Owings Mills, Md. – Match play at the 105th Maryland Women’s Amateur began on Tuesday, July 21, with the Round of 16 and Quarterfinals at Green Spring Valley Hunt Club.
A brief look at how we got here:
The championship began Monday with an 18-hole stroke-play qualifying round to determine the 16-player match-play bracket. As the defending champion, Cameron Freund of Congressional Country Club automatically earned the one seed for the match play portion of the event. Nicha Kanpai of the University of Maryland Golf Course earned medalist honors after firing a five-under-par 67 to claim the two seed. 2024 champion Helen Yeung of Cattail Creek Country Club and Zoe Cusack of Congressional Country Club shared second at four-under-par 68, while Nicole Koong of the MSGA eClub and 2023 champion Sarah Spicer-Baldwin of Argyle Country Club rounded out the top five at three-under-par 69 and two-under-par 70, respectively.
With the bracket set, the championship shifted to match play Tuesday as the Round of 16 and Quarterfinals determined the four players who would advance to Wednesday’s semifinal matches, with a spot in the championship match on the line.
Round of 16 – Championship Flight
(1) Cameron Freund vs. (16) Mia Zanghetti
Defending champion Cameron Freund faced an early challenge from Mia Zanghetti of the MSGA eClub after Zanghetti won the opening hole. Freund squared the match on the 6th and took the lead on the 7th before winning four consecutive holes to build a commanding 5-up advantage through 12. Zanghetti made a final surge with wins on the 13th, 14th, and 15th, but a double bogey on the 16th ended the comeback and allowed Freund to secure the 3&2 victory.
(2) Nicha Kanpai vs. (15) Lani Park
Medalist Nicha Kanpai faced Lani Park of Turf Valley Resort for a spot in the Quarterfinals. Kanpai took early control on the 3rd hole to go 1-up. She swiftly extended her lead to 5-up by the turn after winning four consecutive holes. After Kanpai pushed her lead to 6-up on the 11th, Park claimed the 12th hole to finally slow the medalist’s momentum. Kanpai quickly responded with a win on the 14th and closed out the match 6&4.
(3) Zoe Cusack vs. (14) Madeline Navaleza
Zoe Cusack took the advantage after winning the 4th, but Madeline Navaleza of Hayfields Country Club responded by tying the match on the 5th, only for Cusack to strike back on the 6th and pull ahead on the 8th. After winning the 10th and 13th, Cusack maintained control over the match to secure a 4&3 victory and advance to the quarterfinals.
(4) Helen Yeung vs. (13) Abigail Avallone
2024 champion Helen Yeung took on Abigail Avallone of Congressional Country Club in the Round of 16. After a brief back-and-forth to open the match, with Avallone claiming the 1st and Yeung claiming the 2nd, Yeung secured victories on the 6th, 7th, and 9th to carry a 3-up lead at the turn. Yeung closed out the match after winning three consecutive wins to secure a 6&4 victory and a spot in the quarterfinals.
(5) Nicole Koong vs. (12) Charlene Pak
Nicole Koong and Charlene Pak of Turf Valley Resort took to the tee to battle for a spot in the Quarterfinal matches. The match remained square through seven holes until Koong made a birdie on the 8th that sparked four unanswered victories. Koong’s lead sat at 4-up with just four holes left to play. Pak made one final push with a win on the 15th, but it wasn’t enough to stop Koong, who took the win on the 16th hole and ultimately the 4&2 victory.
(6) Sarah Spicer-Baldwin vs. (11) Grace Oristian
Sarah Spicer-Baldwin teed up against Grace Oristian of Falls Road Golf in the Round of 16. Spicer-Baldwin took the lead on the 4th and gradually pulled away with wins on the 7th, 9th, 10th, and 12th. Oristian made a late push, winning the 14th and 15th, but it wasn’t enough to come out overcome the deficit. Spicer-Baldwin claimed the 3&2 victory after the pair halved the 16th.
(7) Elisha Yim vs. (10) Andie Greenberg
Andie Greenberg of Woodmont Country Club jumped out to an early lead over Elisha Yim of Youth on Course Maryland with a birdie on the first hole. Greenberg built a 3-up advantage through the 5th after two bogeys from Yim. The lead was cut back to 2-up after Greenberg bogeyed the par-4 7th. After wins on the 8th and 10th, Greenberg was sitting at a 4-up lead, but Yim was prepared to respond. The pair traded holes, with Yim cutting the lead back to 2-up by the 15th, but a double bogey on the 16th allowed Greenberg to close out a 3&2 victory.
(8) Joelle Johnson vs. (9) Irene Kim
Joelle Johnson of USGA/Maryland-DC GC met Irene Kim of Turf Valley Resort in the Round of 16. Johnson took the 1-up lead after the 2nd hole, but was met with a birdie from Kim on the 3rd to tie the match. With the match remaining even for much of the front nine, Johnson pulled ahead with four consecutive wins starting on the 7th. Kim responded by winning back-to-back holes on the 11th and 12th to cut Johnson’s lead to 2-up. Kim chipped away over the closing holes, trimming the deficit to 1-up after the 17th, but Johnson held on to secure a 1-up victory and the final spot in the quarterfinals.
Quarterfinals – Championship Flight
(1) Cameron Freund vs. (8) Joelle Johnson
Freund took the lead after Johnson bogeyed the 2nd hole, but quickly tied back up on the 5th. Freund regained her lead on the 6th hole, but the match was tied as the pair made the turn. Freund briefly went back to 2-up on the back nine, but the match remained stagnant in a tie at the 18th hole. The match continues with four extra holes where Freund secured her spot in the Semifinals after Johnson bogeyed the par-4 4th hole.
(2) Nicha Kanpai vs. (10) Andie Greenberg
Kanpai’s birdie on the 1st hole allowed her to take the lead early and maintain it through the entirety of the front nine, making the turn at 7-up. A birdie and par from Kanpai on the 10th and 11th quickly ensured her 9&7 victory.
(3) Zoe Cusack vs. (6) Sarah Spicer-Baldwin
Spicer-Baldwin was able to take the lead early after Cusack bogeyed the 1st hole, but Cusack tied the match back up with a par on the 2nd. After birdies on the 6th and 8th holes, Cusack rounded out the front nine with a 2-up lead. Consistency from both players kept the match steady for the majority of the back nine until Cusack secured her 3&2 win.
(4) Helen Yeung vs. (5) Nicole Koong
Koong took the lead with a birdie on the 2nd hole, but Yeung quickly countered on the 3rd hole to tie the match. The pair made the turn with the match still standing at a tie, but Yeung quickly came out and stole back the 2-up lead through the 11th hole. With Yeung continuing with steady golf for the remainder of the round, she was able to claim a spot in the Semifinals.
Quarterfinals – First Flight
(1) Michelle Yeung vs. (8) Caitlyn Navaleza
Michelle Yeung of Hobbits Glen Golf Club built a 2-up lead over Caitlyn Navaleza of Hayfields Country Club through the front nine and extended it to 4-up after the 12th. After the pair traded the 12th and 13th, Navaleza mounted an impressive comeback, winning the final four holes to force extra holes. After both players made par on the 19th, Navaleza secured the match with a par on the 20th to advance to the First Flight Semifinals.
(2) Malaya Johnson vs. (7) Claire Son
Malaya Johnson of Youth on Course Maryland took control early against Claire Son of The Club at P.B. Dye, winning six of the first nine holes to build a 4-up lead at the turn. After trading wins on the 13th and 14th, Johnson closed out the match with a 4&3 victory.
(3) Isha Garg vs. (6) Bani Banwait
Bani Banwait of Youth on Course Maryland claimed the lead on the 2nd hole against Isha Garg of GlenRiddle Golf Club and never looked back. Banwait maintained her advantage throughout the match before closing out a 4&3 victory to advance to the First Flight Semifinals.
(4) Olivia Cusack vs. (5) Carly Hunt
Olivia Cusack of Congressional Country Club took an early lead over Carly Hunt of Rolling Road Golf Club, but Hunt battled back to square the match on the 10th hole. With consecutive wins on the 12th and 13th, Hunt built a 2-up lead. Cusack responded with wins on the 15th and 18th to extend the match to extra holes. After halving the 19th, Hunt claimed the victory on the 20th to advance to the semifinals of the First Flight.
Semifinals – First Flight
(8) Caitlyn Navaleza vs. (5) Carly Hunt
Navaleza took an early lead after Hunt bogeyed the first two holes and finished out the front nine at 1-up over Hunt. After a brief weather delay stunted the remaining portion of the match until Wednesday morning, Navaleza was able claim the 1-up victory and move in to the First Flight Championship.
(2) Malaya Johnson vs. (6) Bani Banwait
Banwait took an early lead and finished the front nine at 2-up over Johnson. Johnson came out strong after making the turn, winning six consecutive holes to bring her lead to 4-up. After a swift comeback, Johnson took home the 4&3 victory and secured a spot in the championship match of the First Flight.
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