1953 U.S. Women's Open

The 1953 U.S. Women's Open was the eighth U.S. Women's Open, held June 25–28 at the Country Club of Rochester in Rochester, New York. It was the first U.S. Women's Open conducted by the United States Golf Association (USGA),[2][3][4] and the final two rounds were played on Saturday.[5]

1953 U.S. Women's Open
Tournament information
DatesJune 25–28, 1953
LocationRochester, New York
Course(s)Country Club of Rochester
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)LPGA Tour
FormatStroke play – 72 holes
Statistics
Par74
Length6,417 yards (5,868 m)[1]
Field37: 17 pros, 20 amateurs
Prize fund$7,500
Winner's share$2,000
Champion
Betsy Rawls
302 (+6), playoff
Rochester
Location in the United States
Rochester
Location in New York

Betsy Rawls won an 18-hole playoff on Sunday by six strokes over runner-up Jackie Pung, 71 to 77. It was the third of eight major championships for Rawls and the second of four U.S. Women's Opens.

Patty Berg set a course record with a 71 on Thursday and was the 36-hole leader on Friday evening, eight strokes ahead of the field.[1][6] Her final two rounds of 80 and 79 on Saturday dropped her to solo third, one stroke out of the playoff.[7]

Notably absent was two-time champion Babe Zaharias, who was recovering from colon cancer surgery.[2][8][9] She returned in 1954 and won by a record twelve strokes in her final U.S. Women's Open.

Past champions in the field
PlayerCountryYear(s) wonR1R2R3R4TotalTo parFinish
Betsy Rawls United States195175787475302+61
Patty Berg United States194671738079303+73
Betty Jameson United States194779767780312+164
Louise Suggs United States1949, 195275817982317+2110

Final leaderboard

Saturday, June 27, 1953

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney ($)
T1Betsy Rawls United States75-78-74-75=302+6Playoff
Jackie Pung United States80-72-76-74=302
3Patty Berg United States71-73-80-79=303+71,000
4Betty Jameson United States79-76-77-80=312+16750
5Marilynn Smith United States78-74-82-79=313+17600
T6Betty Bush United States80-78-76-81=315+19450
Beverly Hanson United States79-80-77-79=315
Pat Lesser (a) United States82-75-78-80=3150
9Alice Bauer United States83-79-78-76=316+20300
10Louise Suggs United States75-81-79-82=317+21250

Source:[7]

Playoff

Sunday, June 28, 1953

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney ($)
1Betsy Rawls United States71–32,000
2Jackie Pung United States77+31,250

Source:[3]

References
  1. "Berg blows to an 80 in 3d round of Open". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. June 27, 1953. p. 8.
  2. Talbot, Gayle (June 24, 1953). "First Open championship in play at Rochester, NY Thurs". Nashua Telegraph. New Hampshire. Associated Press. p. 15.
  3. "Rawls is winner in Women's Open". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. June 29, 1953. p. 16.
  4. Voepel, Mechelle (July 7, 2002). "Founders marvel at tour's success". Toledo Blade. Ohio. p. 5, section JF.
  5. "Pung, Rawls tie in women's golf". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. Associated Press. June 28, 1953. p. 3C.
  6. "Patty Berg lengthens lead in Open tourney". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. June 26, 1953. p. 13.
  7. "Rawls, Pung in Open playoff". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. June 28, 1953. p. 4, sports.
  8. Considine, Bob (August 6, 1956). "Babe Zaharias, greatest girl athlete of all time, fights gamely in big battle". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. p. 1.
  9. "Babe Zaharias loses match with cancer, dies in sleep". Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Associated Press. September 27, 1956. p. 8.

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