Pilar Dorado

In an all-California final, Miss Pilar Dorado, of Hayward, defeated Miss Kellii Doherty, from Buena Park, 3 and 2, at the Del Rio Golf and Country Club, Modesto, Calif. It was only the third time the Girls' Junior Championship had been held in California. Of the 129 entrants, 13 California youngsters qualified for match play, and of those, three reached the semifinal round.

Medalist was Miss Lauren Howe, of Colorado Springs, Colo., who was co-medalist in 1975 and runnerup to Miss Nancy Lopez in 1974. Miss Howe tied Miss Lopez' record for low 18-hole qualifying score (71), but missed by two strokes matching her 36-hole qualifying record of 144, set in 1973.

Miss Howe was defeated by Miss Lisa Johnson, of Buena Park, 1-up, in the first round. Miss Cathy Curry, Columbus, Neb., defeated Miss Denise Hermida, of Brandon, Fla., on the 23rd hole. This was the longest match ever in the Girls' Junior. Miss Curry advanced to the semifinal round, where she lost to Miss Doherty. The other losing semifinalist was Miss LuLong Hartley, of Oceanside, Calif.

In the final round, Miss Dorado quickly went 2-up with a birdie and a par on the first two holes and then birdied the seventh to go 3-up. After nine holes, she was two under par. Miss Dorado won the 10th and 11th and was 5-up, but Miss Doherty then won the 13th and 14th with birdies. She was then three down with four to play. The match ended when the girls halved the 15th and 16th holes.