1961 LPGA Championship

1961 LPGA Championship
Tournament information
DatesOctober 12–15, 1961
LocationLas Vegas, Nevada
Course(s)Stardust Country Club
Tour(s)LPGA Tour
FormatStroke play – 72 holes
Statistics
Par71
Cutnone
Prize fund$15,000
Winner's share$2,500
Champion
United States Mickey Wright
287 (+3)
← 1960
1962 →
Stardust CC is located in the United States
Stardust CC
Stardust CC
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Location in the United States
Stardust CC is located in Nevada
Stardust CC
Stardust CC
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Location in Nevada

The 1961 LPGA Championship was the seventh LPGA Championship, held October 12–15 at Stardust Country Club in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Defending champion Mickey Wright won the third of her four LPGA Championships, nine strokes ahead of runner-up Louise Suggs, the 1957 winner.[1][2] It was Wright's third major title of the year and the seventh of her thirteen career majors. It was her tenth tour victory of the 1961 season.[3]

Stardust Country Club opened earlier in the year and hosted the LPGA Championship for six consecutive years, through 1966. After several ownership and name changes, it became Las Vegas National Golf Club in 1998.[4]

The purse was substantially increased in 1961 to $15,000 with a winner's share of $2,500, up from $8,500 and $1,500 in 1960.

Final leaderboard

Sunday, October 15, 1961

Place Player Score To par Money ($)
1 United States Mickey Wright 67-77-72-71=287 +3 2,500
2 United States Louise Suggs 74-76-73-71=296 +12 1,900
3 United States Betsy Rawls 76-76-71-74=297 +13 1,500
4 United States Shirley Englehorn 72-74-77-76=299 +15 1,200
5 United States Marilynn Smith 80-75-75-70=300 +16 1,000
T6 United States Mary Lena Faulk 75-81-76-70=302 +18 720
United States Barbara Romack 75-81-73-73=302
8 United States Jo Ann Prentice 73-76-78-76=303 +19 530
T9 United States Kathy Cornelius 75-79-72-78=304 +20 430
United States Ruth Jessen 75-79-76-74=304
United States Beth Stone 72-83-75-74=304

Source:[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Wright wins Ladies' PGA, Shirley 4th". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. October 16, 1961. p. 10.
  2. ^ a b "Mickey Wright wins golf test". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. October 16, 1961. p. 2, final.
  3. ^ "Wright seeks 11th tourney triumph". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. October 16, 1961. p. 2B.
  4. ^ "History". Las Vegas National Golf Club. Retrieved August 2, 2014.

36°07′41″N 115°07′30″W / 36.128°N 115.125°W / 36.128; -115.125