Nicola Kaminski, Leigh Chien share the lead at the Southwestern Women's Amateur

June 14, 2024 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

Nikola Kaminski (Southwestern Women's Amateur Photo)

Kaminski and Chien will look to battle it out in the final round to earn points in the inaugural Women's Elite Amateur Golf Series

After three rounds at the 109th Southwestern Amateur, Nicola Kaminski and Leigh Chien lead on the Outlaw Course at Desert Mountain Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The third round saw challenging pin positions and increasing temperatures, starting in the mid-70s and reaching the mid-90s. Winds averaging 5 to 8 mph and higher gusts in the early afternoon made for challenging conditions. Scoring continued to be good, with red numbers and many players in contention.

Nicola Kaminski of Los Gatos, California, shares the lead with Leigh Chien of Irvine, California, both at 8 under par. Kaminski shot a 72, reflecting,

“There were a lot of times I had to stay patient. I was struggling to make putts and trying to trust that they would drop. Statistically speaking, the putts will eventually go in.”

Kaminski attends San Jose State and plays collegiate golf.

Chien, who will attend Stanford in the fall, posted a bogey-free 5-under 67, with five birdies, including back-to-back birdies on Nos. 13 and 14.

“I’m really excited to play on a team since golf is such an individual sport. Playing on a team will be different, and it’s something I’m looking forward to,” Chien commented.

Cindy Hsu from Taiwan, a junior at the University of Texas, also shot a 67, sitting one stroke back. Hsu made six birdies in a span of 10 holes between holes 4 and 13. “I try to hit every shot that my coach, who is also my caddy, gives to me and try to not think too much and just hit the shot that I want,” Hsu shared.

Lauren Gomez from Murrieta, California, and McKenzi Hall from Las Vegas are tied at 6 under. Gomez attends Pepperdine, while Hall plays for UNLV.

Heading into the final round, eleven players are within five shots of the lead.

Recap courtesy of Southwestern Amateur

Results: Southwestern Women's Amateur

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Leigh Chien	Irvine, CA	700	69-72-67-66=274
T2	Yu-Chu Chen	, Chinese Taipei	500	67-71-75-67=280
T2	Kendall Turner	Chesapeake, VA	500	69-72-72-67=280
T2	Huai-Chien (Cindy) Hsu	, Chinese Taipei	500	73-69-67-71=280
5	Ellie Bushnell	Granite Bay, CA	400	71-69-73-68=281

View full results for Southwestern Women's Amateur

About the Southwestern Women's Amateur

Nicola Kaminski, Leigh Chien share the lead at the Southwestern Women's Amateur

72-hole stroke play championship for national- level female amateurs with a handicap index of 3.2 or better. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 36 and ties. The SWGA Selection Committee will select players to compete based upon exemptio...