1982 Curtis Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1982 Curtis Cup was the 22nd time this tournament was played. Following Team USA's victory, the all-time standings were 18 wins for Team USA, two for GB&I, and two ties.

Final Score: United States 14.5, Great Britain & Ireland 3.5

Dates Played: August 5-6, 1982

Location: Denver (Colorado) Country Club

Team Captains: Marie O'Donnell for Great Britain & Ireland and Betty Probasco for the United States

Team Rosters:

• GB&I — Wilma Aitken, Jane Connachan, Kitrina Douglas, Mary McKenna, Belle McCorkindale Robertson, Janet Soulsby, Gillian Stewart, Vicki Thomas
• USA — Kathy Baker, Amy Benz, Cathy Hanlon, Juli Simpson Inkster, Mari McDougall, Judy Oliver, Carol Semple, Lancy Smith

Notes: The 11-point margin of victory in the 1982 Curtis Cup made this the biggest win/worst defeat in tournament history to this point. The American side won 10 of 12 singles matches, and virtually put the match away on Day 1 by earning 7.5 of the available nine points.

Janet Soulsby, who went on to play on the Ladies European Tour, was the only GB&I golfer on Day 1 who won a match. The U.S. side won the first hole of all nine matches played on Day 1.

The big star of the tournament was the recently married Juli Inkster, competing as Juli Simpson Inkster. Inkster went 4-0-0 for Team USA. She was the two-time defending champion in the U.S. Women's Amateur, and later in the month won her third U.S. Am in a row, beating her Curtis Cup teammate Cathy Hanlon in the championship match.

Inkster went on to a Hall of Fame pro career. Teammates Kathy Baker (Guadagnino), Amy Benz and Hanlon (as Cathy Marino) also went on to LPGA careers.

This was the 50th anniversary match for the competition. Every former player and captain was invited to attend the match, and 47 did. Four women who took part in the inaugural 1932 Curtis Cup — Glenna Collett Vare, Maureen Orcutt and Dorothy Higbie from Team USA and Enid Wilson from Team Great Britain — were among those attending.

1982 Curtis Cup Results

Day 1

Foursomes

• Juli Simpson Inkster/Carol Semple, USA, def. Belle McCorkindale Robertson/Mary McKenna, GB&I, 5 and 4
• Kitrina Douglas/Janet Soulsby, GB&I, halved with Kathy Baker/Lancy Smith, USA
• Amy Benz/Cathy Hanlon, USA, def. Gillian Stewart/Jane Connachan, GB&I, 2 and 1

Score after first session: USA 2.5, GB&I 0.5

Singles

• Juli Simpson Inkster, USA, def. Kitrina Douglas, GB&I, 2 and 1
• Kathy Baker, USA, def. Belle McCorkindale Robertson, GB&I, 7 and 6
• Amy Benz, USA, def. Mary McKenna, GB&I, 2 and 1
• Cathy Hanlon, USA, def. Jane Connachan, GB&I, 5 and 4
• Mari McDougall, USA, def. Wilma Aiken, GB&I, 3 and 2
• Janet Soulsby, GB&I, def. Judy Oliver, USA, 2-up

Score of second session: USA 5, GB&I 1
Cumulative score after Day 1: USA 7.5, GB&I 1.5

Day 2

Foursomes

• Juli Simpson Inkster/Carol Semple, USA, def. Jane Connachan/Wilma Aiken, GB&I, 3 and 2
• Kathy Baker/Lancy Smith, USA, def. Kitrina Douglas/Janet Soulsby, GB&I, 1-up
• Mary McKenna/Belle McCorkindale Robertson, GB&I, def. Amy Benz/Cathy Hanlon, USA, 1-up

Score of third session: USA 2, GB&I 1
Cumulative score after three sessions: USA 9.5, GB&I 2.5

Singles

• Juli Simpson Inkster, USA, def. Kitrina Douglas, GB&I, 7 and 5
• Kathy Baker, USA, def. Gillian Stewart, GB&I, 4 and 3
• Carol Semple, USA, def. Mary McKenna, GB&I, 1-up
• Belle McCorkindale Robertson, GB&I, def. Lancy Smith, USA, 5 and 3
• Mari McDougall, USA, def. Janet Soulsby, GB&I, 2 and 1
• Judy Oliver, USA, def. Vicki Thomas, GB&I, 5 and 4

Score of fourth session: USA 5, GB&I 1
Overall and final score: USA 14.5, GB&I 3.5

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1980 Curtis Cup | 1984 Curtis Cup