The Women's Open

16 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1953 The Women's Open The Women's Open Championship, which will take place at the Country Club of Rochester, N. Y., June 25 through 27, is not a new championship, yet it will in volve a series of "firsts." The 72-hole stroke play competition will be the first conducted by the USGA, which assumed the responsibility at the request of the Ladies' Professional Golf ers' Association. It will be the first USGA women's championship to be "open" in the broad sense of the term—open not only to pro fessionals but also to any amateurs handi capped at five or under. There is no club- membership requirement. Entries on of ficial forms must, of course, be received at the USGA office no later than Monday, June 15. It will also be the first playing for the permanent silver trophy provided by the USGA, in addition to the $7,500 which will be distributed to the first twelve pro fessionals, or more in the event of ties. The leading professional will receive $2,000 and the leading amateur a gold pin. The Club Detroit Neva This is also the Country Club of Miss Louise Suggs Rochester's first Championship of national The Winner Last Year scope, yet it is renowned as the Club where Country Club during the Amateur Cham Walter Hagen first caddied and learned pionship there in 1949. His co-chairman the professional's art. Hagen was profes is Dr. George M. Trainor, who has w^n sional there when he won his first Open the Club championship the last three Championship in 1914. The club was years and has played in many Amateur founded in 1895 by the men who intro Championships. duced golf into Rochester, but it has Previous Women's Opens been content with its invitation tourna The first Women's Open Championship, ment for men, in the twenty-fifth playing a match-play competition, was held at of which last year Sam Urzetta retired the the Spokane Country Club, Spokane, trophy, and with its invitation tournament Wash., in 1946 and was conducted by for women, inaugurated in 1950 and won the Women's PGA and the Spokane last year by Mrs. Reinert M. Torgerson. Round Table. Miss Patty Berg, represent There is an amplitude of experience ing Minneapolis, won the qualifying in the Club's committee, however. The medal, with a 73-72—145, and defeated General Chairman is Otto A. Shults, who Miss Betty Jameson, of San Antonio, was General Chairman for the Oak Hill Texas, 5 and 4, in the final. The purse USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1953 17 was an out-sized $19,700, and Miss Berg Country Club, Northfield, N. J., in 1948. carried away $5,600 in bonds. She scored an even 300 in bad weather Miss Jameson came back to win the and led Miss Elizabeth Hicks by eight second Championship, at the Starmount strokes. The purse was $7,500. Miss Grace Forest Country Club, Greensboro, N. C, Lenczyk, of Newington, Conn., with a in 1947. The form was changed to stroke score of 313, finished in a tie for fourth play, and she made a 72-hole score of and was the leading amateur. 295. Two amateurs, the Misses Polly Miss Louise Suggs, of Carrollton, Ga., Riley and Sally Sessions, tied for second succeeded Mrs. Zaharias at the Prince at 301, and Miss Sessions won the play-off Georges Golf and Country Club, Land- by making a 4 to Miss Riley's 5 on the over, Md., in 1949, as a second organiza first extra hole. tion, the Ladies' PGA, assumed responsi Mrs. George Zaharias, playing from bility for the competition. Miss Suggs Ferndale. N. Y., won the first of her started with a 69 and completed a record two Championships at the Atlantic City score of 291, which gave her a fourteen- stroke ady/intage over Mrs. Zaharias, the NEW MEMBERS OF THE USGA runner-up. The purse was $7,500. Miss REGULAR Carol Diringer, of Tiffin, Ohio, finished Andover Country Club, Mass. third at 306 and won the amateur award. Apple Creek Country Club, N. D. Berkshire Hills Country Club, Mass. Mrs. Zaharias came back to win her Brookside Country Club, Ohio second Championship at the Rolling Hills Bing Moloney Golf Club, Cal. Country Club, Wichita, Kansas, in 1950. Capitol Golf Club, Miss. In the process she matched Miss Suggs' Chester River Yacht and Country Club, Md. record of 291. The runner-up was an Connequott Country Club, N. Y. Elizabethton Golf Club, Tenn. amateur, Miss Betsy Rawls, of Austin, Emery wood Country Club, N. C. Texas, who scored 300. The purse was Glen Flora Country Club, III. $5,000. Glenwood Country Club, N. Y. Harrison Country Club, N. Y. Miss Rawls turned professional before Highland Meadows Golf Club, Ohio the next Championship and succeeded Ironton Country Club, Ohio Mrs. Zaharias by scoring 293 at the Malone Country Club, N. Y. Druid Hills Golf Club, Atlanta, Ga., in Middleboro Country Club, Ky. 1951. Miss Suggs was second, with 298. Monroe Country Club, Wise. Nittany Country Club, Pa. The purse was $7,500. Miss Pat Lesser, Oak Knoll Golf Cub, Ore. of Seattle, scored 300, finished in a tie Oak Cliff Country Club, Texas for fourth and was the best amateur. Pines Ridge Golf C!ub, N. Y. Plumas Lake Golf Club, Cal. Miss Suggs won her second Champion Salisbury Women's Golf Club, N. Y. ship with a record-breaking 70-69-70-75 Sawano Country Club, Fla. —284 at the Bala Golf Club, Philadelphia, Sliding Rock Golf Cub, Pa. Pa., in 1952. As far as is known, her Tracy Country C.'ub, Minn. Tri-City Country Club, Wash. score is the lowest ever made by a Weiser Golf Club, Idaho woman over 72 holes in a major com Westchester Hills Golf Club, N. Y. petition. The Misses Marlene Bauer and West Warwick Country Club, R. I. Betty Jameson tied for second at 291. ASSOCIATE In the second round, Miss Marilyn Smith Cherry Ridge Go'f Club, Ohio made a single-round record of 67, and G.'enbrook Golf Course, Nev. Giendoveer Go'f Course, Ore. Miss Bauer matched this in the third Oklaho ma College for Women, Okla. round. The purse was $7,500. Mrs. Mark Overlook Golf Course, Pa. Porter, of Philadelphia, was the leading P.G.A. National Golf Club, Fla. amateur, finishing tenth with a score of Richardson Go.'f Course, Fla. Shady Acres Go!f Course, Ohio 300. The course measured only 5,460 Sunnybrook Golf C!ub, Mich. yards, and par was 69. .

Load more