2024 Women?s Amateur Day 2 Recap
PAOLI, Pa. – The 88th Pennsylvania Golf Association (PAGA) Women’s Amateur continued on Tuesday with three champions determined in the Mid-Amateur, Senior, and Super Senior divisions. The Amateur Division will play a final round of 18 holes on Wednesday at Waynesborough Country Club to determine its 2024 medalist.
Find recaps from all of Tuesday’s action in each division below.
Amateur Division
Everyone loves a good redemption story, and Natasha Kiel (Jericho National Golf Club) just might be writing one in the Amateur Division in 2024. Kiel, who lost in a playoff at last year’s PAGA Amateur, surged from sixth place to first place after shooting a five-under-par 68 in today’s second round, giving her a combined 141 after the first two rounds. She put together an impressive front nine, with early birdies on holes No. 1, 3, and 5, then added three more birdies on the back nine. A bogey on 11 was the lone trouble spot for Kiel, who has already secured an alternate spot for the upcoming USGA Women’s Amateur—which she says has allowed her to play with a different mindset.
“My plan this week was to come out here and be as aggressive as possible,” said Kiel. “I just wanted to play, see what I can make happen, and make as many birdies as possible. My irons were probably the most crucial part of today. You have to putt well on these greens but you have to hit it on the right spots on the greens to make birdies.
Kiel lost to Bidermann GC’s Rylie Heflin in that aforementioned playoff for last year’s PAGA Amateur title, but she feels confident heading into tomorrow’s final round.
“It’s really nice to be able to come out here and get a chance at redemption after last year,” said Kiel. “Obviously it was a little rough losing in a playoff last year. I think I would feel more pressure if a USGA spot was on the line (Kiel has already qualified for the US Amateur) but now I can really go out there, have fun, and see how low I can go—so I’m excited!”
The final round is shaping up to be a good one, as two other players are just two strokes behind Kiel with two-day totals of 143 (-3): The 1912 Club’s Angelina Tolentino and Merion GC’s Jackie Rogowicz. Tolentino was also in second place after Monday’s first round and shot even par on Tuesday, with three birdies and three bogeys. Rogowicz carded a one-under 72 in today’s round with birdies on holes No. 3, 10, and 12.
A group of three golfers are tied for fourth place with even-par scores of 146, including round one leader Kiersten Bodge (Overbrook GC), who followed up yesterday’s four-under 69 with today’s four-over 77, but is still within shouting distance of the leaders. Also in fourth are Michelle Cox (Lehigh CC) and Megan Meng (Jericho National GC). Cox shot a three-under 70 in round two (only Kiel was lower on Tuesday) while Meng birdied two of the last four holes to perhaps bring some momentum into Wednesday.
Mid-Amateur Division
Green Oaks CC’s Katie Miller Gee locked up her fourth PAGA Mid-Amateur title and combined for a two-day total of 152 (+6), six strokes clear of second place. No stranger to the pressures of a final round, Miller Gee began the day with three pars followed by three bogeys—but rebounded with a birdie on hole No. 7 and rode that momentum the rest of the way.
“I actually got off to an awesome start but my score didn’t reflect it at all,” said Miller Gee. “I got a little frustrated with a few bogeys but was able to flip the switch and stay back in it for the rest of the round. When I hit a good shot I would try to enjoy it in that moment instead of going in with all these expectations. I tried to focus on celebrating the little victories out there and I’m glad I was able to keep that mentality because something’s always going to be tough out there. It was challenging and I had to grind a few holes out but it was totally worth it.”
Northampton Country Club’s Katrin Wolfe, who was just one stroke back of Miller Gee after the first round, also began the day with some struggles on the front nine but cleaned things up on the back nine with an even-par 37. Wolfe finished as the Mid-Amateur division runner-up for the fifth straight year with a total of 158 (+12).
Defending Mid-Am champion Allison Wix (CC of Harrisburg) ended the day in third place with a 160 (+14) while fourth place belongs to Jocelyn Abel (Regents’ Glen CC) and Barbora Millichip (Honeybrook GC), who both ended the week with scores of 163 (+17).
Senior Division
For the third time in the last four years, Sunnybrook Golf Club’s Lisa McGill is the PAGA Senior Amateur champion. McGill, just a day after firing the only round under par in the division, followed it up with the lowest score of the final round: a six-under-par 79. She birdied holes no. 7, 12, and 15 and was 13 strokes lower than the next competitor on the leaderboard.
“Yesterday was an epic round where I recovered from any mistakes,” recalled McGill, who now has five Senior Division titles to her name. “Today, well, what a difference a day can make. I had some hiccups and some putting issues, but still hung in there and played pretty well. I really enjoyed the golf course. The greens were great, the pins were tough, and we enjoyed ourselves out there.”
The runner-up in the Senior division was Merion GC’s Loraine Jones, who combined for a two-day total of 163 (+17). Behind Jones comes a quartet of golfers to round out the top five that include Louise Gebhart (Hanover CC) in third place with a 164 (+18), Steph Urban (Lawrence Park GC) in fourth with a 167 (+21) and a pair tied for fifth with scores of 168 (+22): 2023 Senior division champion Karen Siegel (Commonwealth National GC) and Melana Regan (Philadelphia Cricket Club.)
Super Senior Division
Huntsville Golf Club’s Barb Pagana secured her third career PAGA Super Senior Amateur championship and held off Noreen Mohler (Northampton CC) by two strokes in an exciting final round. Pagana navigated a very challenging course and finished the tournament with a two-day total of 166 (+20) but came through in the clutch late in the round, making par on three of the last four holes. Mohler, who is also a former Super Senior champion, shot a 38 on the front nine then ran into trouble on the back nine—including a triple bogey on 16—but recovered with a par on 18 to clinch her runner-up finish.
Cynthia Moore (Meadia Heights GC) finished in third place with a combined 170 (+24), while three other competitors were tied for fourth with a combined 174 (+28): Old York Road CC’s Ruth Averback, Lawrence Park GC’s Gail Heubel, and Merion GC’s Liz Haines.
The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Waynesborough Country Club for the hospitality shown during today’s rounds, with additional thanks going to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event.