News

EAST SETAUKET, N.Y. – The 95th NYS Women’s Amateur and 16th Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships will take place at St. George’s Golf and Country Club from July 14-15, 2025. 

Related: Pairings / Live Scoring / Past Winners / 2024 Recap

66 of New York State’s top amateur female players will tee it up at St. George's. The field will be split into two championship fields - Amateur (all-ages) and Mid-Amateur (25+). 

The Amateur field will play 54 holes across the two days of competition, while those in the Mid-Amateur bracket will play 18 holes on both Monday and Tuesday for a 36-hole total. The Amateur bracket will feature a 36-hole cut after the end of play on Monday, with the top 30 and ties moving on to the final 18 holes on Tuesday. There will not be a cut applied to the Mid-Amateur field, and each player will complete 36 holes.

CHAMPIONSHIP QUICK FACTS

Dates: July 14-15, 2025

Host Site: St. George's Golf and Country Club, Long Island, NY.

Defending Champions: Ina Kim-Schaad (Amateur), Natalie Grainger (Mid-Amateur)

Format:
Amateur - 54 holes of individual stroke play, played over two days*
*Field will be cut to top 30 and ties after 36 holes.

Mid-Amateur - 36 holes of individual stroke play, played over two days*
*No cut. 

Eligibility: The championship is open to female amateur golfers who are recognized as active NYSGA members. To compete as a mid-amateur, golfers must be 25 years of age as of July 13, 2025. Golfers must keep an active, up-to-date USGA handicap issued through their NYSGA member club (no limit).

2025 U.S. Women's Amateur Exemption: The winner of the 2025 NYS Women's Amateur Championship will earn an exemption to compete in the 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, played August 4-10 at Brandon Dunes Golf Resort in Brandon, Oregon.

Prize For Low Junior (18U): A separate division/award will be given to the low junior (18U) golfer. This division will be played concurrently with the 94th NYS Women's Amateur, which is a 54-hole stroke play competition. This division is a Junior Golf Scoreboard-ranked event. 

PAR & YARDAGES

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

95th NYS Women’s Amateur - Stroke Play, 54 holes
Sunday, July 13: Practice Rounds
Monday, July 14: Rounds 1 & 2 (36 holes) - Cut after to low 30 and ties
Tuesday, July 15: Round 3 (18 holes)

16th NYS Women’s Mid-Amateur - Stroke Play, 36 holes
Sunday, July 13: Practice Rounds
Monday, July 14: Round 1 (18 holes)
Tuesday, July 15: Round 3 (18 holes)

Ties: In the event of a tie for either Championship, a sudden-death playoff will be held immediately following play. —

THE FIELD

The 95th Women’s Amateur Championship field contains the following past champions: 

Lily Zhang, 17, of Park Country Club, took home the Women’s Amateur title in 2023 at Corning CC. Zhang, the second youngest winner in championship history, went 77-75-72 (+8) to take her first NYS championship by six strokes. The Williamsville native placed 12th in last year's NYS Women’s Amateur Championship.

Kennedy Swedick, 18, of NYSGA eClub - Capital region, won the 2022 NYS Women’s Amateur Championship, setting the low scoring record at McGregor Links, posting 9-under par for the championship. She plays Division I golf at the University of Virginia. This year at Virginia, she won the Women’s Open of Virginia (Professional event), winning by four strokes. She also won the NYSPHSAA Girls Golf Championship three times in a row in high school. She is currently ranked 409th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Ina Kim-Schaad, 41, of Deepdale Country Club, looks to defend her title from last year at Skaneateles Country Club, clearing the field by five strokes, and along with that set the course record at Skaneateles Country Club in round 1, firing a score of 5-under on the first day. Recently, she was runner-up at the Women’s MET Championship. Last year, she was named MGA Women’s Player of the Year. She won the 2019 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Forest Highlands Golf Club and also finished ninth at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Back in 2000, Kim-Schaad finished as the runner-up in the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and is a three-time winner of the Met Women’s Amateur Championship. She won the 2019 U.S. Women's Mid-Am championship at Forest Highlands Golf Club, in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Megan Grehan, 36, of Hudson National Golf Club, is the youngest winner in NYS Women’s Amateur history, in 2002 at Pinehaven CC at the age of 13. She also won the year after at Oswego. She was a four-time AJGA All-American from 2004-2007. She also advanced to match play in the 2006 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. She turned professional in 2012 and played collegiate golf at Vanderbilt University. In 2022, she claimed the MGA/WMGA mixed Pinehurst Championship with partner Ryan Coughlin respectively. She is a two-time MET Amateur Champion in 2005 and 2007.

Gail Flanagan, 63, of Westchester Country Club, captured back-to-back NYS Women’s Amateur titles in 1996 at McConnellsville CC and 1997 at River Oaks CC. The Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association Hall of Famer also won the MGA Stroke Play Championship in 2004 and Women’s Met Open in 2006. 

The 16th Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship field contains the following past champions:

Samantha Schuffenecker, 35, of Shaker Ridge Country Club won the 2023 Women’s Mid-AM Championship by four shots, as she turned in the only even par round of the tournament in the final round. She also claimed the inaugural Capital Region Women's Amateur last season at McGregor Links. The Troy native played four years of collegiate hockey at Connecticut College (where she was team captain) as well as varsity golf at UAlbany, where she tied for seventh at the 2014 MAAC Championship.  

Natalie Grainger, 48, of Apawamis Club, seeks to defend her Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship from a year ago at Skaneateles Country Club, clearing the field by five strokes. She is a former professional squash player who once reached World No.1 status. She had the round one lead by two strokes and never looked back, claiming her first NYS title.

Other NYSGA Champions in the Women’s Amateur Field:

Sophia Li, 18, of MGA eClub - NYC, has won the Girls’ 18U Junior Amateur Championship twice (2022, 2024) and is a past Drive, Chip and Putt champion (2019). Recently, she came in third place in the  NYA Girls 18U Junior.  The Dartmouth College commit picked up her first AJGA victory in 2024. She also produced a top-10 at the 2023 PGA Junior Girls' Championship and recently finished ninth at the 2025 Women’s Met Amateur Championship. She owns an undefeated high school golf record at Hunter College HS and boasts four Public Schools Athletic League championships.

Julia Zigrossi, 19, of Ridgemont Country Club claimed the 2021 NYS 18U Girls’ Junior Amateur at Seven Oaks Golf Club. Zigrossi turned in a three-over tournament, finishing three clear of defending Women’s Amateur champion Lily Zhang. Zigrossi also teamed up with Emily Gresham to capture the 2023 Women’s Four-Ball Championship at Sodus Bay Heights GC and Victoria Leach in 2022 at Stafford CC. Zigrossi finished solo 4th last year and T3 in the 2023 Women’s Amateur Championship at Corning CC. She plays collegiate golf at Western Kentucky University.

Victoria Leach, 20, of USGA/NYSGA GC was the 2022 Women’s Amateur Four-Ball champion, alongside fieldmate Julia Zigrossi. Leach, who plays college golf at Stetson University, made the cut and finished T19 at last year’s Women’s Amateur Championship. In 2024, she finished T7 in the Porter Cup, shooting ten over par.

Other NYSGA Champions in the Women’s Mid-Am Field: 

Julie Murphy, 44, of Brookfield Country Club, last year won the 2024 WGAWNY championship at Bridgewater CC. She finished solo 12th last year in the NYS Women’s Mid-AM. She took home the 2017 NYS Amateur Mixed Team Championship with her husband, Michael, in a playoff at Skaneateles Country Club. Murphy also finished as the runner-up in the Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship that same season at Schuyler Meadows Club. Murphy took home the Buffalo District Golf Association Individual Women’s Championship in 2020 and is a five-time BDGA Player of the Year. 

Lorraine Vultaggio, 38 of LPGA AGA - Long Island, took home the 2025 NYS Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Leatherstocking Golf Course in June with partner MerriLyn Gibbs respectively. Vultaggio played collegiate lacrosse at New Paltz, playing goalie for the Hawks. 

Other Players to Watch in the Women’s Amateur Field: 

Delaney Abel, 14, of Corning Country Club was one of the youngest players to compete in last year’s tournament, where she made the cut and finished in 18th. Abel won the Section IV title as a 7th grader in 2023 and was recognized as girls’ co-golfer of the year by the Southern Tier Report All-Star Team. Recently, Abel had a strong showing at the NYSPHSAA Girls Golf Championship, finishing solo third in a field with golfers who were significantly older than her.

Renna Chang, 17, of Youth on Course - MGA, recently competed in the NYS Girls’ 18U Junior Championship at McGregor Links, placing solo 13th at 8-over par for the three rounds. In the NYSPHSAA Girls Golf Championship, she placed 11th at 10-over. Last year, she placed T12 at the NYS Women’s Amateur Championship at Skaneateles Country Club.

Nina Choe, 16, of Pelham Country Club, recently won the 2025 NYSPHSAA Girls' Golf Championships, shooting -6 for the tournament and dominating the field by seven strokes. She recently played in the NYS Girls’ 18U Junior Championship at McGregor Links, finishing in solo fifth, being one of only five players to finish in red figures for the championship. Choe is committed to playing Division I collegiate golf at UC Davis in California. 

Nicole Criscone, 19, of Eagle Crest Golf Club recently cruised past the field, winning the Schenectady Women’s Classic by seven shots. She also finished top 10 in both the 2022 Women’s Amateur at McGregor Links and the 2021 tournament at Teugega Country Club. Criscone was a four-time First Team selection by the Times Union during her high school years and was a key member of the state champion Albany Academy team. The native of Clifton Park just finished her second collegiate season at UAlbany. 

Olivia Deakins, 20, of Ardsley Country Club, recently captured the 23rd Women’s Met Amateur Championship at Sunningdale Country Club. She scored the championship-low 4-under and finished as the only player in red figures for the tournament. She played college golf at Saint Leo University in Florida and is attending Minnesota in the fall. She is ranked 2102 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. 

Hayden Knapp, 15, of Glen Falls Country Club recently finished T7 in the 2025 NYS Girls’ 18U Junior Amateur Championship at McGregor Links. As a freshman playing for South Glens Falls, she finished runner-up to Choe at this year’s NYSPHSAA Girls’ Golf Championship. The Gansevoort native won the 2023 NENY PGA Junior Championship at Colonie GC. Knapp finished T6 in last year’s Women’s Amateur Championship.

Ava La Belle, 21, of SGATOUR.COM, at last year's NYS Women’s Amateur Championship finished T12 and the year prior at Corning CC and ended up T7. La Belle plays Division I Golf at Florida Southern, where she competed in all eleven events as a Freshman and had four Top-20 finishes. She was also named the Sunshine State Conference Golfer of the Week in her freshman year. This year, she finished 61st at the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf South Regional.

Isabella Salerno, 18, of MGA eClub-Hudson Valley, is coming off a top-20 finish at this year’s 18U Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship at McGregor Links. Salerno also finished T6 in last year’s Women’s Amateur Championship and T7 at Skaneatles Country Club. 

Dannah Smith, 19, of Orchard Creek Golf Club won the Schenectady Classic earlier this June, with a one-over 73. She just wrapped up her freshman year atMonmouth University and is three for three on cuts made at the Women’s Amateur. She finished in third place at last year’s NYSPHSAA State Championships at the Edison Club. She also brought home the Section 2 Girls’ team championship for Schalmont, which was the first time in Section 2 history.

Aliya Liberatore, 18, of Yahnundasis Golf Club, recently finished T9 in the Girls’ 18U Junior Amateur, finishing at four over par at McGregor Links. Last year, she finished second in the AJGA Junior at Huntsville. She competed in the Girls’ Junior PGA Championship with a T90 finish and a 19th-place finish at the Callaway Junior at Canebrake Club this April. She is committed to playing Division I golf at the University of Missouri. This May, she competed in the 10th U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Oak Hills Country Club in Texas.

Mackenzie Tyler, 25, of The Rock Golf Club, recently took home the 2025 Long Island Women’s Amateur Championship with both her rounds coming in at two-under. She played Division I softball at Harvard, and the transition to golf seems to be no problem. Also, this year at Lost Tree Club, she competed in a U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier and earned a spot as an Alternate for the U.S. Women’s Open.

Other Players to Watch in the Women’s Mid-Am Amateur Field: 

LeeAnn Lewis, 61, of Southward Ho Country Club, is a past President and greens chair of the Club that has qualified for more than 20 USGA championships. She won the MGA Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 2004. She’s also a two-time Long Island Match Play champion and the 1993 WMGA Women’s Match Play champion.

Mimi McAndrew, 42, of Piping Rock Club, last year won the Long Island Women’s Amateur clearing the field by two-shots at Bethpage Red. Last year she also played in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Brae Burn Country Club, in stroke play she made the cut and her tournament ended in the Round of 32.

St. George’s Golf and Country Club

Laid out on a confined parcel of land at East Setauket, New York, in 1917 by Devereux Emmet, the course at St George’s Golf & Country Club extends to a mere 6,200 yards, indicating that hardly a thing has changed here in a century, apart from a sympathetic Gil Hanse restoration at the start of the new millennium.

St. George's came about in part as a response to C.B. Macdonald building the National Golf Links of America. Devereux Emmet and Macdonald were good friends who hunted, travelled, and worked together on golf course designs, and when NGLA opened in 1911, Emmet was one of the founding members.

Emmet and Macdonald were not only good friends, they were friendly competitors, so Emmet set out to build his own special home course near his sprawling estate in St. James, gathering a group of wealthy businessmen in 1915 to discuss building a layout that would become his home course.

Almost a hundred years later, Gil Hanse was called in to advise on a master plan which would restore the course back to its original design intentions. This resulted in a process of tree and cart path removal, along with fairway and green expansion, all of which helped to display the charm and character of the course that would have been in play when Emmet was alive.