asian golfers in the world.
8. Ai Miyazato
- Majors: 0
- Wins: 9
- Top 10s: 60
- Money Earned: $8,302,365
- Country: Japan
- Years Played: 2006-2012
Ai Miyazato is a Japanese professional golfer who had an impressive career on both the LPGA and JLPGA Tours. Born in 1986, she began playing golf at the age of 5. She had an impressive amateur career, winning the 2000 Japan Women’s Amateur Championship, the 2001 Japan Women’s Open Championship, and the 2004 Japan Women’s Amateur Championship.
Miyazato turned professional in 2005 and joined the LPGA Tour in 2006. She enjoyed a successful career on the LPGA, winning nine tournaments between 2006 and 2012, including the Evian Masters in 2012. She also won the LPGA’s Vare Trophy for the lowest stroke average in 2011.
In 2014, Miyazato returned to the JLPGA Tour, where she had early success. She won the Japan Women’s Open in 2015, becoming the first player to win both the amateur and professional versions of the tournament. She won five more tournaments before announcing her retirement in 2017. In 2019, she was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
9. In Kyung Kim
- Majors: 1
- Wins: 7
- Top 10s: 79
- Money Earned: $9,884,878
- Country: South Korea
- Years Played: 2007-Present
In Kyung Kim is another female Asian golfer from South Korea. She turned professional in 2005 and has since won seven tournaments on the LPGA Tour and four on the Korea LPGA Tour.
She has been ranked inside the top 10 of the Women’s World Golf Rankings for over a decade and was the number one ranked female golfer in 2012. In addition, she won the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award in 2006 and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019.
Kim has also been a member of the International Team in the Solheim Cup six times, winning five of those matches. She has also been selected as a member of the Asian Games team in 2006, 2010, and 2014, winning the individual gold medal in 2014.
Kim has been recognized for her charitable work, receiving the LPGA Tour’s William and Mousie Powell Award in 2009 and the LPGA Tour’s Heather Farr Player Award in 2011. She has also promoted golf in her home country, contributing to the game’s growth in South Korea.
Honorable Mentions
These players were born to Asian households but not in their parents’ home country.
- Minjee Lee
- Michelle Wie
- Danielle Kang
FAQ
How Many LPGA Players Are Asian?
At any given moment, there are around 60 players that hail from Asian countries. This is ever-changing as many players choose to play on Asian tours closer to their families and offer similar purses to those offered at LPGA events.
Who Is The Best Asian Female Golfer Of All Time?
The best Asian golfer of all time is Se Re Pak of South Korea. She is always mentioned among the best names to ever play the game, such as Annika Sorenstam, Juli Inkster, and Nancy Lopez. Although she has since retired, Inbee Park is hot on her heels to overtake her as the best of all Asian professional female golfers.
Why Do Asian Female Golfers Wear Long Sleeves?
Asian female golfers wear long sleeves for three primary reasons; First, they are made with a special material that provides 50+ SPF protection from the sun. Second, they can be used to regulate body temperature as they add insulation or can be wet with cold water and used as a cooling mechanism. Lastly, they offer muscle compression so golfers can avoid injury and pain when practicing for hours.
Conclusion
While most of the best Asian LPGA golfers hail from South Korea, Asian female golfers, in general, are represented strongly and show no signs of slowing down.
The LPGA tour is very diverse, and we are lucky to see players come from all over the world to test their skills. Compared to the American-dominant PGA Tour, this is a breath of fresh air and creates a truly global sport that brings all golfers together.
Clint is PGA-certified and was a Head Teaching Professional at one of Toronto's busiest golf academies. He was also featured on Canada's National Golf TV program, "Score Golf Canada," twice. He graduated with a degree in Golf Management from the College of the Desert in California and studied under Callaway's co-founder, Tony Manzoni.
He has a handicap index of 6.2 and spends the winters near Oaxaca, Mexico, where he plays twice a month at the Club de Golf Vista Hermosa. He's written over 100 articles at GolfSpan since 2021. You can connect with Clint at LinkedIn, FB, his website, or Clintcpga@gmail.com.
- Best score: 68
- Favorite club: Odyssey White Hot Two-Ball Center-Shafted Putter
- Favorite ball: Titleist Pro V1x
- Favorite food at the turn: Hot dog
