Player Information/Pairings/Results
June 8, 2025
Sometimes, all you want to do is make par.
Forty-three-year-old Danville resident Renata Young did just that, carding huge back-to-back pars on the 17th and 18th holes at Poppy Hills, to hold off Lauren Gebauer and win the annual NCGA Women's Mid-Amateur by a stroke.
It's the first time that Young has won any event.
"I don't know what to say. I love this course (Poppy Hills)," said Young, who finished the event with a two-day total of even-par 142.. "It always suits my game and I putt well here. I just hung in there. I had some bad shots but also some good ones."
On the closing par-5 18th, it was a bad shot that turned out good. She'd pull her approach shot left, but it bounced off the hill, rolling to within 10 feet of the flagstick. A two-putt par from there sealed the deal.
Along with just eking past Gebauer, the 2023 NCGA Women's Player of the Year, Young would defeat Madeline Vergura and Xiaolong (Sherry) Zhong, who both finished T-3, by just two shots. Gebauer came in at 143 after a final round 69. Vergura and Zhong had final rounds of 69 and 77, respectively.
"I didn't look at the leaderboard until I walked up 18," Young said. "I just tried to stay committed to each shot."
For Young, the win was extra special due to her gallery, which included her husband, mother, stepfather and 7-year-old daughter, Kiana. Young works as a physician's assistant in an emergency department, and relies on her husband to watch Kiana at times so she can find time to practice.
"It's so special to have family here," Young said. "This is something I've been working for. I made that commitment to get better."
June 7, 2025
In 2024, Xiaolong (Sherry) Zhong picked up a victory at the annual WGANC Legacy Champion of Champions tournament.
Now, she's a day away from capturing her first NCGA title. Zhong, a resident of Hillsborough, grabbed a three-shot in this weekend's 5th annual courtesy of a solid 4-under 67 on Saturday at Poppy Hills.
A runner-up (Big Sur Flight) at the NCGA Women's Net Amateur in April, the 49-year-old Zhong was steady, posting five birdies to go against just one bogey.
In second place at 71 is Renata Young of Danville following a 71. Elizabeth Scholtes of Alameda is in third place at 72.
Catherine Kim, who won the event in 2023, held the lead early but slipped back to 73, putting her at T-3 with Sienna Lyford.
The final round will tee off at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday.
