1956 Curtis Cup Winner and Match Scores

Team Great Britain and Ireland earned its second-ever win in the Curtis Cup in 1956, making the all-time standings to this point six wins for Team USA, two for GB&I, with one tie.

Final Score: Great Britain & Ireland 5, United States 4

Dates Played: June 8-9, 1956

Location: Prince's Golf Club in Sandwich Bay, Kent, England

Team Captains: Edith Flippin for the United States and Zara Davis Bolton for GB&I

Team Rosters:

• USA — Carolyn Cudone, Mary Ann Downey, Patricia Lesser, Jane Nelson, Polly Riley, Barbara Romack, Margaret "Wiffi" Smith
• GB&I — Veronica Anstey, Philomena Garvey, Elizabeth Price, Janette Robertson, Frances Stephens Smith, Jessie Anderson Valentine, Angela Ward

Notes: Matches returned to 18 holes after several Curtis Cups with 36-hole matches, and Team GB&I earned its second win at the 1956 Curtis Cup.

The U.S. took a 2-1 lead into the singles session, but GB&I golfers won four of those matches, including the final two, to take the Cup. The last match to finish was the one that decided the outcome: Frances Smith beat Polly Riley by winning the final hole of their match.

One of the USA's singles victories, however, was a record-setter. Wiffi Smith defeated Philomena Garvey by a 9-and-8 score. That tied the existing record for biggest win/worst defeat, but the previous record had been set in a 36-hole match. Smith's victory was in an 18-hole match.

Making her debut for Team GB&I was Angela Ward. Two years later, she married Michael Bonallack, a longtime Walker Cup star for GB&I. The Bonallacks, to this day, remain the only husband-and-wife golfers who have played in the Curtis Cup and the Walker Cup.

1956 Curtis Cup Results

Day 1 Foursomes

• Patricia Lesser/Wiffi Smith, USA, def. Jessie Anderson Valentine/Philomena Garvey, GB&I, 2 and 1
• Frances Stephens Smith/Elizabeth Price, GB&I, def. Polly Riley/Barbara Romack, USA, 5 and 3
• Mary Ann Downey/Carolyn Cudone, USA, def. Janette Robertson/Veronica Anstey, GB&I, 6 and 4

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

Day 2 Singles

• Jessie Anderson Valentine, GB&I, def. Patricia Lesser, USA, 6 and 4
• Wiffi Smith, USA, def. Philomena Garvey, GB&I, 9 and 8
• Frances Stephens Smith, GB&I, def. Polly Riley, USA, 1-up
• Barbara Romack, USA, def. Janette Robertson, GB&I, 6 and 4
• Angela Ward, GB&I, def. Mary Ann Downey, USA, 4 and 3
• Elizabeth Price, GB&I, def. Jane Nelson, USA, 7 and 6

Score of second session: GB&I 4, USA 2
Overall and final score: GB&I 5, USA 4