PORTMARNOCK, Ireland – University of South Florida alumnus Melanie Green, the 2024 American Athletic Conference Women's Golf Player of the Year, has won the R&A Women's Amateur Championship.

Green, a native of Medina, New York, becomes the first winner from the United States since Kelli Kuehne in 1996 and lifted the trophy 77 years after founding LPGA member Babe Zaharias became the first American to win The Amateur Championship in 1947.

The Women's Amateur Championship, founded in 1893, is one of the leading championships in amateur golf for female golfers.

In her first time competing in the championship, Green earned the victory over a 144-player international field that included four players ranked in the top 10, seven in the top 20 and 20 players in the top 50 of the Women's Amateur Golf Rankings. Green entered play just outside the top 50 at 54th.

Green defeated Lorna McClymont of Milngavie, Scotland 2up in the back and forth 36-hole final match. Green fell behind early, going four down after the first eight holes. A birdie on the ninth hole started a turnaround and Green led 1up after the first 18 holes.

After the first six of the second 18-holes, Green increased her lead to 3-up. McClymont launched a comeback with three birdies in the next eight holes and took a 1-up lead with three holes to play. A birdie by Green on 16 brought the match back to all square. Green won the next hole to go 1-up with one hole to play and closed it out in style with a birdie on the last hole for the 2-up victory.

With the win, Green gains entry to the AIG Women's Open, US Women's Open, The Amundi Evian Championship, Chevron Championship and an invite to compete at Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship. Green competed in the Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship in 2024.

The field started with 36 holes of stroke play with the top 32 players advancing to match play. Green finished tied for 12th at 150 (+6) in the stroke play competition.

In her semifinal match, Green defeated Marie Eline Madsen of Denmark, 3 and 1. She needed extra holes to earn her spot in the semifinal, defeating Paula Schulz-Hanssen of Germany on the 20th hole in the quarterfinal. In the round of 16, Green beat Paula Martin Sampedro of Spain, 6 and 5.

Green won her first match, 5and 3, over Victoria Kristensen of Denmark and defeated Hsin Chun Liao of Chinese Taipei in the second round, 5 and 4.