Kim-Schaad’s Second Act: Wins Mid-Am Thriller in Extra Holes at Monterey Peninsula

Ina Kim-Schaad, 42, of Jupiter, Fla., claimed her second U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur title in dramatic fashion on Thursday, draining an 18-foot birdie putt on the fifth extra hole to defeat Hanley Long, 28, of Clarksville, Tenn., on Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Dunes Course. The victory came in record-setting fashion — not only was the match the longest championship final in U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur history at 23 holes, but it capped a week that saw multiple milestones, including a record number of championship entries and the youngest field in championship history.

“I'm overwhelmed with emotion, honestly,” said Kim-Schaad. “I truly love this place, and my husband and I got married in Carmel. To do it at such a special place, golf course, with my family here and my husband on the bag, his birthday day week, and for a second time, it's like there's not even enough language to put around just all the feels that I'm feeling.”

Kim-Schaad, who previously won the title in 2019, became the fourth-oldest champion in event history and the first two-time winner since Julia Potter-Bobb in 2016. The victory also marked her 20th USGA championship appearance.

The final match was tight from the start. Kim-Schaad struck first with a win on the opening hole, but Long answered immediately by taking the second. The two halved the next four holes, highlighted by Long’s remarkable par save on the par-4 sixth, where she found both the rough and the greenside bunker before holing a clutch putt to stay tied. 

Kim-Schaad would win the seventh and ninth holes, the latter with a birdie, to take a 2-up lead. But Long fought back, capturing Nos. 11 and 12 to tie the match once again.

“It was an absolute battle out there the entire day,” said Long, the 2019 Tennessee Women’s Amateur champion. “Honestly, I'm just so proud of my grit and determination throughout the entire day, keeping my head up and held high and never giving up.”

The back nine became a seesaw battle. Kim-Schaad reclaimed the lead on the iconic par-3 oceanside 14th when Long missed a short putt for par, but Long answered by winning the 15th. Kim-Schaad pulled ahead again on 16 after Long found the dunes to the right of the fairway, only for Long to respond on 17 when Kim-Schaad’s approach flew the green and she was forced to play her third shot from a cart path.

Both players bogeyed the par-4 18th to send the match to extra holes. The duel continued deep into the afternoon, with Long rolling in an 18-foot par putt on the second extra hole to keep her hopes alive. 

On the 23rd hole, Kim-Schaad finally broke through, holing an 18-footer for birdie to secure her second Mid-Amateur title, six years after her first.

“I kind of figured it was going to be a war of attrition,” said Kim-Schaad. “The pins where they were today, you could not get on offense. It just felt physically impossible to be on offense. So, playing defensively, playing patiently and just letting the things happen and be a war of attrition was mentally where I had to put myself, and I was ready to play 36 if it had to be.”

What the Champion Receives

• A gold medal and custody of the Mildred Gardinor Prunaret Trophy for one year
  
  
• Exemptions into the next 10 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championships
  
  
• Exemptions into the 2026 and 2027 U.S. Women's Amateur Championships 
  
  
• Exemption into the 2026 U.S. Women's Open Presented by Ally Championship at Riviera Country Club
  
  
• Name engraved on a plaque that will reside in the Hall of Champions at the USGA Museum in Liberty Corner, N.J.

Notable

• The 23-hole final was the longest final match in championship history, surpassing Robin Weiss’ 22-hole victory over Page Marsh Lea in 1989.
  
  
• Ina Kim-Schaad becomes the sixth player to win multiple U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur titles.
   
  
• Runner-up Hanley Long received a silver medal as well as exemptions into the next three U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships and a spot in the 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur.
  
  
• Next year’s U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur will be contested at Montclair Golf Club in West Orange, N.J.
  
  
• Long has a unique history with the USGA. She served as an operations intern for the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. The U.S. Open will return to Shinnecock in 2026.

• Three-time U.S. Senior Women's Amateur champion and MPCC member Lara Tennant, who lost in the Round of 32, was in attendance for the final match, walking all 23 holes.  

Quotable

• “I know I can at least make it to the finals, so that counts for something. I think the biggest takeaway from this week is being in this position and taking it as far as I did. That definitely builds on some momentum going into next year, but definitely ready for a golf break. - Hanley Long on her takeaways from her runner-up finish 

• “Oh, man. Downhill left-to-right ticklers are not my specialty, but I just wanted to give it a chance. I thought if I nestled it up there and two-putted, she was going to have a really difficult par anyway. My genuine intention was nestle it up there and give it a chance, and it just happened to drop.”  - Ina Kim-Schaad on her birdie putt to win 

• “Super proud. You're absolutely right. Getting through two USGA champions and the No. 1 seed even to get into the finals, I was honestly just really patting myself on the back yesterday. So today is just obviously icing on the cake.” - Kim-Schaad on looking back at the week