Pairings | Results
August 13, 2026
The last few weeks have been pretty good for 17-year-old Cathy Zhang.
Fresh off earning Girls' Player of the Year honors on the Junior Tour of California, the No.15 seeded Zhang earned her second career NCGA title, winning the Women's Amateur, 1-up, over No.8 Lana Yamagata on Thursday at Spyglass Hill. Zhang's first NCGA title came in 2023 at the NCGA Junior.
All tied through 17 holes, Zhang managed to get up-and-down for bogey, making a 5-foot putt on the 18th despite hitting her chip shot from the back of the green to the front of the green. Yamagata would make double-bogey on the hole.
"I am happy that I got the job done," said Zhang, an online high school senior. "This field had a lot of college girls. It's good to get that experience."
Zhang, who has committed to the University of Illinois, held a 2-up through 13 after playing the stretch at even-par. On No.14, Zhang made double-bogey, and then bogey on No. 16 to bring the match back to even.
The two tied the 17th hole before the dramatics on the finishing 18th.
Helping Zhang along was her favorite caddie, her dad Jay Zhang.
"We work together. I feel like we're a good team," Cathy said. Sometimes you can get upset with your family. But we were good out there."
August 12, 2026
It'll be a college sophomore versus a high school senior in the finals of this year's NCGA Women's Amateur Championship.
Lana Yamagata, who plays at UNLV, and Cathy Zhang, a 17-year-old high school senior, will face off in Friday's 18-hole championship match at Spyglass Hill after surviving the quarterfinals and semifinals on Wednesday.
The No.8 seeded Yamagata, who hails from South Pasadena, had to sweat out two pressure-packed matches. Following a 1-up victory over No.1 Lauren Sung in the morning quarterfinals, Yamagata again found herself in a duel in the afternoon against No.5 Vani Karimanal.
Coming into the match, Karimanal had been on fire, winning her first two matches, 4 and 3 and 7 and 6, respectively. Through the first eight holes, it looked like Karimanal would get another win, as she took a 2-up lead.
Yamagata, however, didn't flinch. Following a par win on the 9th hole, Yamagata won the par-3 12th with a birdie to knot things up. On the ensuing 13th, another Yamagata birdie made it 1-up in her favor.
Karimanal came back, winning the 14th hole with a par, and the two tied the next three holes, bringing the match to the 18th tied. On the 18th, Yamagata made bogey, but Karimanal made double-bogey.
The No.15 seeded Zhang, who recently won 2025-26 JTNC Girls'Player of the Year honors, had to hold on as well , defeating No. 11 Kiana Briggs in the semifinals, 1-up.
In that match, Zhang took what looked to be a commanding 4-up lead through the first six holes, but Briggs, a recent UC Irvine grad, caught fire. Briggs would play holes Nos. 7 through No. 12 at 4-under par--thanks in part to an eagle on the par-5 7th--to not only eliminate any deficit but take a 2-up lead.
On No.14, a Briggs bogey made it a 1-up lead. Two holes later, a Zhang birdie again tied the match. Like the Yamagata-Karimanal match, things eventually came to the 18th, where Briggs made bogey to Zhang's par.
August 11, 2026
No.1 seed Lauren Sung cruised, while the three other top seeds were sent home.
Sung, a recent University of Michigan graduate who is coming off a run to the semifinals of the California Women's Amateur, opened match play Tuesday at Poppy Hills with a convincing 7 and 6 win over No.16 Lisa Shimmon.
Sung made her move early carding three straight birdies from holes Nos. 3 through No.5 to build a 3-up lead. From there, Sung added another birdie on No.7 and made par. Shimmon could not get in a rhythm, carding bogeys on holes Nos. 7 through 11.
As per the other top seeds, it was a short ride. No.2 seed Ryan Flynn fell, 2 and 1, to No.15 Cathy Zhang. Zhang recently earned 2025-26 Junior Tour of Northern California Girls' Player of the Year honors.
No.3 seed Taylor Baker lost 4 and 2 to No.14 Landry Frost, and No.4 seed Alexandra Flier fell 2 and 1 to No.13 Serena Hunter.
Wednesday is the quarterfinals and semifinals, followed by the 18-hole final on Thursday.
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August 10, 2026
Just a few weeks ago, Lauren Sung reached the semifinals at the California Women's Amateur at El Macero Country Club.
Now, the recent University of Michigan grad is seeking another title. Sung will be the No.1 seed at this week's NCGA Women's Amateur Championship after posting a medalist-earning 1-over 72 Monday at Poppy Hills.
Four players--Taylor Baker, Alexandra Flier, Vani Karimanal and Ryan Flynn--all finished tied for second in stroke play qualifying at 73.
Tuesday's action will consist of the opening Round of 16 of match play. Wednesday is the quarterfinals and semifinals, followed by the 18-hole final on Thursday.
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