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), and the final two rounds were played on Saturday.
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. Her final two rounds of 80 and 79 on Saturday dropped her to solo third, one stroke out of the playoff.
Notably absent was two-time champion Babe Zaharias, who was recovering from colon cancer surgery. She returned in 1954 and won by a record twelve strokes in her final U.S. Women's Open.
Final leaderboard Saturday, June 27, 1953 Place Player Score To par Money ($)T1 Betsy Rawls75-78-74-75=302+6Playoff Jackie Pung80-72-76-74=3023 Patty Berg71-73-80-79=303+71,0004 Betty Jameson79-76-77-80=312+167505 Marilynn Smith78-74-82-79=313+17600T6 Betty Bush80-78-76-81=315+19450 Beverly Hanson79-80-77-79=315 Pat Lesser (a)82-75-78-80=31509 Alice Bauer83-79-78-76=316+2030010 Louise Suggs75-81-79-82=317+21250 Source:
Playoff Sunday, June 28, 1953 PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney ($)1 Betsy Rawls71 −3 2,0002 Jackie Pung77 +3 1,250 Source:
References
External links USGA final leaderboard U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship U.S. Women's Open – past champions – 1953 Country Club of Rochester