San Jose State senior Nicola Kaminski captures first-ever women's division title at the 2024 Nipomo Amateur Championship Tournament while Cal Poly junior Baron Szeto takes home first place in the men's division.
The 14th Nipomo Amateur Championship was held this weekend at the Monarch Dunes Golf Club.
“I talked to Rory after and he had told me that maybe he would try and get a women's division going," prize winner Kaminski said. "So this year he got one going and yeah, it's great to have other girls out here and play in this tournament this way.”
After gaining notoriety in amateur golf ranks around the country, the tournament is now ranked on the world amateur golf rankings. New York Mets seond baseman Jeff McNeil, several notable Cal Poly Men's Golf players such as Sean Lehman (son of Tom Lehman), and Cal Poly commit and “We Golf Fore Good” founder Luke Montoya made their appearances this weekend.
Lehman came into the tournament fresh off of PNC Championship play where he competed against the likes of Tiger and Charlie woods. Lehman joined McNiel and other golf amateurs for the thousand dollar prize.
“It's a really fun tournament just to get out and kind of get the year started and, you know, get to play with a lot of guys I haven't seen in a while," Lehman said. "And it's one of the best courses you could possibly ask for an event like this. It's a lot of fun and just a lot of laughs, a lot of good times.”
The tournament drew in top amateur players from all over the globe, including players from China and Europe. A little closer to home, Pismo Beach native and Sacramento State senior golfer, Jeffrey Perry, paid a visit to capture first place after taking home third his first year, and second place his second year.
“Yeah, I mean, it's pretty funny, it's just a game of putting a ball in the hole in the least amount of strokes possible, but I mean, there's a lot of community in that somehow," Perry said. "But it works.”
Cal poly men’s Golf Head Coach Phil Rowe has seven players competing and he made his rounds around the golf course checking out his players.
“Especially at this time of year, I think this it's ideal (to play) before we get going again," Rowe encouraged. "It's a wonderful course and a good, sneaky challenge. They set it up nicely.”
Now that the tournament is ranked nationally the goal is to grow the Nipomo Amatuer to become a top destination spot for golfers.
