Pam Benka
{{Short description|English amateur golfer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name = Pam Benka
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| fullname = Pamela Mary Benka
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|6|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = Worthing, Sussex, England
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| nationality = {{ENG}}
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| status = Amateur
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}}
Pamela Mary Benka ({{nee}} Tredinnick; born 17 June 1946){{cite web |url=http://www.womengolfersmuseum.com/Famousgolfers/B.htm |publisher=Women Golfers' Museum |title=Benka, Mrs Pamela Mary (nee Tredinnick) |access-date=5 August 2022}} was an English amateur golfer. She won the 1964 Girls Amateur Championship and the 1967 Astor Prince's Trophy. She reached the semi-finals of the Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship in 1965. She played in the Curtis Cup in 1966 and 1968 and was the non-playing captain in 2002.
Golf career
In August 1964, Benka reached the final of the inaugural English girls championship at Wollaton Park, losing 2 and 1 to Shirley Ward.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106987640/the-daily-telegraph/ |title=Miss Ward's power-shots earn title |first=Enid |last=Wilson |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=15 August 1964 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}} Two weeks later, she won the Girls Amateur Championship at Camberley Heath, having beaten Ward at the 19th hole in the semi-finals and Kathleen Cumming 2 and 1 in the final.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tW5AAAAAIBAJ&pg=1954%2C3654792 |title=Miss Tredinnick girls' champion |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=29 August 1964 |page=5}} In April 1965, she won the French junior championship.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1GJAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kqMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2146%2C2909374 |title=British girl wins |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=17 April 1965 |page=3}} In October, she reached the semi-finals of the Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship, losing to Brigitte Varangot, a match delayed a day by rain.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=43VDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2972%2C260730 |title=Rain causes curtailment of women's final |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=2 October 1965 |page=5}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5HVDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2915%2C467626 |title=British title regained by Mlle Varangot |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=4 October 1965 |page=6}} In 1967, she won the 72-hole Astor Prince's Trophy by three strokes from Angela Bonallack, while in 1968, playing with Isa Goldschmid, she was runner-up in the Avia Foursomes.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106593224/the-daily-telegraph/ |title=Miss Tredinnick stays ahead |first=Enid |last=Wilson |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=14 August 1967 |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=un5AAAAAIBAJ&pg=5069%2C3846557 |title=Small players' success |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=22 March 1968 |page=6}} In 1969, she and Bruce Critchley reached the final of the Worplesdon Mixed Foursomes and in 1970 she won the Portuguese championship.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D5JAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6175%2C3126955 |title=Splendid putting display by Mrs Ferguson |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=17 October 1969 |page=6}}
Benka was selected for the 1966 Curtis Cup team in Hot Springs, Virginia.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zH9AAAAAIBAJ&pg=2912%2C1875070 |title=Three Scots in Curtis Cup team |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=7 |date=11 June 1966}} She narrowly lost her foursomes match on the first day, playing with Liz Chadwick and halving her singles match against Nancy Syms in the final round of singles matches.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qH9AAAAAIBAJ&pg=2254%2C4443429 |title=Americans set to keep Curtis Cup |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=5 |date=30 July 1966}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=33hAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2092%2C108492 |title=Americans retain Curtis Cup |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=10 |date=1 August 1966}} Benka made her second appearance in the Curtis Cup at Royal County Down in 1968. She was only selected for the foursomes, losing both matches. The team led after the first day but the United States had the better of the second day and won by 3 points.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FN89AAAAIBAJ&pg=2128%2C2628303 |title=British women recover for lead in Curtis Cup |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=15 June 1968 |page=4}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Fd89AAAAIBAJ&pg=1788%2C2801932 |title=U.S. retain Curtis Cup as British Isles falter |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=17 June 1968 |page=4}} Benka played in the 1967 Vagliano Trophy match at Royal Lytham, match that the Continent of Europe won by a single point.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_X5AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vaMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4876%2C1375525 |title=Britain Women Lose Narrowly |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=9 September 1967 |page=4}}
Benka was the non-playing captain in the 2002 Curtis Cup match.{{cite web|title=Semple Thompson Leads USA to Curtis Cup Victory |url=http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/championship-archives/curtis-cup/2002.html |website=www.usga.org |publisher=United States Golf Association |date=4 August 2002 |accessdate=5 August 2022}}
Personal life
She was born in Worthing on 17 June 1946, the daughter of John Tredinnick and Mary {{nee}} Lake.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106986232/the-daily-telegraph/ |title=Births Tredinnick |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=19 June 1946 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}} Mary was a golfer and had reached the semi-finals of the 1933 English Women's Amateur Championship at Royal North Devon.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vqJAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6250%2C4910948 |title=English women's title |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=16 |date=6 October 1933}} John's brother Steve Tredinnick played for England in the Men's Home Internationals.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eZtAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2518%2C2096866 |title=Recovery in singles saves Scots at Harlech |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=30 September 1950 |page=2}} She married Peter Benka (1946–2007) in 1971. Peter Benka had played in the 1969 Walker Cup.
Team appearances
- Curtis Cup (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1966, 1968, 2002 (non-playing captain)
- Vagliano Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1967
- Women's Home Internationals (representing England): 1967 (joint winners)
- England–Scotland girls match (representing England): 1963 (winners), 1964 (winners)
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benka, Pam}}
Category:English female golfers