Lyla Louderbaugh knocks off world No. 1
Lyla Louderbaugh outlasts Kiara Romero in 20 holes to earn the final spot in the U.S. Women’s Amateur semifinals.
- Ella Scaysbrook, the 63rd seed, advanced to the semifinals of the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes.
- Scaysbrook was unaware of Jensen Castle’s 2021 win as the 63rd seed, whose picture is displayed prominently at the course.
- The Australian teenager has dominated her matches, winning without going past the 15th hole.
- Scaysbrook will face world No. 11 Megha Ganne in the semifinals.
BANDON, Ore. — Ella Scaysbrook didn’t know who Jensen Castle was. Funny thing is, she has driven past her picture every single day for the past week.
Scaysbrook, a 19-year-old Australian, is one of the four semifinalists at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes. She has dominated her first four matches en route to the semis, with no match going past the 15th hole.
And she’s doing all of this as the 63rd seed, not even earning her spot in match play until a playoff Wednesday morning. But Friday, she took over from the first hole, draining a birdie putt from off the green and riding that momentum to a 5-and-4 dispatch of Canada’s Taylor Kehoe.
“It’s definitely something that you want to do on the first hole, like hole the putts when you have that confidence that you can do that for the rest of the round,” Scaysbrook said. “So, I don’t know, gives a bit of confidence when you do something like that.”
Four years ago, Castle became the first 63rd seed to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Her picture with the trophy is on a sign lining the driveway to the Bandon Dunes clubhouse, one every player has passed multiple times this week, including Scaysbrook.
She had no idea.
“That’s crazy,” Scaysbrook said.
Playing in her first USGA championship, the week has been a whirl for Scaysbrook, even if her play hasn’t shown it.
Hubby of LPGA pro on Scaysbrook’s bag
Duane Smith, husband of longtime LPGA pro Sarah Jane Smith, is on the bag for Scaysbrook this week. She met the Smiths through Golf Australia and lived with them this summer in Orlando, Florida. The course conditions at Bandon Dunes, even the winds that finally arrived Thursday and picked up Friday, are something she has dealt with numerous times in the sandbelt.
On Saturday, she faces world No. 11 Megha Ganne in the semifinals, and if she wins, she’ll have a chance to join Castle as 63rd-seed winner at the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Is she allowing herself to look ahead?
“A little bit, but try to stay in the present,” Scaysbrook said. “Just go out tomorrow and see what happens. I’m proud I made it this far anyway.”
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