105th Maryland Women’s Amateur Champion Helen Yeung
Championship Bracket | Photos | Preview | Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Recap
Owings Mills, Md. – Helen Yeung of Cattail Creek Country Club captured her second Maryland Women’s Amateur title on Wednesday, defeating Zoe Cusack of Congressional Country Club, 3&2, in the championship match of the 105th Maryland Women’s Amateur at Green Spring Valley Hunt Club.
Yeung capped off an impressive week after finishing in a tie for second in stroke play qualifying with a four-under-par 68. She carried that momentum into match play, advancing with victories of 6&4 in the Round of 16, 2-up in the Quarterfinals, and a semifinal win over defending champion Cameron Freund of Congressional Country Club before meeting Cusack in the title match.
Semifinals – Championship Flight
(1) Cameron Freund vs. (4) Helen Yeung
Defending champion Cameron Freund was met with fierce competition from Helen Yeung right off the tee, with Yeung firing off a birdie on the 2nd hole. Building on her early lead, Yeung won the 4th, 6th, and 9th to make the turn at 3-up. Yeung continued to build her advantage by winning the 4th, 6th, and 9th holes to make the turn 3-up. She extended her lead to 5-up through the 11th before Freund responded with wins on the 13th and 14th. The rally was short-lived, however, as Yeung closed out a 4&2 victory to earn a place in the championship match.
(2) Nicha Kanpai vs. (3) Zoe Cusack
Zoe Cusack jumped out to an early lead against medalist Nicha Kanpai of the University of Maryland Golf Course, winning three of the first four holes to go 3-up. Cusack continued to dominate through the remainder of the front nine and made the turn carrying a 5-up lead. Three consecutive birdies from Cusack on the 10th, 11th, and 12th solidified her dominant performance and secured her a spot in the championship match with an 8&6 victory.
Championship Match – Championship Flight
(4) Helen Yeung vs. (3) Zoe Cusack
The championship match teed off at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, following the conclusion of the semifinal matches that morning. Yeung and Cusack were in close competition right off the tee and kept the match tied through the 5th. Cusack broke through with a birdie on the 6th, but Yeung answered immediately by winning the 7th before taking her first lead of the match with a birdie on the 8th, taking a 1-up lead at the turn.
After halving the 10th and 11th holes, Yeung seized control by winning the 12th and 13th to extend her advantage to 3-up. The pair matched pars over the next three holes, allowing Yeung to close out the match on the 16th and secure her place in championship history as a two-time Maryland Women’s Amateur champion.
Yeung noted her endurance and levelheadedness brought her to this historic win, “I think my mentality helped a lot. I was just trying to be patient. I kept a pretty steady head and overall played pretty solid.” Hear more from Helen Yeung in her champion’s interview.
In addition to the hardware, Yeung’s victory earns her an exemption into the 126th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, set to be held from August 4-9 at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn. For more information on the 126th U.S. Women’s Amateur, please visit the tournament website.
Championship Match – First Flight
105th Maryland Women’s Amateur First Flight Champion Caitlyn Navaleza
(8) Caitlyn Navaleza vs. (2) Malaya Johnson
Caitlyn Navaleza of Hayfields Country Club and Malaya Johnson of Youth on Course Maryland teed off at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday with the First Flight championship on the line. After the pair traded holes on the 3rd and 4th, Navaleza seized control by winning the next five holes to build a commanding 5-up lead at the turn. Johnson mounted a late rally, trimming the deficit to 3-up through the 15th, but Navaleza held steady over the closing holes to secure a 3&2 victory and the First Flight title.
The Maryland State Golf Association would like to express its gratitude to the staff and membership of Green Spring Valley Hunt Club for their support in hosting this championship.
MSGA Mission
To serve, grow, and advance the game of golf in Maryland and the District of Columbia.
