Penny Hammel

Miss Penny Hammel, 17, of Decatur, Ill., birdied four of the last eight holes to defeat Amy Benz, of Clearwater, Fla., in the final at the Pleasant Valley Country Club, Little Rock, Ark. Miss Benz was the medalist with a record 36-hole qualifying score of 142. Laurie Burns shot 70 on the first day of qualifying for a new 18-hole record. The conditions of play were changed to allow 64 girls to qualify for match play rather than 32. The 64th player to qualify for match play had the same score-164-as the 32nd player to qualify for match play in 1978.

Miss Hammel reached the final by defeating Jane Abood, 5 and 4; Caroline Gowan, 4 and 3; Joanne Pacillo, 5 and 4; Sharon Barrett, 1 up; and Kathy Kingston, 2 and 1, in the semi-finals. Miss Benz defeated Christine Smith, 2 up; Gail Flanagan, 1 up in 20 holes after Miss Flanagan three-putted the 18th; Robin Wohltman, 6 and 5; Jenny Lidback, the 1978 runner-up, 1 up, when Miss Lidback three-putted the final hole; and Laurie Burns, 2 up, in the semi-finals.

In the final, Miss Benz won the first two holes with pars. Miss Hammel came back to win the third hole with a par as Miss Benz three-putted, and the fifth hole with a birdie to even the match. Miss Benz won the sixth with a birdie, but Miss Hammel parred the seventh to even the match again. Miss Benz went 1 up with a par on the ninth hole, but Miss Hammel birdied four of the next eight holes to close out the match. A record 176 entries were received, exceeding the previous high of 172 in 1978.