1986 Women’s Amateur: Marnie McGuire wins at West Sussex

Marnie McGuire won the 1986 Women’s Amateur at West Sussex in Pulborough, West Sussex, beating Louise Briers 2 & 1 in the final.

Updated 23 October 2026

Walk this draw in the The Women’s Amateur Championship room.

Edition: 83rd
Dates: 14 June 1986
Course: West Sussex, Pulborough, West Sussex
Format: match play
Champion: Marnie McGuire · age 17 · New Zealand
Champion's title: 1st Women’s Amateur title
Runner-up: Louise Briers
Final: 2 & 1 (18-hole final)
Match-play field: 32
Losing semifinalists: Regine Lautens and Caroline Pierce
Stroke-play medalist: Jill Thornhill (145)
Defending champion: Lillian Behan

What happened at the 1986 Women’s Amateur

All square with two to play against Caroline Pierce, Louise Briers eagled the long 17th with a three-wood to 20 feet and chipped to six feet at the last to win the semi-final 2 up.

Seventeen-year-old Marnie McGuire won the final 2 and 1 by holing a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th green, the youngest champion of the century.

Final, Marnie McGuire v. Louise Briers. McGuire, 17, finished the all-Antipodean final with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th green to win 2 and 1.

Semifinal, Louise Briers v. Caroline Pierce. All square with two to play, Briers eagled the long 17th after a three-wood to 20 feet and then chipped to six feet for a winning birdie at the 18th.

The draw

Every match is recorded through the quarterfinal.

The final, 1986 Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Marnie McGuire	def.	Louise Briers	2 & 1

Semifinals, 1986 Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Louise Briers	def.	Caroline Pierce	2 up
Marnie McGuire	def.	Regine Lautens	2 & 1

Quarterfinals, 1986 Women’s Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Louise Briers	def.	P. Johnson	2 & 1
Caroline Pierce	def.	Edwina Kennedy	2 & 1
Regine Lautens	def.	Marie-Laure de Taya	1 up
Marnie McGuire	def.	E. Maxwell	won on 19th hole

How this was built

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

Data: womens-amateur.json.