Player Information, Pairings and Results
June 28, 2023
San Jose State alum Antonia Malate got a win in what is becoming a possibly dwindling personal amateur event schedule.
Malate, who graduated last spring, posted a final round even-par final round 71 to come in at 7-under 206, winning the NCGA Women's Amateur Stroke Play Championship by four shots over Cynthia Zhang. The 22-year-old, who joined NCGA Hall of Famer Lynne Cowan as the only two-time winners of the event, plans on competing at LPGA Q-School this fall. Until then, she'll keep honing her game in amateur events.
Malate, who was fueled by a championship record 7-under 64 in the first round, had last tasted victory at the 2022 Patriot All-America, which featured some of the best collegiate players in the nation.
"It's exciting to get a win," said Malate, who grew up in Seaside, which is just a few miles from Poppy Hills. "It's great to get a win in my hometown."
The 64 Malate carded in the first round was just two strokes shy of Lucy Li's Poppy Hills women's course record of 62, which was carded in the first round of the 2018 U.S. Junior Girls' Championship.
"That first day I just made all the putts and played steady," said Malate, who competed in the Augusta National Women's Amateur earlier this year. "After that I just played steady and tried to focus on my own game."
Zhang, who plays at Boston College, took second at 210 after a final round 69. Kaylyn Noh, who plays at Cal-Berkeley and won the 2022 title, placed third at 213 following a 75.
Senior Championship
A month after competing in the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball Championship, Green Valley CC member Tina Barker picked up another NCGA trophy.
Barker, 64, carded a final round 3-over 74 to solidify a two-stroke win over runner-up Karen Garcia. For Barker, who finished with a three-day total of 13-over 226, it marked her second Senior title in three years.
Over the first two rounds, Barker was paired with NCGA Hall of Famers Sally Voss Krueger and Pat Cornett. In the final round, she was paired with Garcia, a former USGA champion, and Lynne Cowan, yet another NCGA Hall of Famer.
"I just kept my head down and closed my eyes," quipped Barker. "I got to watch all the best players."
Garcia had the low round of the day, a 72 to come in at 228. Cowan, a record five-time winner, finished at 232 after a final round 77.
Helping Barker navigate Poppy Hills was her caddie and spouse, Dolly Coleman.
'She (Coleman) makes it easy," Barker said.
Barker and partner Lauren Gebauer's adventure at the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball Championship will be featured in the upcoming Summer issue of NCGA Golf Magazine.
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June 27, 2023
Antonia Malate is still in the lead at this week's annual NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship, but things are a bit tighter.
Malate, a standout at San Jose State who played in the Augusta National Women's Amateur, carded an even-par 71 a day after a brilliant 64 for a two-day total of 7-under 135.
Defending champion Kaylyn Noh, a junior at Cal-Berkeley, got to within three shots of Malate thanks to a second round 70. Six shots off the lead at 141 is Boston College's Cynthia Zhang after a second-round 71.
The low round of the day was 70, carded by Noh and recent California Junior Girls' State Championship runner-up Darla May Dela Torre.
The cutline (low 15 and ties) came at 8-over 150.
Senior Championship
Fairfield resident Tina Barker got hot, carding a 2-over 73 to jump four spots up the leaderboard into first place with a two-day total of 10-over 152.
Barker won the title in 2021. Defending champion and record five-time champion Lynne Cowan is three shots back at 155 after a second-round 79.
The cutline for the Senior Championship came at 26-over 168.
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June 26, 2023
Antonia Malate caught fire to get things going at the NCGA Women's Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Poppy Hills.
Malate, who played at San Jose State and was the runner-up at the 2022 California Women's Amateur, posted a sizzling first-round 7-under 64 to take a three-shot lead over the field. The 64 is a record low for the championship.
Malate posted seven birdies with no bogeys. On the front-nine, she'd card a tidy 32. The Poppy Hills women's record is 62, posted by Lucy Li in the first round of the 2018 U.S. Girls' Junior Championship.
Defending champion Kaylyn Noh also had a solid opening round, carding a 68 to put her alone in second place.
Darae Chung is in third place at 69.
Following Tuesday's second round, a cut will be made with low 15 (and ties) from each division advancing to Wednesday's final round.
Senior Championship
Monterey Peninsula CC member Joy Robinson is the player to chase after an opening round 4-over 75.
Robinson posted two birdies to go against six birdies. In second place at 76 is defending champion Lynne Cowan. Cowan has won the event a record four times.
Karen Garcia, who is coming off a club championship title at Sierra View CC in Rocklin, is in third place at 77.