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UPDATE 7/1 -- New Yorker Melanie Green captured the 121st Women's Amateur Championship across the pond in Portmarnock, Ireland. 

Green outlasted Lorna McCloymont of Scotland in a back-and-forth, 36 hole battle, becoming the first American to win The Women's Amateur Champion since Kelli Kuehne in 1996. The recent graduate of the University of South Florida Womens' Golf program picked the perfect time to get hot, making two decisive birdies on the 34th and 36th holes of play to take the match 2-up.

Related: Results / Championship Central

Green had a tumultious first round - at one point McCloymont lead by four - but closed out with six straight pars to take a one stroke lead into the final 18 holes. It was to be another difficult round on the Irish links layout, with both players flip-flopping between bogeys and birdies. Green led by two at the turn, but saw her lead dissapear as McCloymont birdied numbers 10, 14 and 15, to go up for the first time since mid-way through the first round. Down one with three to play, Green found another gear, making two birdies and snatching back the victory. 

With the win, Green is now exempt for the next two events on the LPGA Tour - the Amundi Evian Championship and the AIG Women's Open - as well as the US Women's Open and Chevron Championship (both majors). In accordance to tradition, Green, as the winner, will also receive an invite to the Women's Amateur Championship held annually at the Augusta National Golf Club. 

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DUBLIN, IRELAND – Empire State golfer Melanie Green has reached the final match at the 121st Women’s Amateur Championship at Portmarnock Golf Club. 

Green, who is from Medina in Western New York, finished T12 in stroke play to advance to the match play bracket. 

Green cruised to a 5 & 3 victory over Victoria Kristensen of Denmark in the first round to set the tone for her deep run. She faced Hsin Chun Liao in the round of 16, defeating the Chinese Taipei native 5 & 4. Green prevailed 6 & 5 over Spain’s Paula Martin Sampedro in the third round, closing out the match on the 13th hole.

Green took on Paula Schulz-Hanssen of Germany in the quarterfinal round. She got off to a slow start and found herself down three after only five holes. Green fought back, winning three straight and tying things up on the eighth. Finding herself one down with two to play, Green made a clutch birdie on the Par 4, 17th to force a playoff. After each player made a par on the first playoff hole, the German bogeyed the next, securing the victory for Green on the 20th hole of play. 

A bout with Marie Eline Madsen of Denmark awaited Green in the semi-finals. Both players started off their rounds with a birdie, but a bogey on the Par 4 3rd by Madsen brought Green one up. She held that same lead all the way until the 14th, when Madsen dropped a timely birdie. Green quickly responded with back to back birdies on 15 and 16 and didn’t look back. She closed out the 3 & 1 win after a Madsden bogey on the 17th hole. 

Green will face Lorna McClymont of Scotland in the final round on Saturday morning. McClymont defeated a Swede, Louise Rydqvist, 4 & 3 in her semi-final matchup.  

Green plays collegiately at the University of South Florida, where she was named the AAC Women’s Player of the Year for 2023-24 and All-Conference in each of her four seasons. She finished Top 10 in 9 of her 11 tournaments in 2023-24 and holds the USF career scoring record at 72.13. 

At Medina High School, Green was a two-time NYSPHSAA state champion and committed to South Florida as New York’s No. 1 Recruit in the Class of 2020.