FORT WAYNE, Indiana (June 26-27, 2024) – Madi Dabagia emerged victorious at the PGA Women’s Open at Orchard Ridge, finishing two strokes ahead of her competition. Dabagia shot a combined 68-73 (-1), beating out both amateur Kayla Benge and professional Sabrina Bonanno, who both finished at +1.
Dabagia, a Fort Wayne native, cherished the home victory.
“It’s always good to win at home,” she said. “I couldn’t believe I actually had a tournament in Fort Wayne and could sleep in my own bed, so it was great.”
Starting the final round with three straight bogeys, Dabagia showed remarkable resilience.
“I started off pretty bad, but I just tried to stay focused on the next shot,” she noted. “Talking with my dad helped a lot, especially coming down the last day.”
Dabagia’s comeback on the back nine was impressive.
“My putter was struggling a bit, but I had some big ones drop on the back nine,” she explained. “On the 14th hole, I finally made a crucial putt, and that felt good.”
Her father, who was on her bag, provided invaluable support.
“He doesn’t get to caddie for me much anymore, especially with me being in college, but I love having him with me,” Dabagia said with a smile. “Even though he missed some reads on the greens today, it was great.”
Dabagia is not a leaderboard watcher, not knowing where she stood going down the 18th hole, made for a surprise.
“l I kind of knew in my head but I didn’t watch the action on the last hole. I thought I had to make that putt to to win just because I thought I was only down one.”
Luckily for Madi, she was had set herself up for a great win after an easy two-putt.
Looking ahead, Dabagia plans to participate in the Women’s Amateur Qualifier and the Indiana Women’s Amateur Championship. “I’m excited for the rest of the season,” she said. “It’s great to get the competitive juices flowing and see where it takes me.”
Dabagia’s win at the PGA Women’s Open at Orchard Ridge is a testament to her skill and determination, setting the stage for a promising season ahead.
About The Indiana Professional Golfers Association
The PGA is one of 41 PGA Sections and is a branch office of the PGA of America. The Indiana PGA provides education opportunities to PGA Members and Associates, serves as our members local connection for membership and employment matters and runs championships for the nearly 450 Indiana PGA Members and Associates