b'JoAnne Carner won two U.S. Womens Opens, 1971 andPat Lesser (left) receives the trophy from the USGAs Virginia Dennehy, after 1976 (pictured). At the 1987 U.S. Womens Open, she lostdefeating Mickey Wright (right) 4&2 in the final match to win the 1950 U.S. in an 18-hole playoff to Laura Davies.(USGA Archives) Girls Junior Championship. Lesser (later Harbottle) would be inducted into the Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Fame in 1985, while Wright would be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1964. (USGA Museum)U.S. Womens Amateur Champions Medal to beShe was a natural at the sport, breaking 80 in her first year at age named for PNGA Hall of13, using full-length mens clubs. Her rise in the game was swift. As a 14-year-old, she won Famer JoAnne Carner the 1948 Seattle womens championship, a title she successfully The USGA has announceddefended the following year. In August 1949, Pat was the medalist the medal presented eachat the Canadian Womens Amateur championship in Vancouver and year to the U.S. Womensadvanced to the quarterfinals.Amateur champion will beIn the quarterfinals of the 1950 Womens Western Junior, Lesser renamed and redesigned tobeat Barbara McIntirewho would twice win the U.S. Womens honor golf legend JoAnneAmateur and play on six Curtis Cup teamsand went on to win. Carner in recognition ofPat next ventured to the 1950 U.S. Girls Junior at Wanakah her remarkable golf career,Country Club in Buffalo, New York. In the final, Lesser soundly which includes eight USGAdefeated Mickey Wrightfuture victor in 13 womens majors during championship victories, the most by any female golfer.an iconic World Golf Hall of Fame career4 and 2.Beginning with the 2026 U.S. WomensAt age 18, Lesser contended at the 1951 U.S. Womens Open, tying Amateur next August, each champion willfor fourth with future hall-of-famer Marlene Bauer, seven shots back receive the JoAnne Carner Medal along withof winner Betsy Rawls, and behind only other future hall-of-famers the Robert Cox Trophy.Louise Suggs and Babe Zaharias. Lesser was the low amateur, and her JoAnne will become just the third golfer to72-hole score of 300 established a record for amateurs.have a USGA championship medal named afterPat excelled in the four other Womens Opens she played in. She her, preceded by Jack Nicklaus in 2012 for theskipped the 1952 U.S. Womens Open, instead playing and winning U.S. Open gold medal, and by Mickey Wright inthe Oregon Womens Amateur held at the same time. She also won 2020 for the U.S. Womens Open gold medal.the PNGA Womens Amateur three times (1952, 1953, 1965). Carner grew up in Kirkland, Wash., and learnedShe was the low amateur again in the 1953 U.S. Womens Open the game on the now-closed nine-hole Juanitawhen she tied for sixth. In the 1954 U.S. Womens Open, Lesser tied for Golf Course, about a half-mile from herseventh. In 1955, Lesser finished eighth, and she tied for 16th in 1956.home. Along with her USGA titles, while stillOn April 18, 1952, Seattle Universitys mens golf team beat an amateur, Carner (then known as JoAnneOregon State, 13.5-7.5.What made this tournament noteworthy is Gunderson, or The Great Gundy) won twothat Seattles No. 1 player was pigtailed 18-year-old Lesser, who won PNGA Womens Amateurs (1956, 1958), theher match. Two months later, Lesser was one of only 34 contestants at 1956 PNGA Junior Girls, the 1954 Washingtonthe Womens National Intercollegiate Golf Tournament, where she lost State Womens Public Links, the 1955 Westernin the semifinals. She would win the womens college championship Junior Girls, the 1959 Womens Westernthe following year.Amateur, among many other titles. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame andShe played four years on SUs mens teamalways from the mens LPGA Hall of Fame in 1982, and inducted intoteesand won far more matches than she lost. the PNGA Hall of Fame in 1999.'