Most 2nd-Place Finishes in Women's British Open

Earning a place on the list of golfers who've finished second most-often in the Women's British Open is kind of like, well, finishing second in a major championship. It's an achievement, but you'd rather be on the list of golfers with the most wins in the Women's British Open.

And, unfortunately for the golfers who share the record for most runner-up showings in this major, none of them also appear on the list of most-frequent winners. But all three of the did win this tournament.

The Women's British Open (officially named The Women's Open) is one of the five major championships of women's professional golf. It is run today by the R&A. Originally played in 1976, it is counted as a major only since 2001.

The List: Most Seconds in Women's British Open

These are the three golfers who share the record for finishing runner-up most in the WBO:

• 3 times — Marta Figueras-Dotti, 1980, 1985, 1986
• 3 times — Annika Sorenstam, 1994, 1995, 1999
• 3 times — Sophie Gustafson, 1998, 2005, 2006

Sorenstam is one of the biggest stars, and arguably the greatest player, in women's golf history. It is somewhat surprising that she won the Women's British Open just one, in 2003. That was after she had already finished second three times. Her runner-up showings were by three strokes to Liselotte Neumann in 1994; by six to Karrie Webb in 1995; and by one to Sherri Steinhauer in 1999.

The first golfer to post three runner-up finishes in the WBO was Figueras-Dotti in the years before this tournament was a major, but also before it was co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour. Figueras-Dotti was still an amateur when she was second by one stroke to Debbie Massey in 1980, and also when she won this tournament in 1982. She finished second by two to Betsy King in 1985, and by four to Laura Davies in 1986.

Gustafson's three second-place finishes were in 1998 by one to Steinhauer; in 2005 by four to Jeong Jang; and in 2006 by three to Steinhauer again. Gustafson also won the Women's British Open in 2000, one year before it became recognized as a major championship.

Related articles:

• Largest margin of victory in Women's British Open
• Lowest winning scores in Women's British Open
• Full list of Women's British Open winners

Sources:
The R&A. AIG Women's Open Media Guide, AIG Women’s Open Championship Records, 2024.