Holzopfel, Miller Gee, Wymer, Kim take WPGA Women's titles
By Josh Rowntree, Director of Communications • July 28, 2025
FOX CHAPEL — Emily Holzopfel’s hot start proved to be enough on a hot day.
Holzopfel, powered by a sensational first round and a clutch performance on her 36th hole, carded a 1-under overall score to claim her first WPGA Women’s Amateur Championship on Monday at Fox Chapel Golf Club.
“It was great,” said the Ohio native. “I was really relieved that I didn’t have to go to a playoff. It was just an awesome day and a great tournament overall.”
A member of Williams Golf & Country Club, Holzopfel fell into a zone in the back half of her first of two rounds, posting a 5-under mark through her opening 18 holes.
“I felt really good,” she said. “I was hitting a lot of greens and had a great rhythm going. Honestly, I felt like I could’ve kept going without stopping for lunch. That break kind of slowed me down a bit.
“I played well through the first 27 holes, but I definitely started to get tired. That last nine was a grind. It became more of a mental challenge.”
Holzopfel did, however, manage to hang on. Despite a score of 77 for the second round, she was able to bury a par putt on the 18th hole that proved to be enough to win.
“I had a couple of bad lies and made two (double bogeys),” she said of the afternoon round. “I just had to bounce back and focus on finishing strong.”
She did just that, fighting off a talented and deep field as temperatures peaked in the mid-90’s. She also did so on a course that held all but one of the 64 players in the field at even or over-par.
“Green complexes were tricky,” said Holzopfel, who played both golf and basketball at Wheeling University. “Placement was really important, if you ended up on the wrong side of the green, you could easily be three-putting or even chipping back from off the other side.”
Caroline McConnell, who plays collegiately at Bradley University, finished second at even-par, claiming the Net championship after nearly sending the Women’s Amateur into a playoff with a par putt that narrowly missed on the final hole.
Mya Morgan — a rising senior at Elizabeth Forward High School — and Fairfield University’s Grace Windfelder, each tied for third place at 4-over a year after competing as finalists in the WPGA Match Play Invitational, also at Fox Chapel Golf Club. Vileska Gelpi shot 7-over, good for fifth place.
The win for Holzopfel comes in an event that more than tripled in size from a year ago. Playing in her first ever WPGA event, she was able to come away victorious after recently discovering another regional outlet for female amateur golfers to compete.
“I got an email from the West Penn Golf Association, and I actually didn’t know much about it at first,” she said. “They sent out an email, I read it, and thought, ‘This sounds neat, I should sign up.’
“I’m playing in the U.S. Women’s Amateur next week, so I saw this as a great opportunity to get some solid competition and practice in… I’m happy I decided to play.”
Miller Gee Victorious in first Women’s Mid-Am
Katie Miller Gee is no stranger to winning. But, despite all her competitive success, she’s still finding a way to make firsts.
Two years after winning the WPGA Women’s Amateur Championship, Miller Gee ran away with a win in the Inaugural WPGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
“Coming into the day, I knew I had to be patient and not let the heat or the long hours affect me,” said Miller Gee, who shot 6-over to win by eight strokes. “I struggled a bit on the greens in the first 18. The course is in fantastic shape, but the greens were slower than what I’m used to here, likely because of the heat.
“It took me some time to adjust, and I made a few mental errors early on. But I reminded myself to stick with the game plan and stay patient and that helped me settle in for the second round."
Miller Gee shot a score of 78 in the opening round but responded as temperatures rose in the afternoon with a 74 on the scorecard.
“I’ve always welcomed the marathon,” she said. “I enjoy multi-round events. They tend to reward consistency, good shot-making, and patience. So I just kept my focus on that and let the rest take care of itself.”
Olivia Zambruno placed second at 14-over, while Lindsay Sera was third at 21-over, snagging the division Net champion honors.
“This course has everything,” added Miller Gee, who won the Pennsylvania State Golf Association’s Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship last week and who was instrumental in the development of the WPGA’s Mid-Amateur tournament, available for players ages 25 and over.
“It’s not just one of my favorites in the Pittsburgh area; it’s one of my favorites in the country. It’s a gem… You really have to be precise with your yardages. Miss just a little and the bunkers, often set at tricky angles, will punish you. It’s a course that demands strategy and precision.”
Women’s Senior Championships both decided in playoffs
While the Women’s Amateur and Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships were two-round events, it still took the event’s two other tournaments over 18 holes to decide a champion.
Jane Wymer shot 3-over for the lone round to take the 9th WPGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship on the first playoff hole.
“I hit every fairway except maybe one, and I putted really well,” she said. “That consistency made a big difference out there.
“The course was in excellent condition. The greens were firm but not overly fast, which gave you the chance to be aggressive. I tried to go at the pins whenever I could, and thankfully, it paid off.”
The Senior Women’s Amateur featured 22 players in the field. Wymer and Urban, who also shot 3-over, were followed by Courtney Myhrym (7-over) and Maribeth Arlia (8-over) on the leaderboard. Mary Ann Howard shot a score of 87 that was Net-adjusted to a 71 to earn her Net champion honors.
“It feels fantastic to win in such a competitive field,” said Wymer, who recorded a par to defeat Steph Urban in the lone playoff hole. “I knew I had a round like that in me.
“I’ve had a strong season, and any time you shoot in the 70’s, especially mid-70’s on a course this challenging, it feels like an accomplishment. To do that and come out ahead of the other players makes it even more special.”
In the Super-Senior Division (ages 65 and over), two clutch putts delivered Hee Soo Kim her first West Penn major title.
After draining a 35-foot putt from the fairway on the first of two playoff holes, Kim nailed a 25-foot putt on Fox Chapel’s iconic 17th green.
“Oh my gosh, it was unbelievable,” said Kim. “I had struggled with my putting all day. Nothing was dropping. I couldn’t even make short putts for most of the round.
“Then, somehow, I made a big putt to survive 16, and again on 17. I honestly don’t know how I did it. My mind was blank, I had just finished the playoff round, and I was in a bit of a daze.”
Kim won the three-woman playoff over Kathy Smith and Stephanie Dewar, as the trio all carded 15-over rounds of 88 to separate themselves in the 15-player Super-Senior field.
“Many of them are my friends,” Kim said of her opponents. “I play with Kathy all the time. I even told her, ‘You’re younger than me, your time is ahead of you. My time is almost up.’ So, I’m really glad I was able to come away with the win."
Amateur golf legend Carol Semple Thompson finished tied for fourth with Norma Efremenko, while Dorlaie Cleva walked away with the Super-Senior Net title.
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For any media inquiries, please contact WPGA Director of Communications Josh Rowntree.
About the WPGA
Founded in 1899, the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association is the steward of amateur golf in the region. Started by five Member Clubs, the association now has nearly 200 Member Clubs and nearly 37,000 members. The WPGA conducts 14 individual competitions and 10 team events, and administers the WPGA Scholarship Fund and Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame.