| 1946 U.S. Women's Open | |
| Dates: | August 26 – September 1 |
| Location: | Spokane, Washington |
| Course: | Spokane Country Club |
| Format: | Match play |
| Par: | 74 |
| Field: | 39 players, 32 to match play |
| Cut: | 188 (+40) |
| Purse: | $19,700[1] |
| Winners Share: | $5,600 |
| Champion: |  Patty Berg |
| Score: | def. Betty Jameson, 5 and 4 |
| Next: | 1947 |
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.[2] [3] Six professionals and 26 amateurs advanced to match play. The format was 18-hole matches through the quarterfinals,[4] and 36 holes for the semifinals and finals.[5]
Professionals Patty Berg and Betty Jameson reached the Sunday final.[5] 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.[6] [7] 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.[8]
| Player | Qualifying score | Seed | Finish | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patty Berg | 145 | 1 | 1 | |
| 158 | 6 | 2 | ||
| Betty Jean Rucker (a) | 153 | 3 | T3 | |
| Dot Kielty (a) | 162 | 12 | T3 | |
| Jackie Pung (a) | 157 | 5 | T5 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 |
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 |