1946 U.S. Women’s Amateur: Babe Zaharias wins at Southern Hills C.C.

Babe Zaharias won the 1946 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Southern Hills C.C. in Tulsa, Oklahoma, beating Clara Sherman 11 & 9 in the final.

Updated October 22, 2026

Walk this draw in the U.S. Women’s Amateur room.

Edition: 46th
Dates: September 23, 1946 to September 28, 1946
Course: Southern Hills C.C., Tulsa, Oklahoma
Format: stroke-play qualifying + match play
Champion: Babe Zaharias · age 35 · United States
Champion's title: 1st U.S. Women’s Amateur
Runner-up: Clara Sherman
Final: 11 & 9
Losing semifinalists: Helen Sigel and Bettye Mims White
Stroke-play medalist: Dorothy Kirby (152)
Defending champion: Betty Hicks Newell (1941 champion) · did not play
Entries: 60

What happened at the 1946 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Babe Didrikson Zaharias, reinstated as an amateur, beat Clara Callender Sherman 11 and 9 in the 36-hole final at Southern Hills.

Pre-tournament favorite Louise Suggs was beaten on the 19th hole of her first match by Mrs. Chandler, and qualifying medalist Dorothy Kirby fell the same day to Grace Lenczyk.

Final, Babe Didrikson Zaharias v. Clara Callender Sherman. Zaharias won 11 and 9, then the third-largest final margin in the championship's history.

The draw

Every match is recorded through the semifinal.

The final, 1946 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Babe Zaharias	def.	Clara Sherman	11 & 9

Semifinals, 1946 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Clara Sherman	def.	Bettye Mims White	8 & 7
Babe Zaharias	def.	Helen Sigel	3 & 2

Quarterfinals, 1946 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Babe Zaharias	def.	Maureen Orcutt	5 & 4
Helen Sigel	def.	Margaret Gunther	6 & 5
Bettye Mims White	def.	unknown	unknown
Clara Sherman	def.	unknown	unknown

Round of 16, 1946 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Babe Zaharias	def.	Betty Jean Rucker	4 & 3
Maureen Orcutt	def.	Polly Riley	2 & 1
Helen Sigel	def.	Grace Lenczyk	5 & 3
Mrs. E. S. Blanton	def.	Mrs. Dan Chandler	5 & 4

Round of 32, 1946 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Babe Zaharias	def.	Peggy Kirk	4 & 3
Maureen Orcutt	def.	Mrs. H. T. Williford	4 & 3
Mrs. Dan Chandler	def.	Louise Suggs	won on 19th hole
Grace Lenczyk	def.	Dorothy Kirby	4 & 3

How this was built

Every value is shown as recorded in GNN's U.S. Women’s Amateur data set (research collected through October 20, 2026). "unknown" means no source confirmed it; nothing is estimated. Where sources disagree, the USGA's own record is used.

Data: us-womens-amateur.json.