1966 U.S. Women's Open
The 1966 U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship was the 21st U.S. Women's Open, held June 30 to July 3 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, a suburb southwest of Minneapolis.
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | June 30 – July 3, 1966 |
| Location | Chaska, Minnesota |
| Course(s) | Hazeltine National Golf Club |
| Organized by | USGA |
| Tour(s) | LPGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play – 72 holes |
| Statistics | |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 6,325 yards (5,784 m)[1] |
| Field | 99: 52 pros, 47 amateurs;[1] 44 after cut[2] |
| Cut | 162 (+16)[3] |
| Prize fund | $20,000 |
| Winner's share | $4,000 |
| Champion | |
 | |
| 297 (+9) | |
Golf Club
Golf Club
Sandra Spuzich, age 29, won her only major title, a stroke ahead of runner-up Carol Mann, the defending champion.[4] A stroke back in third was four-time champion Mickey Wright. Spuzich was the 54-hole leader by a stroke over the two former champions and played in the final pair with Mann.[4] It was the first of seven victories on the LPGA Tour for Spuzich.
The 36-hole cut at 162 (+18) reduced the field of 99 to 44, which included ten amateurs.[2]
Designed by Robert Trent Jones and opened four years earlier in 1962, Hazeltine later hosted two U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships; the U.S. Women's Open returned in 1977.
Past champions in the field
| Player | Country | Year(s) won | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Total | To par | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carol Mann | | 1965 | 73 | 78 | 75 | 72 | 298 | +10 | 2 |
| Mickey Wright | | 1958, 1959, 1961 1964 | 71 | 78 | 77 | 73 | 299 | +11 | 3 |
| Mary Mills | | 1963 | 79 | 73 | 76 | 80 | 308 | +20 | 8 |
| Patty Berg | | 1946 | 80 | 81 | 80 | 74 | 315 | +27 | T18 |
| Louise Suggs | | 1949, 1952 | 83 | 78 | 80 | 80 | 321 | +33 | 32 |
Source:[4]
Final leaderboard
Sunday, July 3, 1966
| Place | Player | Country | Score | To par | Money ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sandra Spuzich | | 75-74-76-72=297 | +9 | 4,000 |
| 2 | Carol Mann | | 73-78-75-72=298 | +10 | 2,000 |
| 3 | Mickey Wright | | 71-78-77-73=299 | +11 | 1,200 |
| 4 | Clifford Ann Creed | | 76-75-76-76=303 | +15 | 900 |
| T5 | Sandra Haynie | | 79-75-78-74=306 | +18 | 750 |
| Kathy Whitworth | | 80-74-76-76=306 | |||
| 7 | Judy Torluemke | | 77-78-79-73=307 | +19 | 600 |
| 8 | Mary Mills | | 79-73-76-80=308 | +20 | 550 |
| T9 | Barbara Romack | | 80-77-77-77=311 | +23 | 446 |
| Gloria Ehret | | 82-75-75-79=311 | |||
| Peggy Wilson | | 76-76-81-78=311 | |||
| Shirley Englehorn | | 83-77-75-76=311 | |||
| Susie Maxwell | | 80-79-75-77=311 | |||
| Shelley Hamlin (a) | | 81-74-80-76=311 | 0 |
Source:[4]
References
- Liska, Jerry (July 1, 1966). "Mickey Wright fires 71 to take lead U.S. Women's Open golf". Schenectady Gazette. New York. Associated Press. p. 21.
- "Wright tied by S. Spuzich in US Open". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. July 2, 1966. p. 2, part 2.
- "Miss Spuzich ties Mickey; Peg slips but makes cut". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. July 2, 1966. p. 8.
- "Nerveless Sandra Spuzich wins U.S. Women's Open". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. July 4, 1966. p. 8.