Mrs. Murle MacKenzie Lindstrom, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., overcame a five-stroke deficit in the final round to win with a score of 301 at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Mrs. Lindstrom scored 78-74-76-73—301. She was not regarded as a serious contender until well along in the fourth round, since she was six, four, and five strokes behind the leaders after each of the first three rounds.

Mrs. Lindstrom, who had never before won a professional tournament, recorded no score higher than 5 on any hole with the exception of the 550-yard 13th—a feat unmatched by any other player in a field of 67. Her final round of 73 was played in a persistent rain. Miss Ruth Jessen, the first-round leader with 72, was tied for the lead after 36 holes, and was again the sole leader after 54 with 223. She relinquished the lead to Mrs. Lindstrom during the final nine holes and eventually tied for second place at 303 with Miss Jo Ann Prentice.

Miss Jessen and Miss Shirley Englehorn were the only players who matched the par of 72. High winds which confronted the field for three rounds gave way to Saturday afternoon's rain. Miss Mickey Wright hoped to become the first four-time winner of the Women's Open since the USGA adopted sponsorship of the Championship in 1953. She seemed ideally placed to accomplish this when she was tied with Miss Jessen at 148 after 36 holes.

In Saturday morning's third round, however, Miss Wright soared to 81 and then concluded with 77 for a 306 and a tie for fourth place with Miss Louise Suggs. Miss Suggs continued her record of being the only player to finish in the low 10 every year since 1953.

The purse for the winner was $1,800. Miss JoAnne Gunderson, who later in the year won the Women's Amateur Championship for the third time, was the low amateur at 313.