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GUILDERLAND, N.Y. – The 96th NYS Women’s Amateur Championship teed off from Pinehaven Country Club on Monday. Nina Choe of Pelham Country Club captured the lead after the first day in which the first two rounds were played. Earlier this month, Choe claimed her first NYS title by winning the Girls’ 18U Junior Amateur at Cavalry Club.

Related: Results / Championship Central / Photos 

In the first round, Choe parred the first three holes and found her first birdie of the day on the fourth hole. It’d be 11 holes and 3 bogeys later until she found her next birdie, a tap-in on the par-5 15th hole. She then birdied 17, another par 5, and finished her opening round at even-par, 71.

“I don’t think anything [in my game] stood out too much, but I felt like I was able to come back after mistakes,” Choe said.

In the second round, Choe once again parred the first three, then birdied hole 4, and made one bogey on the front to stay at even par. On the back nine, came back from a bogey spell with a barrage of birdies on holes 15, 16, and 17. The birdie on 17 gave her the lead going into the final round. 

“My back nine was looking really similar to my back nine in the first 18,” Choe said. “I knew that 15, 16, 17 were all birdie-able holes. Knowing I could take advantage of those [holes], I got the birdies in.”

Choe said she hopes for more of the same tomorrow, with a couple more putts dropping. If her wish is granted and she claims the Oak Hill Cup, she’ll become the second player in history to claim the NYS Girls’ 18U Junior Amateur and the NYS Women’s Amateur championships in the same year. The other player, NYSGA Hall of Fame member, Dottie Pepper did it in 1981. 

Close behind the leader was Sophia Li (MGA eClub - New York City), who had a share of the lead after 18 holes. In the first round, Li made six birdies but made five bogeys to finish to turn in a score of 70.

“Three quarters of the way through my first round I fell into a rhythm of sticking it to 10-15 feet,” Choe said.

In the second round, Li made three birdies and four bogeys and finished with a round of 72, one over. She sits at even-par for the tournament, one stroke behind the leader. 

“It was definitely a putting game [given the course setup], and keeping it these tight fairways has been a challenge for me, but overall I really like the course, it has been a great time.” 

Li is no stranger to being in contention, having won the 18U Junior Amateur twice. When she won in 2022, she entered the final round with a share of the lead. When she won in 2024, she entered the final round trailing by one stroke. 

Yasmina Oralkhan (MGA eClub - New York City) finished her day in third place with rounds of 70 and 74. In the first round, she birdied the 16th and 17th holes to end the first round with a share of the lead. Aliya Liberatore (Yahnundasis Golf Club) ended the day tied for fourth with defending champion Hayden Knapp (Glens Falls Country Club) at five over. Liberatore shot 71 in her first round and shared the lead through 18 holes, she shot 76. Knapp turned in scores of 74 and 73.  

The top 30 players in field made the cut at 26-over. Round 3, the final round of the Women’s Amateur, begins tomorrow at 8:20.

The first of two rounds took place today for the 17th Women’s Mid-Amateur at Pinehaven. 

Lauren Cupp (Yahnundasis Golf Club) distanced herself from the field with a round of two over. The 2017 Mid-Am champion started her tournament with two bogeys but made three birdies on the round to steady the ship. Kim Kaul (East Aurora Country Club) and Carolyn Mancini (Binghamton CC) both finished at nine-over and are tied for third. 

There are 18 holes left to decide the 17th NYS Women’s Mid-Amateur champion as tee times for the final round begin at 7:30 am. Beryl Wang was disqualified following the round under Rule 3.3b(3), for returning a scorecard with a score for a hole lower than the score actually taken.