Golf at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Women's individual

Women's individual golf
at the Games of the II Olympiad
Women's golf at the 1900 Summer Olympics
VenueCompiègne Golf Club
Date3 October 1900
Competitors10 from 2 nations
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Margaret Abbott
 United States
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Pauline Whittier
 United States
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Abbie Pratt
 United States
Sample picture of the event (unofficial)
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Golf at the 1900 Summer Olympics
Events
Individual

A women's golf tournament was played at the 1900 Summer Olympics. It was the only time women's golf was featured at the Olympics until 2016.[1] There were 10 competitors from 2 nations (France and the United States) at the event, which was played on 3 October at the Compiègne Club.[1] The event was won by Margaret Abbott of the United States, the first American woman Olympic champion (though she did not realize it, unaware that the golf tournament was part of the Olympics[2]). The United States is credited with a medal sweep in the event by the IOC,[3] though (i) medals were not awarded at the time and (ii) many sources list Pauline Whittier (the silver medalist) as Swiss or Abbie Pratt as French (or both). Whittier was an American studying in St. Moritz. Pratt was an American who spent significant time in Europe and competed under the auspices of the (French) Dinard Golf Club.[1]

Abbott's mother, Mary Abbott also competed in the event; it is the only time that a mother and daughter have competed in the same Olympic event at the same Games.[2]

Background

In the preparation for the 1900 Games, a Special Advisory Committee led by Jacques de Pourtalès (a cousin of Hermann de Pourtalès, who along with his wife Hélène de Pourtalès won a gold medal in sailing in 1900[4]) proposed a golf tournament be included given that the sport was popular in many countries (though not well known in France).[5] The result was the first Olympic golf tournament, held at the Compiègne golf club. Divisions for both men and women, as well as a men's handicap division (not considered Olympic) were set.[6][1]

Golf would be held again in 1904, with an individual and team men's events that year. In 1908 (which would have again been a men-only event), a dispute among the host nation's golfers resulted in all the British competitors boycotting and the event being cancelled. The sport would not be held again at the Olympics until 2016, when women's individual golf was played again.

Competition format

The women's event consisted of a 9-hole stroke play tournament. The scores for each of the 9 holes were summed to give a total for each player, with the lowest score winning. In the event of a tie, a replayed hole would be used.[6]

Schedule
Date Time Round
Wednesday, 3 October 1900Final

Results

The women played half a round (9 holes) on 3 October.

Result of the women's golf event
Rank Player Nation Score
1st place, gold medalist(s) Margaret Abbott  United States 47
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Pauline Whittier  United States 49
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Abbie Pratt  United States 53
4 Mme. Froment-Meurice  France 56
5 Ellen Richards Ridgway  United States 57
6 Madeleine Fournier-Sarlovèze  France 58
7 Mary Abbott  United States 65
Baronne Lucile de Fain  France
9 Rose Gelbert  France 76
10 A. Brun  France 80

References
  1. "Golf at the 1900 Summer Olympics: Individual, Women". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  2. Holmes, Tao Tao (10 August 2016). "The First American Woman to Win an Olympic Championship Didn't Even Know It". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  3. Olympic.org
  4. "Hélène, Countess de Pourtalès". Olympedia. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  5. Official Report, pp. 77–78.
  6. Official Report, p. 79.

Sources
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