Overview

• Kim-Schaad closed out Hanley Long with an 18-foot birdie on the fifth extra hole to win on the 23rd at Monterey Peninsula’s Dunes Course.
• The victory makes her a two-time champion (2019, 2025), the fourth-oldest winner, and the first repeat titlist since Julia Potter-Bobb in 2016.
• Both finalists earned berths in the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera and the 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur, with Kim-Schaad also gaining a 2027 Amateur spot and a 10-year Mid-Am exemption.
• The match pivoted late as Kim-Schaad flew the 17th green to lose her edge, both bogeyed 18 to reach extras, they traded four pars, and Long saved par with an 18-footer on the second extra hole.
• A mental performance coach with her husband caddying, Kim-Schaad emphasized patience on demanding pins and described the duel as a war of attrition.