1955 U.S. Women's Open
Fay Crocker led wire-to-wire and won the first of her two major championships, four strokes ahead of runners-up Mary Lena Faulk and Louise Suggs. From Uruguay, Crocker was the first international winner of the U.S. Women's Open. She posted a 72 in the second round on Friday in difficult blustery conditions, with winds of 40 mph (64 km/h), and had an eight shot lead after 36 holes. A 79 (+7) in the wind in the third round on Saturday morning reduced it to a single stroke over Faulk, with Suggs another two strokes back.
Defending champion Babe Zaharias did not compete due to back surgery; she also missed the 1953 edition due to colon cancer surgery and died in 1956.
This was the second U.S. Women's Open played in Wichita; the first in 1950 was at Rolling Hills Country Club.
Final leaderboard
Saturday, July 2, 1955
| Place | Player | Score | To par | Money ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Fay Crocker |
74-72-79-74=299 | +11 | 2,000 |
| T2 |  Mary Lena Faulk |
77-77-72-77=303 | +15 | 1,125 |
| Louise Suggs |
79-77-72-75=303 | |||
| 4 | Jackie Pung |
79-76-76-75=306 | +18 | 750 |
| 5 | Patty Berg |
78-80-78-71=307 | +19 | 600 |
| T6 | Polly Riley (a) |
80-78-74-77=309 | +21 | 0 |
| Jackie Yates (a) |
76-79-76-78=309 | |||
| 8 | Pat Lesser (a) |
81-76-79-75=311 | +23 | 0 |
| T9 | Beverly Hanson |
87-76-77-72=312 | +24 | 450 |
| Betty Jameson |
83-77-76-76=312 |
Source:
References
- ^ "Fay Crocker captures Women's National Open". Palm Beach Post-Times. Associated Press. July 3, 1955. p. 23.
- ^ "Crocker leading National Open". St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. July 1, 1955. p. 15.
- ^ "Crocker expands lead in Wichita". Wilmington Morning Star. Associated Press. July 2, 1955. p. 8.
- ^ "Crocker new queen of women's circuit". Lawrence Journal-World. Associated Press. July 4, 1955. p. 7.
- ^ Considine, Bob (August 6, 1956). "Babe Zaharias, greatest girl athlete of all time, fights gamely in big battle". Spokane Daily Chronicle. p. 1.
- ^ "Babe Zaharias loses match with cancer, dies in sleep". Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Associated Press. September 27, 1956. p. 8.
External links
- USGA final leaderboard
- U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship
- U.S. Women's Open – past champions – 1955
- Wichita Country Club