ENGLEWOOD, Fla. – No one could have scripted a more thrilling conclusion than what unfolded today at Lemon Bay Golf Club during the 2025 Women’s Mid-Amateur. At the end, it was the FSGA’s very own Madyson Gold who emerged victorious, capturing her first Women’s Mid-Amateur title.
The final round opened with Sokhary Pavese stumbling to a bogey on the first hole, immediately shifting the lead to Gold. Both contenders found birdies on the fourth, keeping Gold just one stroke ahead. A bogey on the sixth briefly derailed Gold’s momentum, but she bounced back with a clutch 20-foot birdie on the seventh, matched once again by Pavese to keep things tight.
Pavese took the outright lead for the first time with a birdie on the par-4 eighth hole. Meanwhile, Kim Benedict, the 2021 champion, caught fire with birdies on the eighth and ninth to pull within two strokes. At the turn, Pavese led Gold by one, with Benedict just two back and Ailsa Clark climbing fast after a 2-under front nine.
Benedict then delivered an act of dominance, making four straight birdies from holes 8 to 11 to grab a share of the lead. But the 13th hole proved pivotal, both Pavese and Benedict found the water. Pavese carded a triple bogey, Benedict a double. Gold moved into second, while Clark surged into a tie for third.
Then came Clark’s sensational closing stretch. She birdied her 15th, 16th, and 17th holes in succession to tie Benedict and Gold for the lead. But Gold had one more moment of brilliance left.
On the 18th hole, with 90 yards to the pin, she stuffed her wedge shot to three feet. “I had a solid 90-yard shot but I don’t like to hit a full wedge. I knew that my 50-degree plus my adrenaline would carry it the extra yards,” said Gold. She calmly rolled in the birdie putt to clinch the title…and office bragging rights.
Kim Benedict and Ailsa Clark finished tied for second at 6-over, while Sokhary Pavese placed fourth at 10-over. Clark’s final-round 68 (-3) was the low round of the tournament, capping an impressive Sunday charge.
Gold makes FSGA history by being the first staff member to win a state championship while on staff.
Middle Division
Betsy Knights of Naples held the lead by four strokes after the first round posting a 9-over, 80. Janet Van Slyke and Trisha Judge sat tied for second place. Knights secured the win wire-to-wire with with a closing round of 80. Trisha Judge finished in second place with rounds of 84-78, and Liann Thompson secured third place with scores of 85-80.
Forward Division
Katherine Moore-Lilly held the lead after the first round with a 5-over, 76. Carolann Ceglar was in second place with a 7-over, 78, and in third place was a tie between Polly Flinn and Tish Keltner. Moore-Lilly also went wire-to-wire to capture a dominant win 10-strokes ahead of the rest of the field. Ceglar finished in second place, and Flinn finished in third place.
