Lauren Sung Runner-Up at California Women’s Amateur

Lauren Sung Runner-Up at California Women’s Amateur

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — University of Michigan sophomore women’s golfer Lauren Sung finished as the runner-up Saturday (July 29) after falling in the 18-hole championship match against 11th-seed Kate Villegas 4-and-3 at the 2023 California Women’s Amateur Championship at the La Cumbre Country Club.

Following a run to the championship match in her second straight amateur event, Sung was matched up against UCLA’s Villegas. Sung took an early lead, but Villegas used three straight wins (Nos. 3, 4 and; 5) to take a 2-up lead, which she never relinquished, closing the amateur title winning Nos. 14 and 15 for the 4-and-3 win.

It was just two weeks ago that Sung won the Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur. Over her last two events, she finished with a 9-1 match play record.

Opening her Round of 32 match on Wednesday (July 26) with 17th-seed Vanessa Betancourt (UC Riverside), Sung found herself quickly down four after losing four of the first five holes. However, a Sung mid-round rally squared the match after winning four of the next six holes.

After Betancourt took the 11th hole, Sung battled right back in taking the 12th to keep the match tied. Back-to-back wins from Sung (Nos. 15 and 16), put her two up with two to go. Betancourt rallied herself, winning Nos. 17 and 18 to force extra holes. With a long par putt on the 20th hole, Sung closed out the match with a 1-up victory.

Heading to the Sweet 16 on Thursday (July 27), Sung faced No. 1 seed Kaylyn Noh (Cal Poly), who was the qualifying medalist with a nine-under 135 (68-67). After wins on two of the first four holes, Sung carried a 1-up lead into the eighth hole before Noh squared the match.

Making the turn, Sung again won two of the first four holes on the back-nine to go 2-up at 13. Noh rallied with back-to-back wins to square the match at the 15th. Sung then turned the tide, taking the 16th and closed out the match on the 17th to move to the Elite Eight with a 2-and-1 victory.

Taking on Betancourt’s teammate — eighth-seed Tiffany Le (UC Riverside) — in the quarterfinal on Friday (July 28) morning, Sung used a late front-nine run to make the turn 2-up. After Le won Nos. 10 and 12, the match remained tied until a birdie…