1948 Curtis Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1948 Curtis Cup was the fifth time this competition was played, but, due to World War II, the first time since 1938. Following Team USA's victory, the all-time standings to this point were four wins for the United States, none for Great Britain & Ireland, with one tie.

Final Score: USA 6.5, Great Britain & Ireland 2.5

Dates Played: May 21-22, 1948

Location: Birkdale Golf Club in Birkdale, England

Team Captains: Glenna Collett Vare for USA, Doris Chambers for Great Britain & Ireland.

Team Rosters:

• USA — Dorothy Kielty, Dorothy Kirby, Grace Lenczyk, Estelle Lawson Page, Polly Riley, Louise Suggs, Glenna Collett Vare (playing captain)
• GB&I — Zara Bolton, Jean Donald, Philomena Garvey, Jacqueline Gordon, Helen Holm, Clarrie Reddan, Maureen Ruttle

Notes: This was the first Curtis Cup in 10 years, and also the first in which Team USA's opposition was called "Great Britain & Ireland." Although Irish golfers had played in previous cups, previous teams had been called only "Great Britain."

Future LPGA superstar and Hall-of-Famer Louise Suggs made her Cup debut, but did not win either of her matches. Polly Riley, who won the first tournament in LPGA history two years later, also played her first Curtis Cup.

Glenna Collett Vare was the playing captain for the American side. It was the second time she had been a playing captain, the third of four times she was team captain, but the final time Collett Vare played in a Curtis Cup.

1948 Curtis Cup Results

Day 1 Foursomes

• Jacqueline Gordon/Jean Donald, GB&I, def. Louise Suggs/Grace Lenczyk, USA, 3 and 2
• Glenna Collett Vare/Dorothy Kirby, USA, def. Philomena Garvey/Zara Bolton, GB&I, 4 and 3
• Dorothy Kielty/Estelle Lawson Page, USA, def. Maureen Ruttle/Clarrie Reddan, GB&I, 5 and 4

Score after first session: USA 2, GB&I 1

Day 2 Singles

• Philomena Garvey, GB&I, halved with Louise Suggs, USA
• Jean Donald, GB&I, def. Dorothy Kirby, USA, 2-up
• Grace Lenczyk, USA, def. Jacqueline Gordon, GB&I, 5 and 3
• Estelle Lawson Page, USA, def. Helen Holm, GB&I, 3 and 2
• Polly Riley, USA, def. Maureen Ruttle, GB&I, 3 and 2
• Dorothy Kielty, USA, def. Zara Bolton, GB&I, 2 and 1

Score of second session: USA 4.5, GBI 1.5
Overall and final score: USA 6.5, GB&I 2.5