Portmarnock, Ireland, June 29, 2024 – University of South Florida alumnus Melanie Green, the AAC Women’s Golf Player of the Year, has won the R&A Women’s Amateur Championship.
Green (Medina, N.Y) becomes the first winner from the United States since Kelli Kuehne in 1996 and lifted the trophy 77 years after founding LPGA member Babe Zaharias became the first American to win The Amateur Championship in 1947.
The Women’s Amateur Championship, founded in 1893, is one of the leading championships in amateur golf for female golfers.
In her first time competing in the championship, Green earned the victory over a 144-player international field that included four players ranked in the top 10, seven in the top 20 and 20 players in the top 50 of the Women’s Amateur Golf Rankings. Green entered play just outside the top 50 at 54th.
Green defeated Lorna McClymont of Milngavie, Scotland 2up in the back and forth 36-hole final match. Green fell behind early, going four down after the first eight holes. A birdie on the ninth hole started a turnaround and Green led 1up after the first 18 holes.
After the first six of the second 18-holes, Green increased her lead to 3up. McClymont launched a comeback with three birdies in the next eight holes and took a 1up lead with three holes to play. A birdie by Green on 16 brought the match back to all square. Green won the next hole to go up one with one hole to play and closed it out in style with a birdie on the last hole for the 2up victory.
With the win, Green gains entry to the AIG Women’s Open, US Women’s Open, The Amundi Evian Championship, Chevron Championship and an invite to compete at Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship. Green competed in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship in 2024.
The field started with 36 holes of stroke play with the top 32 players advancing to match play. Green finished tied for 12th at 150 (+6) in the stroke play competition.
In her semifinal match, Green defeated Marie Eline Madsen of Denmark 3&1. She needed extra holes to earn her spot in the semifinal, defeating Paula Schulz-Hanssen of Germany on the 20th hole in the quarterfinal. In the round of 16, Green beat Paula Martin Sampedro of Spain 6&5.
Green won her first match 5&3 over Victoria Kristensen of Denmark and defeated Hsin Chun Liao of Chinese Taipei in the second round 5&4.
About USF Women’s Golf
In the record-setting 2023-24 campaign, the Bulls won three times and finished in the top four in nine of 10 events. The three wins are the most in a season since four 2011-12. USF finished third in the American Athletic Conference Championship, which equals the best finish in the tournament in program history. In 2022-23 and 2023-24, the Bulls played in back-to-back NCAA Regionals for the first time since 2001-02. Senior standout Melanie Green, the AAC Conference Player of the Year in 2023-24, an all-conference performer in each of her four seasons, was named to the WGCA 2023-24 Division I All-American second team. Green qualified for the 2022 NCAA Regional as an individual and was named a 2023 All-American Honorable Mention. Green and the Bulls reached the NCAA Regional as a team in 2023, marking the program’s first postseason appearance in 11 years. Follow @USFWGolf on Twitter for the latest information concerning the program.
