1984 Curtis Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1984 Curtis Cup was the 23rd time this tournament was played. Following Team USA's victory, the all-time standings were 19 wins for Team USA, two for GB&I, and two ties.

Final Score: United States 9.5, Great Britain & Ireland 8.5

Dates Played: June 8-9, 1984

Location: Muirfield links in Gullane, Scotland

Team Captains: Phyllis Preuss for the United States and Diane Robb Bailey for Great Britain & Ireland

Team Rosters:

• USA — Heather Farr, Penny Hammel, Dana Howe, Joanne Pacillo, Jody Rosenthal, Anne Quast Sander, Lancy Smith, Mary Anne Widman
• GB&I — Laura Davies, Penny Grice, Claire Hourihane, Mary McKenna, Beverly New, Vicki Thomas, Jill Thornhill, Claire Waite

Notes: The 1984 Curtis Cup produced the closest result — a one-point margin of victory — since the USA and GB&I teams halved the 1958 Curtis Cup. Three of the four match sessions were halved; the USA's winning point came via its 3.5 to 2.5 margin in Day 1 singles play.

This was the American side's 13th consecutive win in the Curtis Cup, but it was also the last victory in that long winning streak.

The first time this tournament was played at Muirfield, the 1952 Curtis Cup, resulted in the GB&I side's first win. This time, Claire Waite's win over Lancy Smith in the third match of the final singles session gave GB&I a 1-point lead. A win by the USA's Heather Farr pushed the Americans back in front by a point.

The outcome of the final singles match on the course, therefore, was to decide whether the result would be a win for Team USA or a tie. GB&I's Penny Grice had a 4-foot putt on the final hole that would have earned GB&I a tie (although the USA would have retained the Cup), but missed.

Future Hall-of-Famer Laura Davies played for Team GB&I, but got into only two out of four possible matches. For Team USA, Penny Hammel, Heather Farr, Jody Rosenthal (Anschutz) and Joanne Pacillo (Foreman) all went on to play on the LPGA Tour.

1984 Curtis Cup Results

Day 1

Foursomes

• Claire Waite/Beverly New, GB&I, def. Joanne Pacillo/Anne Sander, USA, 2-up
• Jill Thornhill/Penny Grice, GB&I, halved with Lancy Smith/Jody Rosenthal, USA
• Mary Anne Widman/Heather Farr, USA, def. Mary McKenna/Laura Davies, GB&I, 1-up

Score after first session: GB&I 1.5, USA 1.5

Singles

• Jill Thornhill, GB&I, halved with Joanne Pacillo, USA
• Penny Hammel, USA, def. Claire Waite, GB&I, 4 and 2
• Jody Rosenthal, USA, def. Claire Hourihane, GB&I, 3 and 1
• Vicki Thomas, GB&I, def. Dana Howe, USA, 2 and 1
• Penny Grice, GB&I, def. Anne Sander, USA, 2-up
• Mary Anne Widman, USA, def. Beverly New, GB&I, 4 and 3

Score of second session: USA 3.5, GB&I 2.5
Cumulative score after two sessions: USA 5, GB&I 4

Day 2

Foursomes

• Lancy Smith/Jody Rosenthal, USA, def. Claire Waite/Beverly New, GB&I, 3 and 1
• Jill Thornhill/Penny Grice, GB&I, def. Mary Anne Widman/Heather Farr, USA, 2 and 1
• Vicki Thomas/Claire Hourihane, GB&I, halved with Dana Howe/Penny Hammel, USA

Score of third session: GB&I 1.5, USA 1.5
Cumulative score after three sessions: USA 6.5, GB&I 5.5

Singles

• Joanne Pacillo, USA, def. Jill Thornhill, GB&I, 3 and 2
• Laura Davies, GB&I, def. Anne Sander, USA, 1-up
• Claire Waite, GB&I, def. Lancy Smith, USA, 5 and 4
• Dana Howe, USA, def. Penny Grice, GB&I, 1-up
• Heather Farr, USA, def. Beverly New, GB&I, 6 and 5
• Claire Hourihane, GB&I, def. Penny Hammel, USA, 2 and 1

Score of fourth session: GB&I 3, USA 3
Overall and final score: USA 9.5, GB&I 8.5

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1982 Curtis Cup | 1986 Curtis Cup