On a crisp October afternoon along the storied Monterey Peninsula, two of amateur golf’s brightest stars delivered a championship duel for the ages. Ina Kim-Schaad, a 42-year-old mental performance coach from Jupiter, Florida, and Hanley Long, the 27-year-old rising talent from Clarksville, Tennessee, squared off in the final of the 2025 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Dunes Course. What unfolded was a 23-hole marathon—one of the longest and most dramatic finals in the tournament’s 38-year history—that saw Kim-Schaad etch her name into the record books for a second time.
The week began with a record 616 entries, whittled down to 132 competitors, all vying for one of amateur golf’s most coveted prizes. The championship, open to women aged 25 and older with a Handicap Index of 9.4 or lower, is a proving ground for both seasoned veterans and up-and-coming stars. This year’s field was as deep as ever, with competitors hailing from 14 nations and an average age of 34—underscoring the global and generational reach of the event.
By the time Thursday’s final rolled around, only Kim-Schaad and Long remained standing. Each had navigated a gauntlet of stroke play and match play rounds, with Kim-Schaad dispatching Jennifer Wang 3 and 1 in the quarterfinals and outlasting co-medalist Katherine Zhu 2 and 1 in the semifinals. Long, meanwhile, had showcased her own brand of relentless golf, defeating France’s Justine Fournand 5 and 4 in the quarters and rolling past Shannon Fish-Martin 6 and 4 in the semis. The stage was set for an 18-hole showdown that would demand every ounce of skill, patience, and nerve.
From the outset, Kim-Schaad set the tone. She won the opening hole, seizing an early advantage and never trailing through the front nine. Yet Long, whose steady play and unflappable demeanor had defined her breakout week, refused to back down. The Tennessee native, with her brother serving as caddie and her mother cheering from the gallery, kept the pressure on, pulling even twice on the back nine as the coastal winds whipped across the links. “This last year has been so difficult from a family standpoint, so for me to play this well and make it to the end, it’s something that has brought us all together,” Long told the United States Golf Association’s Julia Pine. “We’ve found the joy and the light at the end of the tunnel.”
The tension ratcheted up as the match reached its closing stretch. Long’s birdie on the 17th hole squared the score, and both players carded bogeys on the 18th, sending the contest to extra holes tied at +1. What followed was a test of endurance and willpower. The pair traded pars and matched each other shot for shot through four additional playoff holes. On the 23rd—five extra holes deep—Kims-Schaad’s approach landed close to the pin, and she calmly rolled in a birdie putt to secure victory. The crowd erupted, and the 2019 champion had reclaimed her place atop the mid-amateur world.
Reflecting on her journey, Kim-Schaad said, “It’s still pretty unbelievable. I’ve worked really hard this year to get back here, and I’m just grateful I get to play this course one more time.” Her performance throughout the week was a study in consistency and mental toughness. Over the course of six days and 144 holes, she played under par for much of the knockout rounds, relying on steady iron play and a reliable putter as the Monterey breezes tested every player’s resolve.
For Long, the week marked a coming-of-age moment on the national stage. Her run to the final included a dominant 6-and-4 semifinal win and a stretch of four straight holes won from 11 through 14 in the quarters, highlighted by back-to-back birdies. The family connection added another layer of meaning, as her brother’s guidance and her mother’s support fueled her run. “We’ve been out there following the process and the game plan and executing. That was no different throughout the day on Thursday,” Long noted. Her resilience and shot-making under pressure suggest she’ll be a force in mid-amateur golf for years to come.
The championship itself was a celebration of both tradition and progress. First held in 1987, the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur was created to provide a national competitive arena for amateur women aged 25 and older. Over nearly four decades, it has crowned legends and launched new stars, with past champions including Carol Semple Thompson, Meghan Stasi, and Julia Potter-Bobb. This year’s event was no exception, as 11 former winners and six U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur champions teed it up alongside a younger wave of talent.
The Dunes Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, a par 72 stretching 6,093 yards, proved a worthy test. Designed by a trio of architectural greats—Seth Raynor, Alister MacKenzie, and Robert Hunter—and refined by Rees Jones and Tom Fazio, the course demanded disciplined lines and precise shot-making. The iconic par-3 14th, set across 17-Mile Drive, offered postcard views and real bite, especially as the afternoon winds stiffened. Local favorite Lara Tennant, a three-time U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur champion, thrilled the home crowd with a dramatic playoff win in the early rounds, further adding to the championship’s lore.
With her victory, Kim-Schaad not only joins a short list of two-time champions in the event’s history but also earns a coveted exemption into the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally at Riviera Country Club. Both Kim-Schaad and Long are now exempt into next summer’s U.S. Women’s Amateur at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee, ensuring their place among the game’s elite for another season. Semifinalists Katherine Zhu and Shannon Fish-Martin, meanwhile, earned bronze medals and exemptions into the next two U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateurs.
As the sun set over Pebble Beach, the 2025 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship closed with a sense of history and promise. Kim-Schaad’s marathon triumph was a testament to perseverance and poise, while Long’s spirited run signaled the arrival of a new contender on the national scene. For fans and players alike, this was a final that will be remembered for years to come—a true showcase of the best in women’s amateur golf.
