Sherri Steinhauer

Only Karrie Webb has won the AIG Women's Open as many times as Sherri Steinhauer, who won three Championships over her superb career.

Steinhauer's first title in 1998 however was improbable in more ways than one. A 12-year veteran of the LPGA Tour, Steinhauer had won just two tournaments in that span, although one of them was a major. Still the then 35-year-old was not among the favourites at Royal Lytham & St Annes to begin with, and was on nobody's radar at all after carding a first round 81.

Yet despite being 10 strokes behind first round leaders Brandie Burton and Betsy King, Steinhauer shot three superb rounds of 72, 70 and 69 to complete the most unlikely of comebacks and win the AIG Women's Open by one stroke over Sophie Gustafson.

The American then defended her title the next year at Sunningdale, this time beating another Swedish star in Annika Sorenstam by one stroke. She is still one of only three players to successfully defend an AIG Women's Open.

Ahead of the AIG Women's Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2006, Steinhauer had not had a top ten in 30 consecutive majors, but the good memories of 1998 prompted a fairytale run for the 43-year-old Steinhauer, en route to beating Gustafson once more by three strokes, and claiming her third title and second major in her career.

In so doing, Steinhauer became the oldest ever winner of the AIG Women's Open and the second oldest major winner in women's golfing history, behind only Fay Crocker who was 45 when winning the Titleholders Championship in 1960. Her seven years between victories is also the largest margin in the history of the event.

The Wisconsin native, finished her career with eight LPGA titles, and played in four Solheim Cups, winning three.