Miss Hollis Stacy, 24, of Savannah, Ga., became only the fourth player to win two consecutive Women's Open Championships. She won her second at the Country Club of Indianapolis, in Indianapolis, Indiana. She also became the youngest player to win the Women's Open twice. She had rounds of 70, 75, 72, 72 for a 289 total, five over par.

Mrs. JoAnne Carner and Miss Sally Little tied for second place, one stroke behind, with scores of 290. Miss Little's final round of 65, six under par, established a Women's Open single-round scoring record. It was the fifth USGA Championship for Miss Stacy (she had won three consecutive Girls' Junior Championships from 1969 through 1971). Only Bob Jones (9), Mrs. Carner (8), and Mrs. Glenna Collet Vare (6), have won more USGA events.

Mrs. Donna Caponi Young led the first round with 68, three under par, equaling the lowest first round ever shot in the Women's Open. Second place was shared by Miss Stacy and two other players with rounds of 70. Mrs. Carner and Miss Little had first round scores of 73 and 75, respectively. Three players—Mrs. Donna Horton White, Miss Nancy Lopez, and Miss Carol Semple, an amateur—shared the 36-hole lead at 144, two over par.

At 145 were Miss Stacy with 75 and Mrs. Carner with 72, along with Miss Cynthia Hill, an amateur. Mrs. Young fell two strokes off the pace at 146 after scoring 78. Miss Little shot another 75 and was six strokes behind at 150. Miss Stacy shot 72 in the third round, giving her a 54-hole total of 217, four over par. Mrs. Carner moved into second place with 73 for 218, one stroke behind. Mrs. Young also had 73 to stay close at 219, tied with Miss Jane Blalock, who moved into contention with an even-par 71. Miss Little added still another 75 for a 225 total, eight strokes behind Miss Stacy. The 36-hole leaders didn't do well in the third round. Miss Semple dropped four strokes behind with a 77, for 221; Mrs. White and Miss Lopez turned in identical 79s for 223 totals, six strokes behind the leader.

Lightning and heavy rain caused play of the last round to be suspended twice. The lead changed hands six times between Miss Stacy and Mrs. Carner, who were playing together. When Miss Little completed her round of 65, Miss Stacy and Mrs. Carner still had six holes to play. At the 16th hole, Miss Stacy, five over par, went ahead to stay. Mrs. Carner bogied the hole to fall into a tie with Miss Little at six over par. It remained that way going to the final hole.

There, Miss Stacy hit her 1-iron tee shot very fat. Mrs. Carner also used a 1-iron and pushed her shot into some trees. Both second shots landed in the rough, short of the green. Mrs. Carner pitched her ball to within 10 feet of the hole. Miss Stacy's shot came to rest four feet above the hole. Mrs. Carner ran in her par putt, but Miss Stacy wasted no time in holing her four-foot par putt for the Championship.

Miss Carol Semple, of Sewickley, Pa., the 1973 Women's Amateur Champion, was the low amateur with 297. The Championship established new records for number of entries and for prize money.

There were 297 entries, exceeding the previous high of 205 in 1976. A total of $100,000 in prize money was awarded.