1990

Carol Semple Thompson, 41, returned to her home area of western Pennsylvania and defeated Page Marsh-Lea, 3 and 1 in the final, at the Allegheny Country Club, where she had learned the game.

Mrs. Thompson won her victory on the merit of her excellent final nine. She had fallen 2 down to 27-year-old Mrs. Marsh-Lea after eight holes, but she rallied to win five of the final nine holes. She began her comeback with birdies on the ninth, 10th, and 12th holes.

The Women's Mid-Amateur is the latest in a long string of accomplishments for Mrs. Thompson, whose record includes the 1973 U.S. Women's Amateur, the 1974 British Women's Championship, and playing on six Curtis Cup teams, and three U.S. Women's World Amateur teams.

This was the second consecutive year Mrs. Marsh-Lea had lost in the final. She lost in 22 holes to Robin Weiss in 1989. Mrs. Thompson was extended to the 18th hole only once in her first three matches, but she needed a miraculous finish to overtake Anne Sander in her semifinal match. Mrs. Thompson fell two holes behind through 12, but recovered and won four of the final six holes, winning 2 up.