2025 Women's Amateur Championships Day 1 Recap

Scores

McMURRAY, Pa. – Low scores were at a premium on the first day of the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s (PAGA) 89^th Women’s Amateur Championship. PA’s best female golfers battled a tough 18 holes at Valley Brook Country Club, with only two players finishing the day under par.

The leaderboard is topped by Lehigh Country Club’s Michelle Cox, who finished fifth in last year’s PAGA Amateur and just wrapped up her senior season on the Penn State University women’s golf team. She fired a two-under-par 70 on Monday to lead the pack, tallying four birdies along the way (on holes No. 5, 7, 14, and 17).

Right behind Cox is 2023 champion Rylie Heflin (Bidermann Golf Course), who finished sixth in 2024 and was into the clubhouse with a one-under 71 to put her solidly in second place. She birdied three times (on 2, 8, and 10) and had a solid back nine, with pars on holes 11 through 18. 

It’s still anyone’s tournament with 36 holes left to play, and a pack of four golfers finished the day tied for third with even-par 72’s: 2024 fourth-place finisher Megan Meng (Jericho National GC), 2024 seventh-place finisher Hannah Rabb (Susquehanna CC), Grace Windfelder (Butler CC), and Caroline Tragesser (Willowbrook CC). Rounding out the top 7 is the Country Club of York’s Makensy Knaub (one-over 73), who is fresh off a win at last week’s PAGA 7^th Annual Parent-Child Championship.

2024 PAGA Amateur defending champion Angelina Tolentino (The 1912 Club) sits tied for 11^th place after a four-over 76.

In the Mid-Amateur Division, a familiar name can be found at the top of the leaderboard: Green Oaks Country Club’s Katie Miller Gee, who has claimed four of the five PAGA Mid-Am titles since the category was added to the Championship – including a six-stroke victory in 2024. She opened up that margin yet again on Monday, finishing with an even-par 72 to lead second-place Bethany Alabek (Shannopin CC, six-over 78) and third-place Laura Hilger (Allegheny CC, seven-over 79). Miller Gee birdied holes 4, 8, 13, and 18 to put herself in prime position for another title.

A closer battle is taking place in the Senior Division, with three players within one shot of the lead. Two players are tied for first place at 11-over-par: Nicoll Keeney (Wilmington CC) and Louise Gebhart (Hanover CC). Keeney finished eighth in last year’s Championship while Gebhart finished third. Third place on the 2025 leaderboard belongs to Valley Brook Country Club’s own Annie Vanzant, who trails the top pair by just a single stroke heading into Tuesday’s final round.

It's just as tight in the Super-Senior Division as well, with another trio that has separated themselves from the rest.  Diane Cardano-Casacio (Cedarbrook CC) is the current leader after carding an 11-over 83, and she is chased by Judy Lynn-Craig (Westmoreland CC, 12-over 84) and defending Super-Senior champion Barb Pagana (Huntsville GC, 13-over 85), with just 18 holes left to decide this year’s champion.

The schedule on Tuesday, July 22 includes Round 2 of 3 in the Amateur Division as well as the final rounds for the Mid-Amateur (25+), Senior (50+), and Super-Senior (65+) Divisions.

The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Valley Brook Country Club for the hospitality shown during today's rounds. Additional thanks go to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event as the title sponsor of the PAGA.