Pairings | Results
July 24, 2026
Irvine resident Maggie Ma isn't the youngest winner ever, but she's certainly one of them.
Ma, still just 14, captured the biggest women's amateur prize in the Golden State, defeating runner-up Michelle Woo, 2 and 1, to win the 60th California Women's Amateur Championship on Friday at El Macero CC in Davis.
Mina Harigae, who won the event in 2021 at the age of 12 before later joining the LPGA Tour, is the event's youngest champion. Angel Yin won in 2010 at the age of 12, just a few months older than Harigae. Along with Harigae and Yin, Ma joins a list of past champions that includes Patty Sheehan and Juli Inkster.
She also earned an automatic spot into the upcoming U.S. Women's Amateur, set for Aug. 4-9 at The Honors Course in Tennessee.
"I feel really excited and really happy. I came here just wanting to make the cut," said Ma, who was the 9th seed and will be a freshman at Crean Lutheran High. "Winning this makes me feel even happier."
For Ma, it was all about the back nine in the final. Through the first nine, Woo, a 19-year-old sophomore at Cal-Berkeley, built a 2-up lead thanks to back-to-back birdies at holes Nos. 7 and 8.
But then everything changed. On the par-4 11th, Ma made a 6-foot putt for par to win the hole. A hole later on the 12th, Ma made a birdie to tie the match.
It was only the start of Ma's charge, the demise of Woo. On the ensuing 13th, Ma made another birdie to take a 1-up lead. On the 14th, Woo made another bogey, giving Ma a 2-up lead. On the par-5 15th, Ma won yet again, making a birdie to Woo's par. With her back against the wall, Woo won the 16th hole, but the two tied the 17th hole, sealing the win for Ma. Over her eight holes on the back nine, Ma shot 30.
"The course was a little long for me, so for my approach shots it wouldn't spin as much, and the fairways are really narrow. So I thought of just hitting the fairways and making birdie," Ma said.
Woo, the No.31 seed, had been the event's Cinderella.
"I played really well this week and exceeded my expectations," Woo said. "There are still a lot of positives for me to take into the season, which is coming up soon."
Ma entered the final having had her mettle tested. In her four matches before the final, the multiple AJGA champion had each match reach at least 17 holes.
During her run, she'd literally be helped by an Angel--that being her caddie and part-time instructor, Angel Martinez. Martinez has been coaching her since 2021.
"Maggie is relentless," Martinez said. "She knows her game."
"My putting was really good because I had my coach, Angel," said Ma, who began playing at age 7. "We had a lot of fun out there. If we struggled on one hole, we would just focus on the next hole."
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July 23, 2026
The semifinals are set at this week's 60th annual California Women's Amateur Championship at El Macero Country Club in Davis.
It'll be No.4 Lauren Sung vs. No.9 Maggie Ma and No.31 Michelle Woo against No.22 Cindy Yang.
Sung, the lowest seed left alive in the brackets, advanced with a 4 and 3 win over Regan Barton. Sung, who had her older sister Catherine on the bag as caddie, is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan. A native of Palo Alto, Sung took a 2-up lead through the first nine.
A birdie win on the 10th hole made it 3-up, and two holes later a Sung win via par made it a 4-up lead. Barton, who was the oldest player left in the brackets at age 24, was never able to recover.
While Barton was the elder, there is Ma. Set to begin her freshman year in high school, Ma, who hails from Irvine, marched on with a 2 and 1 quarterfinals win over No.9 Kylie Phi. Phi earlier in the morning Round of 16 knocked out No.1 seed Emily Song.
Ma had a sensational front nine, posting birdies on holes Nos. 3, 4,5 and 7 to grab a 3-up lead through nine. Phi came back with birdies of her own at holes Nos. 13 and 14 to cut it back to 1-up, but Ma responded with a clutch birdie on No.15 to make the lead 2-up. The two tied holes 16 and 17 to end the match.
Yang, a high school senior from Irvine, had the toughest path, moving on with a tight 1-up win over No.19 Jasmine Kahler.
In what was the longest quarterfinals match, Yang took a 2-up lead with a par on No.11. Kahler, however, didn't give in, winning the par-3 12th with a birdie. From there, it was a standoff, with both players tying the last six holes.
As per Woo, the Cal Berkeley sophomore slipped by No.10 Addison Lee, 4 and 3. Winner of the 2025 California Junior Girls' State Championship, Woo made her charge on the back-nine. Already up one hole, Woo won holes Nos. 13 and 14 with pars and followed that up with a birdie on the par-5 15th.
Should she win, Woo at No.31 would be one of the highest seeds to win the title.
Friday's action will consist of the morning semifinals and 18-hole final.
Past champions of the event include NCGA Hall of Famers Pat Cornett, Patty Sheehan and Juli Inkster.
Video Highlights by Derrick Ow
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July 22, 2026
Match play got underway on Wednesday at this week's 60th California Women's Amateur Championship at El Macero CC in Davis.
Not surprisingly, along with match play came some surprises.
No.1 seed Emily Song and No.4 seed Lauren Sung moved on to the Round of 16, but No.2 Ellie Bushnell and No.3 Zoey Kim both saw their runs come to an end.
Song, a high school senior from Irvine, continued to be in a groove, winning her opening match, 6 and 5. In winning, Song went 3-under par, closing things out with back-to-back birdies on holes Nos. 10 and 11.
Still just age 16, Song, who has already verbally committed to Yale, next will face No.16 Kylie Phi, who also won her opener in convincing fashion, 5 and 4.
Sung, who plays at the University of Michigan, found herself locked in a thriller with No.29 Isabella Fernandez. Fernandez was 2-up through 14, but lost holes Nos. 15 and 17. On the pivotal 18th, Sung made par while Fernandez made bogey.
Bushnell, who came into the event at 163rd in the WAGR rankings, lost to No.31 Michelle Woo, 1-up. Woo won the 2025 California Junior Girls' State Championship at Peninsula Golf and Country Club.
Kim fell, 2 and 1, to No.30 Audrey Brust of Reno. Brust, who wrapped up her collegiate career at the University of Santa Clara, will next face No.19 Jasmine Kahler, a senior at Cal-Berkeley.
Thursday's play features the Round of 16 and quarterfinals. The semifinals will be Friday, followed by the 18-hole final on Friday.
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July 21, 2026
Emily Song, a high school senior from Irvine, will be the No.1 seed when match play begins at this week's 60th California Women's Amateur at El Macero CC in Davis.
Song earned the top seed after coming in with a 36-hole stroke play qualifying score of 11-under 133 with rounds of 67-66. Over her two rounds, Song posted 11 birdies and an eagle 2 on the par-4 4th hole.
Finishing tied for second in qualifying at 135 were Oklahoma State senior Ellie Bushnell and Zoey Kim, another high school senior but from Los Angeles. The two had second rounds of 69 and 68, respectively.
In the North/South Team Challenge, the NCGA won the title by a stroke., 683-684. The North/South Cup, which takes place during the two rounds of stroke play qualifying, is a competition between the NCGA and SCGA. Scoring is based on the five lowest scores from each association.
Wednesday's action will consist of the Round of 32, with Thursday's play featuring the Round of 16 and quarterfinals. The semifinals will be Friday, followed by the 18-hole final on Friday.
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July 20, 2024
It was a Cowboy who made the most noise in Monday's first round of stroke play qualifying at this week's 60th California Women's Amateur at El Macero CC in Davis.
Ellie Bushnell, a former Junior Tour of Northern California member who is now a senior at Oklahoma State, took the lead in qualifying with a solid 6-under 66 that featured six birdies and zero bogeys.
Zoey Kim, a high school senior from Los Angeles, and Emily Song of Weber State are both tied for second at 5-under 67.
In the North/South Team Challenge, the NCGA grabbed a slim 340-341 lead over the SCGA. The North/South Cup, which takes place during the two rounds of stroke play qualifying, is a competition between the NCGA and SCGA. Scoring is based on the five lowest scores from each association.
Following Tuesday's second round, a cut will be made with the low 32 advancing to match play. Wednesday's action will consist of the Round of 32, with Thursday's play featuring the Round of 16 and quarterfinals.
The semifinals will be Friday, followed by the 18-hole final on Friday.
Past champions of the event include NCGA Hall of Famers Pat Cornett, Patty Sheehan and Juli Inkster.
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