Beth Daniel

Miss Beth Daniel, 22, of Charleston, S. C., won her second Women's Amateur in three years by defeating Mrs. Cathy Sherk, of Fonthill, Canada, 3 and 1, at the Cincinnati Country Club, Cincinnati, Ohio. Mrs. Donna Horton White, the 1976 Champion, had become a professional earlier in the year.

Miss Mary Lawrence, of Canton, N. Y., was medalist with a score of 72, one stroke under par. She was defeated in the first round by Miss Mary Elizabeth Murphy, of Naples, Fla.

In the semi-final round Miss Daniel defeated Mrs. Nancy Hager Hammer, of Dallas, Texas, 3 and 1, and Mrs. Sherk won, 9 and 8, from Miss Brenda Goldsmith, of San Antonio, Texas, who played even though she had a cracked rib. Mrs. Sherk was one under par.

This equaled the largest winning margin in an 18-hole match in the history of the Championship. Miss Daniel and Mrs. Hammer played their semi-final match evenly until Miss Daniel went ahead to stay with birdies on the 12th and 14th holes.

In the 36-hole final round, Miss Daniel could gain no more than a two-hole advantage through the morning round. Mrs. Sherk won the sixth and seventh holes of the afternoon round to even the match, and then hit the eighth green in regulation while Miss Daniel was bunkered.

Miss Daniel recovered to save her par, however, and Mrs. Sherk three-putted to lose the hole. Miss Daniel again was 1 up. She birdied the 12th and 14th to go 3 up, and then holed from 12 feet to halve the 15th. Mrs. Sherk holed her 6-iron second shot for an eagle 2 at the 16th, but she lost the 17th and the match when Miss Daniel holed a putt from 14 feet.