1971

Mrs. JoAnne Gunderson Carner led every round and won by seven strokes over Miss Kathy Whitworth at the Kahkwa Club, Erie, Pa. Mrs. Carner had rounds of 70-73-72-73—288. She became the fourth player to have won both the Women's Amateur and the Women's Open. She became a professional in the fall of 1969 after winning her fifth Women's Amateur.

Mrs. Carner was tied with Miss Donna Caponi after the first round when each scored 70. Miss Caponi had won the Championship the two previous years. Mrs. Carner went two strokes ahead of Miss Caponi after 36 holes with 143, and Miss Caponi was only one stroke behind after 12 holes of the third round. Then, however, Miss Caponi began making bogies and shot 77.

Miss Mary Mills then took over second place at 220, five strokes behind Mrs. Carner, with 215. Miss Mills shot 82 in the final round and Miss Caponi had another 77. Miss Whitworth shot 72 to move into second place at 295. Miss Caponi tied for third place at 299, with Miss Jane Blalock, Miss Mickey Wright, and Miss Jane Bastanchury, an amateur.

Three of the first 10 scorers were amateurs. In addition to Miss Bastanchury they were Miss Shelley Hamlin, and Miss Martha Wilkinson, the current Women's Amateur Champion.

Prize money for the professionals totalled $34, 450, and first prize was $5,000. Eighty-six professionals entered, a record. The most previously was 79 in 1970.