1979 U.S. Women’s Amateur: Carolyn Hill wins at Memphis (Tenn.) C.C.

Carolyn Hill won the 1979 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Memphis (Tenn.) C.C. in Memphis, Tennessee, beating Patty Sheehan 7 & 6 in the final.

Updated October 22, 2026

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

Edition: 79th
Dates: August 13, 1979 to August 18, 1979
Course: Memphis (Tenn.) C.C., Memphis, Tennessee
Format: stroke-play qualifying + match play
Champion: Carolyn Hill · age 20 · United States
Champion's title: 1st U.S. Women’s Amateur
Runner-up: Patty Sheehan · age 22
Final: 7 & 6
Losing semifinalists: Peggy Kirsch and Vicki Singleton
Stroke-play medalist: Kathy Baker (71)
Defending champion: Cathy Sherk
Entries: 273

What happened at the 1979 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Carolyn Hill played the first nine of the afternoon in 33 to go 6 up and closed out Patty Sheehan 7 and 6 on the 30th hole, finishing nine under par for six matches.

Seventy-one players broke 80 in the 18-hole qualifier, the lowest cut in championship history, and 17 played off for the last 10 places.

Final, Carolyn Hill v. Patty Sheehan. Hill hit 21 of 23 fairways, went 4 up at lunch (71 to 74), played the afternoon front nine in 33 and closed it out 7 and 6 on the 30th hole.

The draw

Every match is recorded through the semifinal.

The final, 1979 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Carolyn Hill	def.	Patty Sheehan	7 & 6

Semifinals, 1979 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Carolyn Hill	def.	Peggy Kirsch	5 & 4
Patty Sheehan	def.	Vicki Singleton	4 & 3

Quarterfinals, 1979 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Carolyn Hill	def.	Lori Castillo	6 & 5
Patty Sheehan	def.	Kathy Baker	4 & 3

Round of 16, 1979 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Carolyn Hill	def.	Mitzi Edge	2 & 1
Patty Sheehan	def.	Sue Ertl	7 & 6

Round of 32, 1979 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Carolyn Hill	def.	Lynn Connelly	5 & 4
Patty Sheehan	def.	Laurie Reichenbach	5 & 4

Round of 64, 1979 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Carolyn Hill	def.	Beth Barry	unknown
Patty Sheehan	def.	Bie-Shyun Huang	won on 20th 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.