2026 Women's Amateur Day 3 Recap

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. – Sometimes, it all just clicks. Mary Grace Dunigan (Kennett Square Golf & Country Club) put together three rounds of excellent play to win the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s (PAGA) 90^th Women’s Amateur Championship at Gulph Mills Golf Club. She maintained and improved upon her five-stroke lead heading into the final round, carding six birdies and ending the tournament with a three-day total of -6 (71-72-73—216), five strokes ahead of second place.

Dunigan was three-under after seven holes but ran into some trouble with back-to-back bogeys on 9 and 10 and a triple on 14. She was able to reset, lock in, and birdie 11 and 15, immediately after struggling with the previous holes, and earning a pair of “3’s” after two “6’s”.

“I was just trying to stay positive and roll with the punches,” recalled Dunigan, a senior on the University of Delaware women’s golf team. “I think the only thing you can do is try to play better on the next hole. It’s always better to get over it and move on than to keep it in your head.”

Dunigan was being chased by multiple competitors, including Michelle Cox (PAGA Individual Member), who got as low as -4 after eagles on holes 1 and 3 and birdies on 7, 8, and 12 before bogeys on the last five holes—including the toughest stretch of the course on 16, 17, and 18—dropped her to a sixth-place finish at +2 (76-74-74—224).

Tied for second place in the tournament were Megan Meng (Lulu Country Club) and Marissa Malosh (PAGA Individual Member), the only other players under par at -1 (221) for the week. Meng (73-78-70—221) birdied six holes (3, 5, 7, 12, 13, and 18) on Wednesday to shoot 70, the lowest round of the tournament. Malosh (75-73-73—221), a teammate of Dunigan’s at the University of Delaware, put together an incredibly solid final round, with birdies on 1 and 10 and just a single bogey on 13.

“I was not watching the leaderboard, but I had Michelle (Cox) tell me that she was coming for me after we finished,” said Dunigan.  “So she got close, but I managed to pull through. The finish was really awesome. I was worried about the last putt on 18, a long downhill, so even though I putted off the green I felt pretty confident over the next one. I was glad I was able to make that birdie.”

Dunigan and Malosh were not the only members of UD’s golf team competing in the event this week, as Rhianna Gooneratne (The 1912 Club, T-19^th), Kayley Roberts (PAGA Indiv. Member, 7^th) and Kate Roberts (PAGA, Turtle Creek, 4^th) celebrated with Dunigan after her victory on the 18^th green.

“It was so nice to have so many people that I just really love to be here at this tournament,” said Dunigan. “I think that’s why I’m here and why I love golf. It’s because I really enjoy the people that I get to spend time with.”

Dunigan has now claimed her third PAGA title after also winning the Junior Girls’ Championship in 2022 and the Women's Four-Ball Championship in 2024. The win also earns her an exemption for the upcoming 126^th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, scheduled for August 4-9 at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee.

Also included in the week’s top five finishers were the aforementioned Kate Roberts at even par (72-77-73—222) in fourth and defending champion Hannah Rabb (Eagles Mere Country Club) in fifth at +1 (74-77-72—223).

Complete results from this week’s Championship can be found here: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/12394163895277760461

Next up on the PAGA schedule is one of the most anticipated events of the summer – the 113^th Amateur Championship at Oakmont Country Club, scheduled for July 27-29.

The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Gulph Mills Golf Club for the hospitality shown during this week’s Championship. Additional thanks go to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event as the title sponsor of the PAGA.