MIAMI, Fla. — It was another marathon day at Indian Creek Country Club as the field at the 96th Women’s Amateur Championship was whittled down to just four competitors. After a day of exciting matches, all eyes now turn to tomorrow, where one player will emerge as the next Women’s Amateur Champion.
Round of 16
The first match of the day featured stroke-play medalist Siuue Wu against Caroline Patterson in a tightly contested battle. Patterson took early control with wins on holes 2, 7, and 8 to go 3 up. Wu responded with determination, clawing back to tie the match by the 13th hole. She took her first lead on the 16th and sealed the match with a win on the 17th, earning a 2 & 1 victory.
A similar comeback storyline played out in the match between Madison Moman and Olivia Hasselbach. Trailing by three early, Moman fought back to square the match and then surged ahead, winning three straight holes to go 3 up through 15. She closed out the match 3 & 2, becoming the first player to advance to the quarterfinals.
Alexandra Gazzoli wasted no time in her match against Sara Vitasek, jumping out to a commanding 3 up lead through four holes. Gazzoli remained in complete control throughout the match, never losing a hole, and finished with a dominant 5 & 4 win.
In one of the morning’s grittiest matches, Remi Bacardi held off a hard-charging Kayla Bryant. Bacardi built a 4 up advantage through 11 holes, but Bryant rallied to trim the deficit to just 1 down. Bacardi responded with composure and closed out the match 2 up.
Defending champion Sophia Dyer faced a stern test from Yaxuan Zheng. The match went the full 18 holes, where Dyer calmly rolled in an 8-foot putt to secure victory and return to the quarterfinals for the second straight year.
Quarterfinals
All four quarterfinal matches went the distance, and then some, highlighting just how thrilling the afternoon action proved to be.
In the opening match, stroke-play medalist Siuue Wu squared off against Madison Moman. Wu held a narrow edge for most of the round, but Moman repeatedly answered to keep the match tight. Ultimately, Wu’s steady play held up as she edged out Moman, 1 up.
Next off were Ana Boone and defending champion Sophia Dyer. Dyer struck first, but Boone surged with three consecutive wins on holes 13 through 15 to take a 1 up lead heading to the 18th. Dyer forced extra holes with a clutch win on the final green, but Boone prevailed on the 19th to eliminate the reigning champion.
In another close contest, Remi Bacardi faced Charlotte Cantonis in a back-and-forth battle. With the match all square late, Bacardi closed strong, winning both the 17th and 18th holes, to book her spot in the semifinals with a 2 up victory.
Rounding out the quarterfinals was an all-Seminole showdown between Florida State University teammates Alexandra Gazzoli and Haley Davis. In a match that extended beyond regulation, Gazzoli held her nerve to win on the 20th hole, advancing to the final four after a marathon 38-hole day.
