06/05/2026

MAINEVILLE, Ohio — Florida Gulf Coast University women’s golfer Sydney Deal returned to her home state this week and maintained composure, capturing the 111th Metropolitan Women’s Amateur Championship on Thursday at TPC River’s Bend.

Representing Belmont Country Club, the FGCU rising junior carded a 54-hole total of 7-over par 223 (77-71-75) over the three-day event to claim a dominant three-stroke victory over a highly decorated field of NCAA Division I athletes and regional champions.

Deal’s path to the winner’s circle required shaking off a tough opening round. After signing for a 5-over-par 77 on Tuesday that left her chasing the early leaders, Deal found an entirely different gear on Wednesday. As TPC River’s Bend heavily penalized the rest of the field, Deal fired a 1-under 71—the second-lowest single-round score of the tournament. The performance shifted the momentum of the championship, catapulting the Perrysburg, Ohio native to the top of the leaderboard.

With a target on her back heading into Thursday’s final round, Deal maintained her poise, carding a 3-over 75 and keeping big numbers off her scorecard down the stretch to comfortably hold off her closest challenger.

Deal’s victory is even more impressive given the caliber of the field she outlasted, which featured elite collegiate talent and a coach-vs-student storyline:

• Eleanor Hudepohl (Runner-Up, +10): The former Xavier and Creighton standout—and current Director of Operations for Xavier Golf—pushed Deal until the final holes.
• Clare Yeazell (3rd Place, +11): The defending 2025 tournament champion and current University of Toledo standout. Yeazell fired an opening 3-under 69 to take the first-round lead before Deal’s consistency eventually wore down the field.
• Marissa Malosh (4th Place, +15): A regular in national amateur majors and a top-tier active Division I starter for the University of Delaware.
• Ali Green (5th Place, +17): A former champion of this event, two-time Ohio State Amateur Champion, and the current active Head Women’s Golf Coach at the University of Toledo—who found herself in the unique position of competing directly against her own collegiate student-athlete, Yeazell.