Arcadia resident Kate Villegas remained red-hot.
Seventeen days after winning the SCGA Women's Amateur, Villegas secured her greatest achievement yet at La Cumbre CC in Santa Barbara, winning the 57th California Women's Amateur via a 4 and 3 win over runner-up Lauren Sung of Palo Alto.
“It means everything,” Villegas said. “I honestly can’t believe I’m here. It’s been a long week but I’m so grateful to come out on top.”
Villegas, who displays a remarkably calm and composed demeanor on the course, couldn’t contain her excitement as she instructed her mother to “take a million” photos while she posed with the Helen Lengfeld Trophy.
“I think I’m just [proud of] my mentality most of all,” said Villegas. “I just really focused on taking everything one shot at a time, one day at a time and one match at a time and not letting myself get too far ahead or think of the outcome.”
Ever since she hoisted her first SCGA Women’s Match Play trophy in June of last year at Journey at Pechanga, Villegas has been on a tear. She finished runner-up in the 2023 U.S Women’s Four-Ball with her college teammate, Tiffany Le. Less than a month later, she successfully defended her Women’s Match Play crown at Goose Creek GC. Seventeen days after that, she can now call herself a California state champion, inscribing her name on the same trophy as Amy Alcott, Julie Inkster and Angel Yin.
All said, Villegas has come out on top in 17 of the last 18 matches she’s played in SCGA/USGA-sanctioned events.
“My game has really come a long way,” said Villegas. “I’m just really confident right now and I feel like I’m pretty tough to beat just because I limit my mistakes and I’m really confident in match play.”
In the North/South team competition, which takes the three best scores from players representing the SCGA and NCGA, the SCGA defeated the NCGA, 682-694.
The stroke play qualifying medalist was Kaylyn Noh with a 36-hole total of 9-under 135.