June 19, 2024
Call it the NorCal grand slam.
San Jose State fifth-year senior Nicola Kaminski continued her winning ways in 2024, carding a final round 2-over 73 to win the annual NCGA Women's Amateur Stroke Play Championship by five strokes over runner-up Sydney Silva. Earlier this year, Kaminski picked up wins at the San Francisco City and Alameda Commuters.
The Stroke Play win marked her first NCGA title. As a junior, Kaminski competed on Poppy Hills as a member of the Junior Tour of Northern California.
"It makes me really happy to win here," said Kaminski, who finished with a three-day total of 5-under 208 and was the only player to finish under par. "The little Nicola inside me is super happy."
In her first two rounds, Kaminski shot 67 and 68, respectively. Over the two rounds, she'd post nine birdies and just two bogeys. Instead of playing it safe, Kaminski went straight at Poppy Hills.
"I just put trust in all the work I have done and God," she said. "I played driver a lot. I wanted to be aggressive. Using driver put me in spots where I could score from."
The Los Gatos resident credited her coaches--Dana Dormann and Kourtnie Maxoutopoulis Barrett--and her teammates for her recent run of success.
"My coaches and teammates have been so positive. They're very competitive, so I am constantly challenged by them," Kaminski said.
Silva came in at 213 after a final round 73. Third place went to Anika Sato at 214.
Carlsbad resident Corey Weworski made a rare NorCal appearance and took home another trophy.
Weworski shot a final round 4-over 75 to come in with a 54-hole total of 10-over 223, defeating runner-up Lynne Cowan by four strokes. It marked the first NCGA title for Weworski but was her second victory at Poppy Hills. In 2016, she won the California Senior Women's Amateur at Poppy Hills.
"It feels amazing to again win here," Weworski said. "It's great to come up here and compete with all of these great players. It's like a reunion."
Weworski, 62 and an AmateurGolf.com member, is a three-time winner of the California Senior Women's Amateur Championship, her last title coming in 2019 at Quail Lodge Resort.
This time around at Poppy Hills, Weworski was steady. She was the lone player to shoot 75 or better over the three rounds.
"It was all about being consistent," she said. "I never hit driver once. I wanted to make sure I was in the fairway. And I kept myself out of the bunkers. When I did make a bogey, it was because I three-putted."
Cowan, who finished at 227 after a final round 76, was looking for a record sixth title. Third place went to Karen Garcia at 232 following a 76.
Weworski and Cowan, who were paired together, competed in the same group for the first time in nearly two decades. The pair met in the 36-hole final of a Women's Golf Association of California championship at Green Hills CC. At that time, Cowan needed 44 holes before finally beating Weworski.
June 18, 2024
Los Gatos resident Nicola Kaminski is just a day away from claiming one of the NCGA's biggest prizes for women.
Kaminski will take a five-shot lead into Wednesday's final round of this year's Women's Amateur Stroke Play Championship after posting a solid 3-under 68 on a brilliant sunny Tuesday at Poppy Hills. A fifth-year senior at San Jose State, Kaminski will enter the final round with a 36-hole total of 7-under 135.
Formerly at Fresno State, Kaminski, who had four birdies and just one bogey, is on pace to set a championship record score. The record-low total since the event moved to 54 holes in 2021 is 206. On the back-nine, she was the epitome of steady, carding eight straight pars.
Chasing Kaminski will be a pack of three players--Sydney Sung, Sydney Silva and Hannah Harrison--who are tied for second at 2-under 140. Sung had a 68, Silva a 69 and Harrison a 71.
The cutline (low 15 and ties) came at 13-over 154.
Over in the Senior Championship, Carlsbad resident Corey Weworski will take a three-shot lead into the final round after carding a second-round 75.
Weworski, a former California Women's Amateur champion (1998) and past three-time winner of the Senior CWAC (2016, '17 and '19), stands with a 36-hole total of 6-over 148.
In second place at 151 after a second-round 79 is NCGA Hall of Famer Lynne Cowan. Cowan is a record five-time winner of the event. Fellow Hall of Famer Sally Krueger, who was in second place after the first round, had to withdraw due to an injury.
June 17, 2024
Nicola Kaminski is the player to catch after day one of the annual NCGA Women's Stroke Play Championship at Poppy Hills.
Kaminski, winner of the 2024 San Francisco City and a fifth-year senior-to-be at San Jose State, posted a 4-under 67 that featured five birdies and just one bogey.
Also the winner of this year's Alameda Commuters, Kaminski will head into Tuesday's second round holding a two-shot lead over Hannah Harrison. a junior-to-be at Washington State, posted a 69 with four birdies and two bogeys.
Three players--Catherine Kim, Sydney Silva and Bella Ranski--are tied for third at 71, just four off the lead. Kim, the winner of the 2023 NCGA Mid-Amateur, is coming off a runner-up finish at this year's Mid-Am.
Following Tuesday's second round, a cut will be made with the low and 15 and ties advancing to Wednesday's final round.
In the Senior Championship, Carlsbad resident Corey Weworski set the early pace, posting a first round 2-over 73.
Weworski is a former California Women's Amateur champion (1998) and past three-time winner of the Senior CWAC (2016, '17 and '19).
In second place at 75 is NCGA Hall of Famer Sally Krueger. Krueger just recently placed T-5 in the NCGA Women's Mid-Amateur.
Three players---Michelle Lam and fellow NCGA Hall of Famers Pat Cornett and Lynne Cowan--are tied for third at 77. Cowan is a record five-time winner of the event.
Defending champion Tina Barker is T-7 after an opening 79.