News

CORNING, N.Y. -- Corning Country Club is set to host the 93rd Women’s Amateur and 14th Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships on June 26-27. 
 
Related: Championship Central / Pairings / Scoring / Course Photos / Program / Past Winners / 2022 Recap

The field is set at 57 players divided into two divisions: Amateur (all ages) and Mid-Amateur (25+ years old). The Championships will run concurrently from Monday through Tuesday’s finish with tee times for the first round of the championship in groups of three competitors. After 36 holes of stroke play, a cut will be applied to the amateur division to the low 30 and ties. The remaining field will be paired together based on division as well as score, and will tee off in threesomes to finish the championship, completing 54 holes overall. The Mid-Amateur field will play 36 holes (18 holes each day), without a cut. 

Watch the NYS Women's Amateur Course Preview Video Below!

Championship Quick Facts:
Dates: June 26-27, 2023
Host Site: Corning Country Club, Corning, N.Y.
Last Year's Champions: Kennedy Swedick of NYSGA eClub Capital District (Amateur) & Christy Schultz of Oak Hill Country Club (Mid-Amateur)

Format:
Amateur: 54 holes of stroke play, played over two days. Field will be cut to low 30 and ties after 36 holes.
Mid-Amateur: 36 holes of stroke play over two days, without a cut. 
Eligibility: Open to female amateur golfers who are members of the NYSGA and have an active Handicap Index issued by a golf club which is licensed to use the USGA Handicap System. To be eligible for the Mid-Amateur, golfers must have reached their 25th birthday by June 26, 2023. 

Par & Yardages: 
6,169 yards / Par 72 (Amateur)
5,505 yards / Par 72 (Mid-Amateur)

Amateur Division

IN: 2,988 yards / OUT: 3,181 yards
TOTAL: 6,169 yards, par 36-36-72 

Mid-Amateur Division

IN: 2,643 yards / OUT: 2,862 yards
TOTAL: 5,505 yards, par 36-36-72 

--

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
93rd NYS Women's Amateur - Stroke Play, 54 holes
Sunday, June 25: Practice Rounds
Monday, June 26: Round 1 & 2 (36 Holes) - Cut after 36 holes to low 30 & ties
Tuesday, June 27: Rounds 3 (18 Holes)

14th NYS Women's Mid-Amateur - Stroke Play, 36 Holes
Sunday, June 25: Practice Rounds
Monday, June 26: Round 1 (18 Holes)
Tuesday, June 27: Round 2 (18 Holes)
Ties: In the event of a tie for either Championship, a sudden-death playoff will be held immediately following play.

--

THE FIELD
There are no past champions in the 93rd NYS Women’s Amateur Championship field. 2022 champion Kennedy Swedick will not be defending her title from last summer.
 
The 14th Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship field contains several past champions including:

Teresa Cleland, 64, of Bellevue Country Club, took home the NYS Women’s Mid-Amateur title in three consecutive years from 2011-13 at Rome CC, Seneca Falls CC, CC of Ithaca, respectively. Cleland also won the Women’s Senior title consecutively in 2009-10 at Thendara GC & Ontario CC. More recently, the Syracuse native has collaborated with Carina Watkins to win back-to-back NYS Women’s Senior Amateur Four-Ball (2018 & 2019), making her a seven-time New York State champion. The Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame Inductee has competed at the national level numerous times including USGA Women’s State championships, U.S. Mid-Ams and over ten US Women’s Senior championship appearances. 

Lauren Cupp, 38, of Yahnundasis Golf Club, claimed the 2017 Women’s Mid-Amateur at Schuyler Meadows Club by one stroke. Cupp captured her second NYS title in 2019 at the Women’s Four-Ball Championship with partner Pennie Carlo. Cupp is the head men’s and women’s golf coach at her alma mater, Hamilton College in upstate New York. Cupp set a world record at the 2021 New York Speedgolf Open Championship shooting one-under 72 and running the course in 50 minutes and 48 seconds, for an overall time of 122:48. She won the event in 2018, alongside her husband Wesley, who won the Men’s division. Cupp finished T-2 at the 2018 Mid-Amateur, and was also runner-up to Schultz in both 2021 and 2022.

Christy Schultz, 43, of Oak Hill Country Club, is the back-to-back and defending Women's Mid-Amateur Champion. She has captured a total of nine NYSGA titles. She has won the Women’s Amateur Championship three times, first in 2004 at RTJGC at Cornell, again in 2007 at Oneida Community Golf Club, and 2008 at Wayne Hills Country Club. In 2009-10, she won the first two Mid-Amateur championships at Drumlins Country Club (East) and Sodus Bay Heights Golf Club. In 2021, she captured her third Mid-Am title over a decade after the first two, beating Lauren Cupp in a playoff at Teugega. Last year, she secured her fourth mid-am victory at McGregor Links. She also won back-to-back Girls’ Junior titles in 1996 at Mohawk Golf Club and Gowanda Country Club in 1997.

Other NYSGA Champions in the Women's Amateur Field: 

Julia Zigrossi, 17, of Ridgemont Country Club, captured the 2021 New York State Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship at Seven Oaks. Zigrossi also claimed the New York State Women’s Four Ball Championship in both 2021 and 2022. In 2021, she finished T3 in the NYS Women's Am at Teugega. She's won a handful of RDGA Junior and Women's titles over the past several years. Recently, she committed to James Madison University and will be playing collegiate golf for her dream school. 

Other NYSGA Champions in the Women's Mid-Amateur Field:

Tammy Blyth, 63, of Monroe Golf Club, broke through in 2018 to win the New York State Women’s Senior Amateur Championship at Thendara Golf Club. She has had numerous solid performances in NYSGA championships and is on the board of the Rochester District Golf Association. During last year's championship, she finished in eighth place.

Kim Kaul, 64, of East Aurora Country Club, is a three-time NYS Senior Amateur champion (2008, 2015, 2021) and took home runner-up honors in the 2015 and 2018 NYS Women’s Mid-Amateur. A member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, Kaul has been named Buffalo District Golf Association Player of the Year three times and placed second in the 2005 NYS Women’s Amateur. She has also won two NYSGA championships in 2022, the Senior Amateur Mixed Team and the Women’s Senior Amateur Four-Ball. 

Patricia Mayne, 60, of Western Turnpike Golf Club, has won the New York State Women’s Senior Four Ball Championships in 2021. She has had a lot of success on the senior circuit for New York State golf and has multiple wins and top performances on the NEWGA Tour.

Julie Murphy, 42, of Brookfield Country Club, was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. She finished as the runner-up at the 2017 NYS Women’s Mid-Amateur. Murphy captured the 2017 NYS Amateur Mixed Team Championship with her husband, Michael, on the third playoff hole at Skaneateles Country Club. In 2020, she won the Buffalo District Golf Association Individual Women’s Championship at the Springville Country Club and is a five-time BDGA player of the year. Julie and Michael finished tied for second in the 2022 Amateur Mixed Team Championship at Transit Valley Country Club.

Other players to watch in Women's Amateur:

Delaney Abel, 12, of Corning Country Club, is the youngest to compete in this year's field. She was also the first player to submit an entry into the tournament. She was recently recognized on the Southern Tier Report All-Star Team as co-golfer of the year for girls. Abel also secured the Section 4 title this spring.

Sydney Bard, 22, of Cedar Lake Club, played collegiate hockey at Colgate University. She was able to obtain ECAC First Team her senior season and not only was a player on the ice, but off of it as well and made the All-Academic Team 2 years in a row. 2018 U.S. Under-18 Women's Select Team, competed at the 2018 U18 Series vs. Canada in Calgary. Her older brother, Alec won two NYS Boys' 14U Juniors in 2011-12, and oldest Derek, was the 2015 U.S. Amateur runner-up to Bryson DeChambeau.

Maryanne Grace, 18, of Winged Foot Golf Club, was able to capture the 2022 Lincoln Women’s Met Open title as an amateur. Grace has one of the lowest GHIN Handicap Indexes in the field for the championship. 

Hayden Knapp, 13, of Glens Falls Country Club, recently finished third in the 2023 NYSPHSAA Girls Golf Championship at The Edison Club after posting twin 74s (+4). She was the youngest player in the 2022 Women's Am field, and finished in 12th place. In the Drive, Chip and Putt Local Qualifier at Saratoga National Golf Club in 2021, Knapp placed first among 12-13-year-old girls. Recently, she won the NENY PGA's Junior Championship Major #1 at Colonie GC in June.

Taylor Miano, 21, of Metropolis Country Club, recorded top-three finishes in the 2016 and 2017 Girls’ Junior Amateur Championships. She is on the golf team at James Madison University where she just completed her junior season. During last year's Women's Am, she finished in 10th.

Emily Montagnino, 23, of Indian Hills Country Club, just finished her senior season for the women's golf team at the University of Tampa. She came in 7th at the 2023 Sunshine State Conference Championships. During last year's Women's Amateur, she finished in third place at McGregor Links...it was her first appearance.

Amber Pennington, 20, of Wiltwyck Golf Club, recently completed her junior season on the Delaware State University women’s golf team. While at Rondout Valley High School, she was a three-time NYS Section IX Champion, and placed ninth in the NYSPHSAA State Championship during her sophomore year. She and her father Martin Pennington have tied for second in the last three NYS Amateur Mixed Team Championships.

Claire Yioulos, 21, of Oak Hill Country Club, is a rising senior on the Richmond University women’s golf team. In high school, she was named Section V Player of the Year and won the Section V Tournament of Champions. Yioulos won the Western New York PGA Championship in 2017.

Lily Zhang, 14, of Park Country Club, has been a runner-up in the NYS Girls’ Junior two years in a row in 2021 and 2022. She also was recognized by the AJGA as an All-America honorable mention in 2021.

Other players to watch in Women's Mid-Amateur:

MerriLyn Gibbs, 45, of LPGA Amateurs of NYC, recently won the 25th MGA/WMGA Women's Public Links Championship in May by two strokes with an 80 at Sterling Farms Golf Course. The Brooklyn resident is the former head golf coach at California University of Pennsylvania and was a PGA Professional for 16 years. Originally from Idaho, she is a former state player of the year and two-time Idaho State Match Play Champion.

Christy Malo, 51, of Park Country Club, finished sixth in the 2019 NYS Women’s Mid-Amateur. She finished top 5 in the 2022 NYS Women's Senior Amateur in her first appearance. In 2020, she was the runner-up in the Buffalo District Golf Association Women’s Individual Championship.

Samantha Schuffenecker, 33, of Country Club of Troy, qualified for the 2021 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur. She played women's hockey at Connecticut College, and one year of golf at University at Albany in 2014. She finished in seventh during the 2022 NYS Women's Mid-Amateur.

--

ABOUT CORNING COUNTRY CLUB
Corning Country Club has a spectacular 18-hole golf course, a 25,000 square foot clubhouse with dining, meeting and banquet facilities, a fitness center and swimming pool. The club played host to the LPGA Corning Classic from 1979 - 2009. It was one of the longest running tournaments on the LPGA Tour and the longest with a single sponsor. The 1919 Thomas Winton design has supported several other New York State championships through the decades, including the Women’s Amateur on two prior occasions in 1965 and 1975, Men’s Senior in 1982, Girl’s Junior in 1989 and most recently the Women’s Senior & Super Senior in 2017.