1946 U.S. Women's Open
The 1946 U.S. Women's Open was a golf tournament contested from August 26 to September 1 at Spokane Country Club, north of Spokane, Washington. It was the first edition of the U.S. Women's Open, and only one to have been played in match play competition. The field of 39 women was reduced to the 32-player match play field by a 36-hole qualifier on Monday and Tuesday. Six professionals and 26 amateurs advanced to match play. The format was 18-hole matches through the quarterfinals, and 36 holes for the semifinals and finals.
Professionals Patty Berg and Betty Jameson reached the Sunday final. Jameson led by three after seven holes, but Berg evened the match and they finished the first 18 holes all square. After lunch, Berg needed only fourteen holes in the afternoon to close out the match at 5 & 4. Berg won $5,600 and Jameson $3,100, all in war bonds. This win was later recognized as Berg's sixth major championship. The winner's share at the U.S. Women's Open was substantially less in succeeding years and was not exceeded until 1972, 26 years later.
Jameson won the title the following year as a 72-hole stroke play event.
Founded in 1898, Spokane Country Club was purchased by the Kalispel Tribe in late 2015 and is now Kalispell Golf and Country Club.
Qualifying scores and final results
| Player | Qualifying score |
Seed | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patty Berg | 145 | 1 | 1 |
| Betty Jameson | 158 | 6 | 2 |
| Betty Jean Rucker (a) | 153 | 3 | T3 |
| Dot Kielty (a) | 162 | 12 | T3 |
| Jackie Pung (a) | 157 | 5 | T5 |
| Betty Hicks | 159 | 7 | T5 |
| Clara Sherman (a) | 160 | 8 | T5 |
| Ellen Kieser (a) | 180 | 26 | T5 |
| Beverly Hanson (a) | 155 | 4 | T9 |
| Mary Mozel | 160 | 9 | T9 |
| Helen Dettweiler | 161 | 11 | T9 |
| Edean Anderson (a) | 164 | 13 | T9 |
| Ann Casey (a) | 165 | 14 | T9 |
| Yola Apostoli (a) | 166 | 15 | T9 |
| Mrs. Walter Nagel (a) | 166 | 16 | T9 |
| Grace Lenczyk (a) | 167 | 18 | T9 |
| Babe Didrikson Zaharias (a) | 152 | 2 | T17 |
| Hope Seignious | 161 | 10 | T17 |
| Margaret Spear (a) | 166 | 17 | T17 |
| Mrs. Frank Kapps (a) | 174 | 19 | T17 |
| Mrs. J.R. West (a) | 174 | 20 | T17 |
| Mrs. Jo Pedicord (a) | 175 | 21 | T17 |
| Barbara Smith (a) | 176 | 22 | T17 |
| Mary Sargent (a) | 178 | 23 | T17 |
| Carol Gleason (a) | 179 | 24 | T17 |
| Jewel Ann Gronley (a) | 180 | 25 | T17 |
| Betty Frank (a) | 181 | 27 | T17 |
| Pedee Hosler (a) | 184 | 28 | T17 |
| Mrs. William May (a) | 185 | 29 | T17 |
| Grace DeMoss (a) | 186 | 30 | T17 |
| Mrs. Walter McCarty (a) | 187 | 31 | T17 |
| Bennye Sellers (a) | 188 | 32 | T17 |
- (a) denotes amateur
Bracket
| Round 1 August 28 | Round 2 August 29 | Quarter-finals August 30 | Semi-finals August 31 | Final September 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Patty Berg | 7&6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Margaret Spear | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Patty Berg | 5&3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Mary Mozel | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Mary Mozel | 6&5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | Jewel Ann Gronley | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Patty Berg | 6&5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Jackie Pung | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Jackie Pung | 5&4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | Mrs. Jo Pedicord | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Jackie Pung | 4&2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Edean Anderson | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Edean Anderson | 2 up | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29 | Mrs. William May | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Patty Berg | 3&2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Betty Jean Rucker | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Betty Jean Rucker | 6&5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Mrs. Frank Kapps | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Betty Jean Rucker | 2&1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Helen Dettweiler | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Helen Dettweiler | 6&4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | Betty Frank | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Betty Jean Rucker | 5&4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Betty Hicks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Betty Hicks | 1 up | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | Mary Sargent | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Betty Hicks | 4&2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Yola Apostoli | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Yola Apostoli | 3&1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 31 | Mrs. Walter McCarty | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Patty Berg | 5&4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Betty Jameson | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Babe Didrikson Zaharias | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Grace Lenczyk | 3&2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Grace Lenczyk | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 | Ellen Kieser | 5&4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Hope Seignious | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 | Ellen Kieser | 3&2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 | Ellen Kieser | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Betty Jameson | 8&6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Betty Jameson | 9&8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | Barbara Smith | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Betty Jameson | 5&4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Ann Casey | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Ann Casey | 3&2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30 | Grace DeMoss | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Betty Jameson | 1 up | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Dot Kielty | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Beverly Hanson | 6&4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Mrs. J.R. West | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Beverly Hanson | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Dot Kielty | 5&4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Dot Kielty | 5&4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28 | Pedee Hosler | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Dot Kielty | 2&1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Clara Sherman | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Clara Sherman | 7&5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Carol Gleason | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Clara Sherman | 5&4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Mrs. Walter Nagel | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Mrs. Walter Nagel | 8&7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 32 | Bennye Sellers | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Final match scorecards
Morning
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
 Berg |
4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Jameson |
4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Leader | – | – | J1 | J1 | J1 | J2 | J3 | J2 | J1 | J2 | J1 | J2 | J1 | J1 | J1 | – | – | – |
Afternoon
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Berg |
3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | Berg wins 5 & 4 | |||
| Jameson |
4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | ||||
| Leader | B1 | B2 | B1 | B2 | B3 | B4 | B4 | B4 | B4 | B5 | B5 | B4 | B4 | B5 | ||||
Source:
References
- ^ "Patty Berg, Babe Zaharias Post One-Under-Par Scores". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). August 27, 1946. p. 13.
- ^ "Patty Berg Gets Medalist Honor". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). August 28, 1946. p. 10.
- ^ Prize money was paid in war bonds.
- ^ Fowler, Gail (September 2, 1946). "Patty Berg Captures Women's Open Golf Crown at Spokane". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. p. 2. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ "Women's golf Open reaches semi-finals". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. August 31, 1946. p. 3.
- ^ "Berg, Jameson clash for golf title today". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. September 1, 1946. p. 19.
- ^ Ashlock, Herb (September 2, 1946). "Patty Berg winner of Women's Open". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 13.
- ^ "Patty Berg hits $5,600 jackpot". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. September 2, 1946. p. 1, sec.3.
- ^ Stucke, John (December 10, 2015). "The Kalispel Tribe will open the Spokane Country Club to some public play". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Retrieved April 6, 2017.
- ^ "Mrs. Zaharias Eliminated in Women's Open". Schenectady Gazette. New York. United Press. August 29, 1946. p. 23. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ "Women Enter Quarter-Finals Of Golf Play". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press. August 30, 1946. p. 31. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ Patterson, W. (August 31, 1946). "Rucker Scores 5 And 4 Win Over Hicks to Meet Berg in Semi-Finals". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 9. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ "Betty Hick Eliminated in Spokane Golf". Schenectady Gazette. New York. United Press. August 31, 1946. p. 15. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ "Spokane Girl Loses Match In Semi-Finals". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. September 1, 1946. p. 10. Retrieved July 3, 2013.