Mexican Women’s Amateur: Alexa Saldana wins her country's national championship

University of Houston sophomore Alexa Saldana Kohnstamm shot a tournament total of 2-under with rounds of 70-70-73-73 to win the Mexican Women’s Amateur Championship, played at El Bosque Country Club in Guanajuato Leon, Mexico.

Although it's pretty early in the year, the win in her country's national championship allowed Saldana to claim a piece of Mexican golf history, and jump into third in the AmateurGolf.com Women's Player of the Year Race. And it capped off a record of improvement in the championship, where Saldana finished 14th, 13th, and 8th in her last three attempts.

Saldana, of Mexico City, opened with a round of 2-under 70 and maintained her lead with another 2-under 70. On the third day, she shot a 1-over 73, expanding her advantage to a four-shot margin over Cleresa Temelo from Queretaro. A final round of 1-over 73 secured the victory for Saldana, as she extended her lead by six strokes to claim the trophy.

Cory Lopez, a junior at Arkansas, and Daniela Abonce, a sophomore at UTSA, both carded matching 4-over par scores, finishing T2. Lopez recorded rounds of 75-71-77-69, while Abonce posted scores of 74-74-72-72.

In 2021, Saldana and her teammate Savannah Barber of Fort Worth, Tex., also her roommate at Crown Golf Academy, secured the win in the US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Maridoe Golf Club in Tex.