1980 U.S. Women’s Amateur: Juli Inkster wins at Prairie Dunes C.C.

Juli Inkster won the 1980 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Prairie Dunes C.C. in Hutchinson, Kansas, beating Patti Rizzo 2 up in the final.

Updated October 22, 2026

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

Edition: 80th
Dates: August 11, 1980 to August 16, 1980
Course: Prairie Dunes C.C., Hutchinson, Kansas
Format: stroke-play qualifying + match play
Champion: Juli Inkster · age 20 · United States
Champion's title: 1st U.S. Women’s Amateur
Runner-up: Patti Rizzo · age 20
Final: 2 up
Losing semifinalists: Carol Semple Thompson and unknown
Stroke-play medalist: Dorothy Lasker (147)
Defending champion: Carolyn Hill
Entries: 281

What happened at the 1980 U.S. Women’s Amateur

On the par-3 10th of the final Juli Inkster holed a downhill 20-foot birdie putt on top of Patti Rizzo's short birdie putt, keeping a 2-up lead Rizzo would have cut to all square.

Inkster, a bride of three weeks, won the 18th with a par when Rizzo's approach came up short of the green to win 2 up.

Final, Juli Simpson Inkster v. Patti Rizzo. Rizzo, 2 down, had a short birdie putt on the 10th but Inkster holed a 20-footer first; Inkster birdied the 13th, lost the 16th and won the 18th with a par.

The draw

Every match is recorded through the final.

The final, 1980 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Juli Inkster	def.	Patti Rizzo	2 up

Semifinals, 1980 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Juli Inkster	def.	Carol Semple Thompson	2 & 1

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.