Karrie Webb
An Australian golfer who dominated the LPGA Tour with 41 victories, becoming a World Golf Hall of Famer and a pioneer for her nation in the sport.
Born 1974 (age 52)·Australian professional golfer·Birthday: December 21·Generation X
Biography
Karrie Webb emerged from the small town of Ayr in Queensland to become one of golf's most formidable champions. Turning professional in 1994, she quickly announced her arrival by winning her first LPGA event in 1995. What followed was a period of sustained dominance in the late 1990s and early 2000s, where her powerful, consistent ball-striking and fierce competitiveness made her the player to beat. She completed the career Grand Slam by age 26, a feat that underscored her all-around excellence. Webb's success, characterized by seven major championships, paved the way for and inspired a generation of Australian golfers. Beyond her trophies, she is known for her philanthropic work, establishing a foundation to support junior golfers and other charitable causes, ensuring her impact extends far beyond the fairways.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Karrie was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Karrie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Karrie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won 41 tournaments on the LPGA Tour, the most of any active player on the tour for many years.
- Captured seven major championship titles, including the Nabisco Dinah Shore, LPGA Championship, U.S. Women's Open, and du Maurier Classic.
- Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2005, the youngest living inductee at the time.
- Founded the Karrie Webb Series to provide competitive opportunities for elite amateur golfers in Australia.
Did You Know?
She was the first female golfer to surpass $1 million in earnings in a single season (1996).
Webb is a passionate supporter of the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League.
She received the Order of Australia medal in 2000 for her service to golf.
“I never dreamed of being the best in the world. I just dreamed of being a professional golfer.”
