Ochoa Wins NCGA Women’s Amateur Championship

Rising junior Cristina Ochoa captured the inaugural NCGA Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship.

WGOLF8/19/2022 1:03 PM | By: Cal Athletics

Rising Junior Takes Inaugural Match Play Event

PEBBLE BEACH – Cal rising junior Cristina Ochoa won the inaugural NCGA Women’s Amateur Match Play championship Friday at Poppy Hills Golf Course.

Ochoa defeated three-time All-Mountain West performer Antonia Malate of San Jose State in the match play final.

“I feel like my game is heading in the right direction,” Ochoa said. “I wanted to get something going right before the college season, and I also really enjoy match play. It’s a good confidence boost for me.”

Ochoa defeated Malate 3 and 2 after beating Cal teammate Kristine Tran 4 and 3 in the semifinals.

“Cristina was just really consistent all week,” Cal head coach Nancy McDaniel said. “She hit a good amount of fairways and was swinging with good tempo. It was a good week of golf for her.”

Friday’s win culminated a strong summer for Ochoa, who finished second at the NCGA Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship in June to new Cal teammate Kaylyn Noh, a transfer from Cal Poly.

“This really solidifies what Cristina has been working on,” McDaniel said. “There can only be one winner, so to get this one, she should savor it – especially on a course like this and in match play. There were some really good players out here, so she can add this to her toolbox.”

After Tran lost to Ochoa on Thursday, she turned around and caddied for her teammate on Friday. Former Cal star Katherine Zhu also caddied for Ochoa earlier in the week and watched her final round Friday.

“We had a lot of fun,” Ochoa said. “Kristine and I both played well Thursday, and it was fun because we know each other so well. We knew we’d have to play well to be able to beat each other.”

The Bears open the 2022-23 season Sept. 12-13 at the Olympic Club Invitational in San Francisco.