The Maryland State Women’s Amateur Championship was held at Manor Country Club on July 19-22, 2016. There were seventy-eight participants, many of whom were newcomers to MSGA-WD events. The field size was significantly larger than recent years and we hope that those of you who were new continue to check our website for upcoming events. The results from the ten flights are as follows:
Championship Flight — Bryana Nguyen & Mackenzie Rice
The finals match of the Championship Flight featured 2nd seed Bryana Nguyen of Hobbits Glen, a rising junior at the University of North Carolina, a graduate of our Junior Girl’s program in addition to being this year’s champion of the North Carolina Women’s Amateur Championship. She was up against Mackenzie Rice of Eagle’s Nest Country Club, who will be a rising junior at Towson University. Mackenzie had earned the last slot in the flight in a sudden-death playoff in Tuesday’s qualifying round. She then defeated her next 3 opponents 2 & 1, including the Medalist on her way to the finals. Bryana went 19 holes in her first match vs. Delaney Shah, but breezed through the rest, 3 & 2 and 6 & 5.
The 1st hole set the tone for the match with Bryana’s consistently-accurate play producing a par, and Mackenzie finding a greenside bunker and scoring bogey. By the 11th hole, Bryana’s 5 birdies were enough to close out the match, 8 & 7 to claim the title for the 2016 Maryland State Women’s Amateur Championship.
First Flight — Alexandra White & Delaney Shah
The First Flight match was between two young college ladies; Alexandra White, the Medalist (68), from Fountain Head Country Club and a rising Senior at Brigham Young University versus Delaney Shah of Argyle who will be a freshman at the University of Louisville this fall. Delaney got off to a fast start with a par on #1, but Alex answered with pars on the next 2 holes to go 1 up. Delaney squared the match with a par on #4, but Alex won the 5th and 6th holes to remain 2 up through the 10th with both players parring each hole. Delaney won the 11th with a birdie and won the 12th to make the match all square. On the 14th hole, Alex went 1 up with a par and 2 up with a birdie on 16. When both players parred #17, the match was over with Alex winning, 2 & 1.
Second Flight — Josephine Jung & Lisa Kaufman
The Second Flight match was between Josephine Jung of Hobbits Glen Golf Club, who will be a freshman at Towson University this fall and Lisa Kaufman of Holly Hills Country Club. The first two holes were halved with bogeys. Josephine won three of the next four holes and was 3 up after the 6th hole. At the conclusion of the 9th hole, Josephine was 3 up. On the back nine, Josephine’s lead increased to 6 up after the 12th hole and she was dormie. Lisa fought back and took the 13th hole. The match ended on the 14th hole with a 6-4 win for Josephine.
Third Flight — Jennifer Kitchen & Julia Calomiris
The Third Flight match was between Jenny Kitchen from TPC Potomac and Julia Calomiris from Congressional Country Club. Calomiris started out strong with 4 pars on the first 5 holes, taking the lead at 5 up after 5 holes. Six out of the next seven holes were halved with Jenny winning hole #11. Julia was able to win the next two holes winning the match 6&4. Julia was also a member of the winning Poindexter Cup team earlier this season.
Fourth Flight — Amanda Levy & Janice Calomiris
The Fourth Flight match was between Amanda Levy from Woodmont Country Club and Janice Calomiris from Congressional Country Club. Both players were off to a fast start with Amanda holding a slim 1 up lead after hole #5. With wins on hole #6 and #8, Amanda held a 3 up lead but had some troubles on hole #9 where Janice made a nice par to be just 2 down after the front nine. Hole #10 was a pivotal hole. Amanda drained a 30 foot birdie putt and Janice literally left her birdie putt on the lip! Amanda closed out the match by winning holes 13 and 14, with a final status of 5&4.
Fifth Flight — Stacey Oleck & Wendy Lindberg
The Fifth Flight match was contested between Wendy Lindberg of Laytonsville Golf Club and Stacey Oleck of Manor Country Club. The match began with Stacey winning the first hole and then strengthening the lead by two on the 4th hole. Wendy was hitting the ball beautifully and rallied on hole #8 with a great par putt. However, Stacey’s local knowledge of the greens helped her to come back strong winning holes 9, 10, 12, and finally 15 to cinch the match at 5 & 3.
Sixth Flight — Diane Crowley & Kayleigh Zeman
The Sixth Flight was a battle of the seasoned veteran, Diane Crowley against the up-and-coming 14 year old, Kaleigh Zeman. The match began with Diane taking the first two holes. After three holes, Diane’s lead was cut to 1 up and it remained that way for several holes. Kayleigh won hole #6 to make the match all square and then she took hole #7 to go 1 up. There were great putts made by both competitors to keep the match tight, including two wonderful birdie putts on nine. After completion of the front nine, Kayleigh was up one. Then she proceeded to birdie 10, par 11 and birdie 12 to take a 4 up lead. Once Crowley lost hole #13 she was dormie. The match was completed on hole #14 with Kaleigh Zeman winning with a conceded putt to win 6 and 4.
Seventh Flight — Vee Vongkovit & Suyoung Hillestad
The Seventh Flight was contested between Vee Vongkovit of Falls Road Golf Course and Suyoung Hillestad of Andrews Air Force Base. In another match punctuated by few halved holes, at the turn, Suyoung was 1 up, having won 4 holes to Vee’s 3. Vee then won hole #10 and hole #12, while Suyoung won hole #11 and the match was all square after the 14th hole. Then on hole #15 Suyoung went on a bogey, par, birdie spree to close out the match on the 17th hole, 3 & 1.
Eighth Flight — Pua Bess & Lia Amalia
The Eighth Flight was contested by two newcomers to MSGA-WD events, Pua Bess of Andrews Air Force Base , and Lia Amalia of Falls Road Golf Course. On the front nine, each competitor won 3 holes in a row, with halves at the bookends of 1 and 9. On the back nine, Lia won the first two, Pua won the next two, so the match was back to all square on the 14th. Lia, however, won the next 3 holes with 2 pars and a birdie to finish the match on the 17th hole, 3 & 2.
Ninth Flight — Esther Cohn & Sophia TongThe Ninth Flight match was between Esther Cohn from Falls Road Golf Course and Sophia Tong from Argyle Country Club. It was a tight match through the first 4 holes with Esther winning the 2nd hole with a long putt for par, and Sophia getting it back to even by winning the 3rd. On the 5th hole, Esther drained another extremely long putt for birdie to go 1 up for the match. She never looked back and was 3 up at the turn. Sophia fought back hard trying to win holes on the back but only managed to win the 12th with an excellent birdie. Esther was dormie after winning hole #14 and won hole #15 to end the match, 4 & 3.
We congratulate all of our players, winners, and runners-up and look forward to seeing you at future events. The 2017 Women’s Amateur Championship will be held at Hillendale Country Club in Phoenix, Maryland on July 18-21.
PHOTO GALLERY
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT BRACKET
FIRST FLIGHT BRACKET
SECOND-NINTH FLIGHT BRACKETS