Joanne Pacillo

Joanne Pacillo, 21, of Torrance, California, became the third consecutive Californian to win the Women's Amateur. She succeeded Carolyn Hill, Placentia (1979), and Juli Inkster, of Los Altos (1980-81-82).

Miss Pacillo, a graduate of Stanford University, defeated Sally Quinlan, of Dennis, Massachusetts, 2 and 1, in the final.

The Championship was played on the North Course of the Canoe Brook Country Club, in Summit, New Jersey. Mary Anne Widman, of Elmira, N.Y., was medalist, with 147, but she lost to Susan Marchese, of Omaha, Nebraska, 3 and 2, in the second round. Miss Pacillo and Miss Quinlan each qualified with 152.

On her way to the final Miss Pacillo defeated, among others, Mrs. Anne Quast Sander, of Seattle, Washington, three times the Women's Amateur Champion, 2 up, and Mrs. Belle Robertson, of Glasgow, Scotland, 1981 British Champion, 1 up.

Meanwhile, Miss Quinlan eliminated her college teammate Penny Hammel, of Decatur, Illinois, the Women's NCAA Champion, 4 and 3; and Nancy Taylor, of Tampa, Florida, the 1982 Women's Amateur Public Links Champion, 3 and 2.

Miss Pacillo played the steadier golf in the final. Miss Quinlan had trouble controlling her drives and chose to play her 1 -iron off most tees, conceding a distance advantage to Miss Pacillo.

Miss Quinlan led only once, winning the third hole with a par-5, but Miss Pacillo squared it two holes later. Miss Pacillo was 2 up as the afternoon round began, and when Miss Quinlan three-putted the first green, Miss Pacillo was 3 up with 17 holes to play. Miss Quinlan began to close in, however, by winning the next two holes, but Miss Pacillo held a 2-up lead with nine holes to play.

The next five holes were halved with pars, and then Miss Quinlan won the 15th, and Miss Pacillo countered with a birdie at the 16th. The match ended when the 17th was halved in par. The Championship attracted 259 entries.