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
Dates	June 25–28, 1953
Location	Rochester, New York
Course(s)	Country Club of Rochester
Organized by	USGA
Tour(s)	LPGA Tour
Format	Stroke play – 72 holes
Statistics
Par	74
Length	6,417 yards (5,868 m)[1]
Field	37: 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

Player	Country	Year(s) won	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total	To par	Finish
Betsy Rawls	United States	1951	75	78	74	75	302	+6	1
Patty Berg	United States	1946	71	73	80	79	303	+7	3
Betty Jameson	United States	1947	79	76	77	80	312	+16	4
Louise Suggs	United States	1949, 1952	75	81	79	82	317	+21	10

Final leaderboard

Saturday, June 27, 1953

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par	Money ($)
T1	Betsy Rawls	United States	75-78-74-75=302	+6	Playoff
	Jackie Pung	United States	80-72-76-74=302
3	Patty Berg	United States	71-73-80-79=303	+7	1,000
4	Betty Jameson	United States	79-76-77-80=312	+16	750
5	Marilynn Smith	United States	78-74-82-79=313	+17	600
T6	Betty Bush	United States	80-78-76-81=315	+19	450
	Beverly Hanson	United States	79-80-77-79=315
	Pat Lesser (a)	United States	82-75-78-80=315		0
9	Alice Bauer	United States	83-79-78-76=316	+20	300
10	Louise Suggs	United States	75-81-79-82=317	+21	250

Source:[7]

Playoff

Sunday, June 28, 1953

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par	Money ($)
1	Betsy Rawls	United States	71	–3	2,000
2	Jackie Pung	United States	77	+3	1,250

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.

External links

• USGA final leaderboard
• U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship
• U.S. Women's Open – past champions – 1953
• Country Club of Rochester