Kim-Schaad and Long Set for Championship Final at Monterey Peninsula

Pebble Beach, Calif. — The U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur field has been narrowed to two after a long day of decisive golf on the Dunes Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club. Former champion Ina Kim-Schaad and rising contender Hanley Long advanced through the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds Wednesday to earn their spots in Thursday’s 18-hole final.

Kim-Schaad Returns to the Stage

Kim-Schaad, the 2019 champion from Jupiter, Fla., showed the form and patience that define a major winner. After dispatching Jennifer Wang 3 and 1 in the morning quarterfinals, she outlasted co-medalist Katherine Zhu 2 and 1 in the afternoon to reach her second career U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur final. The 42-year-old mental performance coach played under par for much of the day, relying on steady iron play and a reliable putter as the afternoon breeze swept across the peninsula.

“It’s still pretty unbelievable,” said Kim-Schaad. “I’ve worked really hard this year to get back here, and I’m just grateful I get to play this course one more time.”

Long’s Dominant Run Continues

Hanley Long, 27, of Clarksville, Tenn., put on a commanding display of consistency and control. She first took down France’s Justine Fournand 5 and 4 in the quarterfinals, then rolled through Shannon Fish-Martin 6 and 4 in the semifinals to secure her first USGA championship final appearance. Long’s round featured a stretch of four straight wins from holes 11 through 14, capped by back-to-back birdies. With her brother caddying and her mother cheering from the gallery, the moment carried special meaning.

“This last year has been so difficult from a family standpoint,” said Long. “So for me to play this well and make it to the end—it’s something that’s brought us all together.”

The Final Awaits

Thursday’s 18-hole championship match will begin at 8:30 a.m. PST. The winner will earn an exemption into the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally at Riviera Country Club and join a select list of multi-time mid-amateur champions.

Both finalists are also exempt into next summer’s U.S. Women’s Amateur at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn.

Semifinalists Katherine Zhu and Shannon Fish-Martin earned bronze medals and exemptions into the next two U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateurs.

Monterey Peninsula: Round of 32 Complete, Round of 16 Halted by Darkness

Pebble Beach, Calif. — The U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur delivered a full slate of match-play tension on the Dunes Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club. The Round of 32 wrapped in the morning with a mix of routs and sudden-death survivors, and the Round of 16 pushed into the evening before play was suspended due to darkness along 17-Mile Drive.

Round of 32 highlights

Top seed Katherine Zhu advanced 3 and 2 over Valeria Mendizabal, while Kate Granahan moved on 3 and 1. Former champion Shannon Johnson progressed 3 and 2, and Emilia (Migliaccio) Doran posted one of the day’s most decisive results, 6 and 5. Local favorite Lara Tennant needed 22 holes to edge Jasmeen Somrock. Brooke Seay won 6 and 4, and Sherry Zhong rolled 7 and 5. Several matches went the distance or beyond as the bracket tightened for the afternoon session.

Round of 16 — completed results

• Katherine Zhu def. Kate Granahan, 4 and 3
• Shannon Johnson def. Emilia Doran, 4 and 3
• Laura Bavaird def. Ina Kim-Schaad, 3 and 2
• Jennifer Wang def. Elayna Bowser, 2 and 1
• Courtney Dow-Rowles def. Justine Fournand, 3 and 2

Round of 16 — to be completed

Two matches were still in extra holes or late stages when play was called, including Brooke Seay versus Hanley Long and Shannon Fish-Martin versus Sherry Zhong. Those contests will resume with first light to finalize the quarterfinal bracket.

What’s next

Play resumes in the morning to finish the Round of 16, followed by the quarterfinals once the bracket is set. With a blend of past champions and first-time contenders through, the Dunes Course continues to reward patience, placement and nerve.

Round of 64: Kim-Schaad Edges Chugg as Match Play Drama Unfolds at Monterey Peninsula

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — The first day of match play at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur delivered everything expected from Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Dunes Course — wind, nerves, and championship-caliber golf from start to finish. The headline duel came early, as two past champions went head-to-head in a match worthy of the weekend.

2019 champion Ina Kim-Schaad outlasted 2017 winner Kelsey Chugg in a 1-up thriller, grinding out the final holes to advance. Kim-Schaad birdied the par-4 second to take an early edge, but Chugg answered with a mid-round surge, winning three straight holes (Nos. 4–6) and seizing control. From there, the match turned into a battle of resilience — Kim-Schaad clawed back with birdies at 11 and 12, retook the lead at 15, and held firm on 17 before closing out the win on 18.

“You just have to stay patient out here,” Kim-Schaad said afterward. “These greens can make you crazy, but being here with my husband and my parents — I just wanted to enjoy the ride.”

The victory moves Kim-Schaad into the Round of 32, where she’ll face 2021 champion Blakesly Brock, who defeated Grace Choi 2 and 1. Among former winners, only Shannon Johnson joined them in advancing, as Julia Potter-Bobb, Kelsey Chugg, and Kimberly Dinh were eliminated.

Local Spotlight and Notables

MPCC member Lara Tennant thrilled a home crowd of 50 by defeating Dagmar Urbankova in extra holes. The three-time U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur champion rallied from 1 down on 18 and sealed the match with a par on the first playoff hole — with MPCC club champion Joy Robinson stepping in as caddie for the day.

In one of the day’s most lopsided results, Ching-Tzu Chen — the youngest player in the field at 25 — defeated Dawn Woodard 9 and 7. The margin matched the largest in championship history since 2012. Chen, representing Chinese Taipei, advanced comfortably after Woodard survived a morning playoff to reach the bracket.

Other playoff survivors included Shelly Stouffer, Kirsty Hodgkins-Redner, and Alexandra Vilatte Farret, with Hodgkins-Redner producing one of the day’s biggest upsets — eliminating co-medalist Jessica Spicer 5 and 4. A medalist or co-medalist has now exited in the Round of 64 four of the past five years.

Of the 14 nations represented at the start of the week, 10 remain in match play, including players from Australia, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Czechia, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Northern Ireland, the People’s Republic of China, and the United States.

What’s Next

The championship continues Tuesday with the Round of 32 beginning at 7:30 a.m. PST, followed by the Round of 16 in the afternoon. Admission remains free for spectators along the Dunes Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club.

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Day 2 Recap: Zhu and Spicer Share Medalist Honors as the Dunes Tightens Its Grip

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — A second day at Monterey Peninsula Country Club reminded the field that beauty here comes with a bite. The Dunes Course, sunlit and windswept, played more than a stroke tougher on Sunday, cutting into early momentum and revealing who could handle the pressure of precision golf on Pebble Beach’s most underrated test.

When it settled, two names sat atop the leaderboard. Katherine Zhu of San Jose and Jessica Spicer of Williamsburg, Va., finished tied at 3-under 141 to share co-medalist honors. Zhu, who blistered the course with a 67 on Saturday, fought through a front-nine stumble before steadying herself on the way in, highlighted by a birdie on the tricky 12th. For Spicer, a 2023 medalist returning to form, the week has been a showcase in patience — and local knowledge, thanks to her new caddie, Monterey Peninsula member Pat Cervelli.

“He just knows where to miss it,” Spicer said with a laugh. “There were a few greens today where his advice saved me a shot, maybe two.”

Close behind, Brooke Seay of San Diego and Ching-Tzu Chen of Chinese Taipei posted 2-under totals, each finding rhythm amid swirling winds. Seay, the former Stanford standout and Arizona Women’s Amateur champion, continued her comeback season after stepping away from competition due to concussions — her 71-71 start proving both resilience and readiness for match play.

Local favorite Marissa Mar (71–75) sits well inside the cut at 2-over, while fellow MPCC member and three-time U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur champion Lara Tennant finished at 9-over, avoiding Monday’s playoff by a single shot. The 12-for-4 playoff at 10-over will determine the final spots in the match-play bracket, which begins Monday morning.

Among the stories inside the number: Corinna Rees-Limbocker, who grew up on these same dunes and was married at MPCC, improved by ten strokes with a clutch Sunday 71 to make the cut on her home course — a moment that drew one of the week’s loudest ovations.

As match play looms, the leaderboard reflects both balance and bite — youth versus experience, coastal precision versus inland grit. “This championship is where golf meets memory,” one volunteer remarked walking down the 18th fairway, “and this course remembers every shot.”

Partial Leaderboard

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Day 1 Recap: Zhu Shines as Dunes Course Tests the Field

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — On a day when the wind stiffened off Spanish Bay and the greens at Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Dunes Course demanded imagination and patience, Katherine Zhu looked utterly at ease. The 25-year-old from San Jose, playing in her first U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, fired a sparkling 5-under 67 to seize the first-round lead and send a clear message: this stage feels like home.

For Zhu, the week carries deep familiarity. She grew up playing junior golf events at MPCC and returned this weekend to find not only a familiar course but familiar faces among the staff. “It was just really nostalgic,” she said after her round. “All of that together, I was in a really good headspace.” That mindset translated into four birdies in her first six holes before she cruised home in even par—a round that ranks among the three lowest in championship stroke-play history.

Just a stroke behind is Jessica Spicer, 27, of Williamsburg, Va., who posted a confident 68 while twin sister Sarah Spicer-Baldwin battled one group ahead. It’s familiar territory for Spicer, who shared medalist honors two years ago and is eager for redemption after missing the cut in 2024. “It’s nice to start strong, but the goal is still the same—get to match play and keep going,” she said.

Three players—Courtney Dow-Rowles, Erica Whitehouse, and Sherry Zhong—sit two shots back at 69, each navigating the late-day breeze with steady ball-striking and cautious approach play. The afternoon wave, facing colder, gustier conditions off the Pacific, saw scores rise sharply, reminding competitors that the Dunes can bare its teeth even at a modest 6,093 yards.

The course produced its share of storylines beyond the leaderboard. Monterey Peninsula member Marissa Mar had the honor of striking the championship’s opening tee shot, then delivered an early highlight—holing out from 66 yards for eagle on the par-5 16th. Fellow MPCC product Corinna Rees-Limbocker matched the feat on No. 13, celebrating in front of family and members who watched her grow up on these fairways.

Three-time U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur champion Lara Tennant, also a member at MPCC, battled back from a slow start to finish 3-over 75, while defending champion Hana Ryskova struggled to a 79, leaving her on the outside of the match-play cutline with one round remaining. “It’s a stern test,” Tennant said. “If you miss in the wrong spot, you’re fighting to save bogey.”

Conditions were no gentler later in the day. “It was brutal,” said Shannon Fish-Martin, who carded a 2-under 70, tied for the second-lowest score of the afternoon. “Cold, windy, and demanding. You had to stay patient and pick your spots.”

Among the day’s memorable human stories, Kit Hampel of Buffalo, N.Y., competed while seven months pregnant, with her husband Ty on the bag. She posted 78 and drew smiles from volunteers and players alike, proof of the championship’s enduring spirit.

As the first day closed, the leaderboard reflected both the promise of youth and the patience of experience—the dual heartbeat of mid-amateur golf. Zhu, whose day job in sports-technology keeps her close to the game, summed it up best: “I just reminded myself how lucky I am to be here.”

Players will return Sunday for the second round of stroke play, with the low 64 advancing to match play beginning Monday. If needed, a playoff for the final positions will be held that morning on the Dunes. Admission remains free, and locals are expected to fill the gallery as the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur continues its coastal showcase.

A Championship Returns to Pebble Beach

The U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur returns to California with a coastal showcase at Monterey Peninsula C.C.’s Dunes Course. A record 616 entries underscore the surge of competitive depth and interest in the women’s mid-amateur game, where a younger wave meets proven champions on one of golf’s most dramatic stages.

Fast Facts

• Venue: Monterey Peninsula C.C. (Dunes Course), Pebble Beach, Calif.
• Par/Yardage: 72 / 6,093 yards (subject to change)
• Dates: October 4–9, 2025
• Field: 132 competitors; eligibility: age 25+; Handicap Index ≤ 9.4
• Entries Accepted: 616 (championship record)
• Qualifying: 18-hole qualifying conducted Aug. 11–Sept. 10 at 29 sites
• Match-Play Cut: Low 64 from 36 holes of stroke play; playoff if necessary
• Defending Champion: Hana Ryskova (2024)
• Winner Receives: Gold medal; one-year custody of the Prunaret Trophy; 2026 U.S. Women’s Open exemption (must be amateur); 10-year Women’s Mid-Am exemption; 2 Women’s Amateur exemptions; name on the 2025 USGA Champions’ plaque

Schedule of Play

• Sat, Oct. 4: Stroke Play – Round 1 (18)
• Sun, Oct. 5: Stroke Play – Round 2 (18)
• Mon, Oct. 6: Round of 64
• Tue, Oct. 7: Round of 32 and Round of 16
• Wed, Oct. 8: Quarterfinals and Semifinals
• Thu, Oct. 9: Championship Match (18)

Storylines to Watch

The Defending Champion

Hana Ryskova, who made history in 2024 as the first USGA champion from Czechia, returns to defend her title — aiming to become the first repeat Women’s Mid-Amateur champion in 18 years.

A Youth Movement

The field’s average age is 34, with 17 competitors age 25 — including the youngest, Chen Ching-Tzu, who turned 25 the week of the championship. Emilia (Migliaccio) Doran and Brooke Seay headline the emerging class.

Legends and Champions

Eleven past Women’s Mid-Am champions are here — including Kimberly Dinh (2023), Shannon Johnson (2018), Kelsey Chugg (2017), Julia Potter-Bobb (2013, 2016), and 2015 winner Lauren Greenlief — joined by six U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur champions led by three-time winner and MPCC member Lara Tennant.

Local Connections

California leads all states with 17 players, and MPCC ties run deep: Tennant is a member; Marissa Mar (San Francisco) and Corinna Rees-Limbocker (Monterey) add true home-course knowledge on the Dunes’ firm-and-fast surfaces.

The Comeback

Former UCLA All-American and Curtis Cupper Stephanie Kono returns to a USGA championship for the first time since 2011 after regaining amateur status in 2024 — a compelling arc from pro tours to the mid-amateur stage.

Inside the Field

• Age Snapshot: Average 34. Oldest: Martha Leach (63), Sue Wooster (63). Youngest cohort: 17 players at age 25 (youngest: Chen Ching-Tzu).
• Age Breakdown: 25–29: 61 • 30–39: 44 • 40–49: 14 • 50–59: 9 • 60–64: 4.
• Where They’re From (States): 34 states led by California (17), Texas (10), New York (8), Michigan (7), North Carolina (7), Oregon (5), Tennessee (5), Florida (4), Massachusetts (4).
• International (13 nations): United States (110), Canada (5), Australia (4), Czechia (2), France (2), plus Chinese Taipei, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, People’s Republic of China, Thailand.
• USGA Résumés: 11 Women’s Mid-Am champions (from 2002 to 2024) and 6 Senior Women’s Amateur champions in the field.
• Iron Women: Most Mid-Am appearances (incl. 2025): Martha Leach (35), Kathy Hartwiger (18).
• Curtis Cup Alumnae: Emilia (Migliaccio) Doran (2021, 2022), Stephanie Kono (2010).
• Recent Form: Six players competed at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur; ten teed it up at the 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Open (Tennant low amateur, T18).
• Sister Act: Sarah and Jessica Spicer.

California Players to Watch (17)

Holly Bare (Clovis), Lydia Choi (Beverly Hills), Lauren Gebauer (Orinda), Shelly Haywood (Laguna Woods), Catherine Kim (Palo Alto), Sienna Lyford (Roseville), Marissa Mar (San Francisco), Rachael McMahan (Carlsbad), Michelle Park (Los Angeles), Jennifer Peng (San Diego), Elizabeth Scholtes (Alameda), Brooke Seay (San Diego), Jennifer Serbin (Boulder Creek), Lara Tennant (Monterey), Jennifer Wang (Menlo Park), Kelly Wilson (El Dorado Hills), Katherine Zhu (San Jose)

Player Notes

• Laura Bavaird (39, Mich.): Won GAM Women’s Mid-Amateur by 10 in June; former pro and 2010 Canadian PGA Women’s champion; now GAM Foundation Director.
• Taya Battistella (45, Wash.): Former Futures/Canadian Tour winner (Beijing Open 2004); 2024 Washington State Women’s Mid-Am champ; assistant coach at Western Washington.
• Kim Benedict (44, Fla.): Three-time Michigan Women’s Amateur champ; longtime HS coach in Florida; 2021 Florida Women’s Mid-Am champ.
• Elayna Bowser (28, Mich.): 2024 GAM Women’s Mid-Am champ; R32 at 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur; real estate professional.
• Emilia (Migliaccio) Doran (26, N.C.): NBC/Golf Channel reporter and SiriusXM host; two-time Curtis Cupper; 2023 NCAA team champion at Wake Forest; Mid-Am debut.
• Gabrielle Herzig (26, N.Y.): Staff writer at The Athletic; medalist at Alpine, N.J. qualifier (72); USGA debut.
• Stephanie Kono (35, Fla.): UCLA All-American; 2010 Curtis Cup; LPGA/Epson alum; regained amateur status in 2024 and won Florida Women’s Mid-Am.
• Corinna Rees-Limbocker (36, Calif.): Grew up at MPCC; 2005 California Junior Girls State champion on Dunes; Shore Course women’s record (-7 66).
• Hana Ryskova (26, Czechia): Defending champion; first Czech USGA winner; Louisville alum; represented Czechia in WWATC and European Team events.
• Brooke Seay (25, Calif.): Stanford standout; 2025 Arizona Women’s Amateur champion; low-am at 2022 Chevron; first Mid-Am start.
• Jacqueline Setas (29, Tenn.): Cancer survivor; quarterfinalist and medalist in 2024; 5-for-5 making match play at the Mid-Am.
• Lara Tennant (57, Ore./MPCC): Three-time U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur champion; low amateur at 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Open (T18).
• Tara Watt (42, N.H.): Medalist at Laconia qualifier; head women’s coach at Saint Anselm; NHWGA Player of the Year (2021).
• Katie Woodruff (32, Tenn.): USGA debut; former assistant coach at Pepperdine and USC; played at UCF, Florida, Louisville.

The Venue: Monterey Peninsula C.C. (Dunes Course)

A coastal original shaped by Seth Raynor, Alister MacKenzie, and Robert Hunter, refined by Rees Jones and Tom Fazio, the Dunes Course demands disciplined lines and flight control. The par-3 14th, set across 17-Mile Drive, offers a postcard view with real bite when the breeze turns.

• Notable MPCC Championships: 1952 U.S. Girls’ Junior (Mickey Wright); 1968 & 1976 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur; multiple California Amateurs; Shore Course long part of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am rotation.
• Routing Note: Stroke play starts from holes 1 and 12 due to routing.

Hole-by-Hole (Subject to Change)

History and Context

• Past California Hosts: 1996 Mission Hills (Ellen Port); 2000 Big Canyon (Ellen Port)
• Notable Champions: Carol Semple Thompson; Meghan Stasi (2006, 2007, 2010, 2012); Julia Potter-Bobb (2013, 2016); Shannon Johnson (2018); Kelsey Chugg (2017); Kimberly Dinh (2023)
• Notable Runners-up: Pat Cornett; Page Marsh Lea; Mina Hardin; Virginia Derby Grimes; Laura Coble; Margaret Starosto; Kelsey Chugg (2018, 2023)

Selected Exempt Players

• Blakesly Brock
• Krissy Carman
• Kelsey Chugg
• Kimberly Dinh
• Emilia (Migliaccio) Doran
• Shannon Johnson
• Ina Kim-Schaad
• Lauren Greenlief
• Julia Potter-Bobb
• Lara Tennant
• Hana Ryskova
• Stephanie Kono

Future Sites

• 2026: Montclair Golf Club, West Orange, N.J. (Aug. 29–Sept. 3)
• 2027: Country Club of Buffalo, Williamsville, N.Y. (Sept. 11–16)
• 2028: Charlotte Country Club, N.C. (Sept. 23–28)
• 2030: Sand Valley Resort, Nekoosa, Wis. (Sept. 7–12)
• 2032: Jupiter Hills Club (Hills), Tequesta, Fla. (TBA)
• 2034: The Golf Club of Tennessee, Kingston Springs, Tenn. (TBA)