Ladies European Tour 1985–1986 Davies started her professional career on the WPGET (now
Ladies European Tour) in 1985 when she won both
Rookie of the Year and
Order of Merit titles. She repeated the Order of Merit win in 1986 having won four titles, one of which was the
Women's British Open (prior to it becoming a major).
Playing around the world 1987–2023 In 1987, she went to the United States and won the
U.S. Women's Open in an 18-hole playoff against
Ayako Okamoto and
JoAnne Carner. It was a victory that led the LPGA to amend its constitution. Davies was not a member of the LPGA Tour, so the LPGA changed its constitution to grant Davies automatic membership. Davies became the third non-U.S. citizen and the second European player, after
Catherine Lacoste in
1967, to win the U.S. Women's Open. For six days, Davies was holder of both the U.S and British Open titles. The 1987 Women's British Open took place the week after the U.S. Women's Open and in her defence Davies finished tied second, one shot behind winner
Alison Nicholas. In 1994, she was the first golfer, male or female, to win on five different golf tours in one calendar year: US, Europe, Asia, Japan and Australia. and became the first European player to be ranked unofficial number one in the world on the Ping Leaderboard. She failed to make the cut, finishing second to last. She beat the LPGA Tour record for most eagles in a season, scoring 19 during the 2004 season.
Solheim Cup and other team appearances In
1990, she was a member of the inaugural European
Solheim Cup Team. She returned as part of every European team through 2011. Davies is the only player to participate in the first 12
Solheim Cup matches on either the United States or European side. Davies is the all-time leader in points won in the Solheim Cup, breaking the record of
Annika Sörenstam by winning a Saturday fourballs match partnered by
Melissa Reid on 24 September 2011. Davies went on to increase her record point total to 25 by halving her singles match with
Juli Inkster on 25 September 2011, as the Europeans captured the Solheim Cup for the fourth time. She was appointed as non-playing assistant captain for the European teams at the
2019,
2021 and
2023 Solheim Cup tournaments. Davies was part of the LPGA team at the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge three times between 1994 and 1996. Davies also was part of a mixed team event of
PGA Tour and
LPGA Tour players at the
JCPenney Classic four times between 1996 and 1999. Davies won the event in 1999 alongside
John Daly. She represented England at the
Women's World Cup of Golf in 2000 (with
Trish Johnson when winning individually), 2005 (with
Karen Stupples), 2006 (with Kirsty Taylor) and 2007 (with Trish Johnson). She was a Captain's pick for the International Team at the 2006
Lexus Cup.
Senior career At 49 years of age in
2012, Davies won a senior tour event for the first time, the ISPS Handa Legends Tour Open Championship on the
Legends Tour, where there was a minimum age limit of 45. Davies was the first woman to compete among the men in a
European Senior Tour event. She played in the 2018
Shipco Masters in
Denmark, from the same tees as her male opponents. In 2018, aged 55, Davies finished runner up at
Bank of Hope Founders Cup on the LPGA Tour, including shooting a Saturday round of 63. On 15 July 2018, Davies claimed the inaugural
U.S. Senior Women's Open at
Chicago Golf Club by shooting 16-under-par for a 10-shot victory over fellow Hall of Famer
Juli Inkster. Then on 17 October, she made the "senior slam" by following that up by capturing her second
senior major, the
Senior LPGA Championship at
French Lick Resort in Indiana with a score of 8-under-par, a four shot margin over
Helen Alfredsson and
Silvia Cavalleri. ==Awards and honours==