1956 Women's Western Open: Beverly Hanson wins at Wakonda Club

Beverly Hanson won the 1956 Women's Western Open at Wakonda Club, Des Moines, Iowa, United States with 304 (E), by 4 strokes over Louise Suggs.

Updated October 23, 2026

Every year is on the Women's Western Open winners list.

Dates: June 28, 1956 to July 1, 1956
Course: Wakonda Club, Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Edition: 27th edition
Counted as a major: yes
Format: stroke play, 4 rounds
Par: 76 · 6,475 yards
Field: 115
Made the cut: 32 (cut at 172)
Purse: $5,000 · winner's share $1,000
Champion: Beverly Hanson · age 31 · United States · born Fargo, North Dakota, United States
Champion's title: 1st title at this event · 2nd major
Winning score: 75-81-72-76 = 304 (E) · won by 4 strokes
Runner-up: Louise Suggs (308)
Low amateurs: Ruth Jessen, Anne Quast (314 each)

Winner and runner-up

Pos.	Player	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total	To par
1	Beverly Hanson	75	81	72	76	304	E
2	Louise Suggs					308

What happened at the 1956 Women's Western Open

Louise Suggs led after the first round with a 72 (AP: 'Louise Suggs Leading Women's Western Open').

Hanson's third-round 72, four under par on the par-76 Wakonda course, set up a four-stroke win at even-par 304.

How this was built

Every value is shown as recorded in GNN's Women's Western Open data. A value no source confirmed is left out; nothing is estimated. Where sources disagree, the organizer's own record is used.

Data: womens-golf-majors_dataset_2026-10-20.json (GNN's women's majors research set, "master" row for this year, research dated October 20, 2026).

1956 Women's Western Open: Beverly Hanson wins at Wakonda Club

Winner and runner-up

What happened at the 1956 Women's Western Open

How this was built

Sources