Mrs. Robert Ihlanfeldt

Mrs. Robert Ihlanfeldt, 52, of Seattle, Washington, became the first Pacific Northwest resident to win the Senior Women's Amateur Championship, shooting a 54-hole score of 232, 13 over par, at Kissing Camels Golf Club, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Mrs. Ihlanfeldt won by four strokes over Mrs. Mary Ann Morrison, of Houston, Texas, and by eight over Mrs. Betty Probasco, captain of the 1982 U.S. Curtis Cup Team, from Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. Mrs. Mark A. Porter, of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, the defending champion and winner of three of the last five, was unable to defend her title because of an injury.

The first round produced a three-way tie for the lead between Mrs. Ihlanfeldt, Mrs. Morrison, and Mrs. Lois Hodge, of San Jose, California, all at 77, four over par. Mrs. Ihlanfeldt took a one-stroke lead over Mrs. Morrison and a two-stroke advantage over Mrs. Hodge with 80 the second day, as winds pushed the temperature to freezing.

Mrs. Ihlanfeldt took command the third day, playing the first seven holes in one under par to open a five-stroke lead. She shot two-over-par 75 but she was never threatened. Mrs. Morrison had 78 for 236, while Mrs. Hodge, who was bothered by a bad back the entire week, shot 84 and tied for fourth, at 243, with 1978 and 1979 Champion Mrs. Paul Dye, Jr., of Delray Beach, Florida. Mrs. Probasco had 74, the lowest 18-hole score of the Championship, to finish third, at 240.

Mrs. Ihlanfeldt was the Champion of Group I (ages 50-54), and Mrs. Dye was Group II Champion (55-59). Mrs. Nancy Black, of Greenbush, Massachusetts, was Group III Champion (60-64), and Mrs. Edith Paffard, of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, was Group IV Champion (65 and older).

Mrs. Morrison and Mrs. Hodge completed an unusual triple by competing in the Senior Women's Amateur. They previously competed in the U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Women's Amateur earlier in the year. The USGA received 154 entries, short of the record 186 received for the 1980 Championship at Sea Island (Georgia) Golf Club.