NATIONAL CHAMPION: Midland’s Kimberly Dinh Wins U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur

by Greg Johnson and Mary Jo Green

Midland’s Kimberly Dinh rallied from a 3-down deficit by winning six of the final seven holes to claim the 36th U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship in September. 

The 31-year-old associate research scientist at DOW Chemical and the GAM Women’s Player of the Year the last two years beat Kelsey Chugg of Salt Lake City, Utah, the 2017 champion, 2-up in the title match on the North Course at Stonewall. 

"In college (at Wisconsin), I never really played in any USGA events, mostly because by the time the summer came around, I was burned out and I didn't want to travel,” she said. “So having an opportunity to compete in a USGA championship after grad school, after college, has been awesome, and to win it, just incredible.” 

Dinh, who trailed in the match from the fifth hole through the 13th, tied the match by winning 12 and 13 with pars and 14 with a birdie. She lost hole 15 with a bogey, then won 16 with a bogey to tie the match again when Chugg made double bogey. 

Dinh then took the lead for the first time at 17 with a conceded birdie-2 on the par 3, and then birdied the final hole with a nine-foot putt to secure the 2-up victory. 

“To lose a couple holes pretty quickly was a little bit frustrating, but I just kind of dug deep and never really panicked,” said Dinh. “Kelsey was playing great golf, but both of us were going to make mistakes at some point, so I just kind of had to weather that and keep playing. I said to myself, ‘I’ll keep putting one good swing on the ball after another and see where it takes me.’” 

Dinh had reached the round of 16 and the quarterfinals in her first two trips to the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. The 2021 Michigan Women’s Amateur champion and a two-time GAM Women's Mid-Amateur champion, Dinh said she has learned from her previous golf experiences how to handle being behind. 

Dinh’s emotions bubbled to the surface when she was asked about her family and friends in the gallery, including an aunt who had departed for Indianapolis only to turn around and return as her niece advanced through to the final match. 

“I really enjoy them being out following me,” she said. “They have been supportive of me through my entire golf journey.” 

The following day, Dinh had a presentation to make at work – so back to business as normal.

For the victory Dinh received the traditional USGA gold medal, custody of the Mildred Gardineer Prunaret Trophy for the next year, exemptions into the next 10 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships, exemptions into the 2024 and 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships and an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, her bucket list event.

Dinh made it three straight national titles for Michigan.  Kim Moore of Portage won the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open last summer, and James Piot of Canton became Michigan’s first U.S. Amateur Champion in 2021.