CHULA VISTA, Calif. – Albane Valenzuela's bid to become the first player from Switzerland to win a USGA championship came up short Sunday during the finals of the nationally-televised 117th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at San Diego Country Club.
The rising sophomore fell behind early to rising senior Sophia Schubert of the University of Texas and never got untracked, losing 6 and 5 in the 36-hole title match. Schubert, a native of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, birdied the par-4 first hole and never trailed, applying constant pressure against Valenzuela, who had multiple near-misses on the greens that stalled her comeback hopes.
"I played some great golf, but it didn't go my way today," Valenzuela said. "I hit some great putts and great drives and have a lot of good things to take out of the championship. I won five matches my first time (in the tournament), so I'm really excited."
As runner-up, Valenzuela earned an invitation to next year's U.S. Women's Open, and a three exemption into the U.S. Women's Amateur.
It has been a great summer for Valenzuela, the third-ranked amateur in the world, who finished second last week in the European Ladies Amateur Championship in Switzerland.
After dropping the first hole Sunday, Valenzuela lost the fifth and ninth holes to birdies and the 11th with to a par. She was 4-down after the morning round.
Following a two-hour lunch break, Valenzuela claimed her first and only hole of the match with a birdie short birdie putt at the first hole and had a chances to cut into the lead, burning the edges with several birdie putts.
Earlier in the week, Cardinal teammate Shannon Aubert earned medalist honors with a 36-hole score of 9-under 135, tying the second-lowest total in tournament history.
Shannon medalist
first golfer from Switzerland to win USGA event
