JoAnne Gunderson

Miss JoAnne Gunderson, 17, of the Sand Point Country Club, Seattle, Wash., the runnerup in the previous year, defeated Miss Clifford Ann Creed, 17, of Opelousas, La., 4 and 3, with the finest golf yet displayed in a Girls' Junior final, at the Heather Downs Country Club, Toledo, Ohio. Miss Gunderson played the finest nine in 33, three under women's par, and was still three under when she won the match.

She went to the final of the Women's Amateur Championship the following week. For a brief period thereafter both the Girls' Junior and the Women's Amateur trophies were held by the same Club, since Miss Pat Lesser, the 1955 Women's Amateur Champion, was a club-mate of Miss Gunderson.

After a one-year trial with an all-match-play form, an 18-hole qualifying round was restored; there were, however, 32 places at stake instead of 16 as in the years preceding 1955. The entry of 70 was a near record, as was the starting field of 58. Miss Mary Mills, 16, of Gulfport, Miss., set a new qualifying record with a 74, one over par. Seven girls tied for the last six places at 90 and a two-hole playoff was required. Miss Sharon Fladoos, of Dubuque, Iowa, was the surprise of the Championship, gaining the semi-finals at the age of 13. Miss Carole Jo Kabler was over the age limit and could not defend.