1976 U.S. Women’s Amateur: Donna Horton wins at Del Paso C.C.

Donna Horton won the 1976 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Del Paso C.C. in Sacramento, California, beating Marianne Bretton 2 & 1 in the final.

Updated October 22, 2026

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

Edition: 76th
Dates: August 16, 1976 to August 21, 1976
Course: Del Paso C.C., Sacramento, California
Format: stroke-play qualifying + match play
Champion: Donna Horton · age 22 · United States
Champion's title: 1st U.S. Women’s Amateur
Runner-up: Marianne Bretton
Final: 2 & 1
Losing semifinalists: Rise Alexander and Pat Cornett
Stroke-play medalist: Beth Daniel (70)
Defending champion: Beth Daniel
Entries: 157

What happened at the 1976 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Marianne Bretton was 3 up after nine holes of the final but bogeyed six holes on the morning's back nine, four in a row from the 15th, and the match was all square at lunch.

Medalist and defending champion Beth Daniel lost her first match to Dale Shaw of British Columbia.

Final, Donna Horton v. Marianne Bretton. All square at lunch, Horton holed a 10-foot birdie on the afternoon 13th to lead for the first time and ended it when both made 6 on the par-4 17th.

The draw

Every match is recorded through the final.

The final, 1976 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Donna Horton	def.	Marianne Bretton	2 & 1

Semifinals, 1976 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Marianne Bretton	def.	Rise Alexander	7 & 6
Donna Horton	def.	Pat Cornett	unknown

Quarterfinals, 1976 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Rise Alexander	def.	Dale Shaw	won on 22nd hole

Round of 16, 1976 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Patricia Cornett	def.	Lauren Howe	won on 23rd hole

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.