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.[1][2] Six professionals and 26 amateurs advanced to match play. The format was 18-hole matches through the quarterfinals,[5] and 36 holes for the semifinals and finals.[6]

1946 U.S. Women's Open

Tournament information
Dates	August 26 – September 1
Location	Spokane, Washington
Course(s)	Spokane Country Club
Organized by	WPGA and Spokane Athletic Round Table
Format	Match play
Statistics
Par	74[1]
Length	6,387 yards (5,840 m)[2]
Field	39 players, 32 to match play
Cut	188 (+40)
Prize fund	$19,700[1][3]
Winner's share	$5,600[4]
Champion
Patty Berg
def. Betty Jameson, 5 and 4

Spokane

Location in the United States

Spokane

Location in Washington

Professionals Patty Berg and Betty Jameson reached the Sunday final.[6] 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.[4][7][8] 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.[9]

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[10]

Round 2 August 29[11]

Quarter-finals August 30[12]

Semi-finals August 31[13][14]

Final September 1[4]

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:[7]

References

1. "Patty Berg, Babe Zaharias Post One-Under-Par Scores". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). August 27, 1946. p. 13.
2. "Patty Berg Gets Medalist Honor". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). August 28, 1946. p. 10.
3. Prize money was paid in war bonds.
4. 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.
5. "Women's golf Open reaches semi-finals". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. August 31, 1946. p. 3.
6. "Berg, Jameson clash for golf title today". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. September 1, 1946. p. 19.
7. Ashlock, Herb (September 2, 1946). "Patty Berg winner of Women's Open". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 13.
8. "Patty Berg hits $5,600 jackpot". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. September 2, 1946. p. 1, sec.3.
9. 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.
10. "Mrs. Zaharias Eliminated in Women's Open". Schenectady Gazette. New York. United Press. August 29, 1946. p. 23. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
11. "Women Enter Quarter-Finals Of Golf Play". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press. August 30, 1946. p. 31. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
12. 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.
13. "Betty Hick Eliminated in Spokane Golf". Schenectady Gazette. New York. United Press. August 31, 1946. p. 15. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
14. "Spokane Girl Loses Match In Semi-Finals". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. September 1, 1946. p. 10. Retrieved July 3, 2013.

External links

• USGA final leaderboard
• U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship
• Kalispell Golf and Country Club