2025 Women’s AIM Champion Lauren Cupp

 

Since welcoming her fourth child in May, Lauren Cupp has worked hard to get back into golf shape and there is no arguing the results.

 

On Aug. 1, Cupp reclaimed the overall Women’s Apogee Investment Management crown with a two-stroke victory over defending champion Teresa Cleland. Cupp (Rome Country Club) carded rounds of 77 and 75 to win her sixth career AIM title.

 

“It’s such a pleasure to be even out here playing,” Cupp said. “I really just started playing again a couple of weeks ago and the game is starting to come back.”

 

The 35th annual tournament was held at Green Lakes State Park Golf Course and Lakeshore Yacht and Country Club.

 

Cupp, who did not compete in the AIM last year, found herself three strokes down to Cleland after a rain-soaked first round at Green Lakes. Putting proved problematic for Cupp in the first round.

 

“I lost the putter the last couple of holes,” Cupp said. “I wanted to focus on that (in the final round) and see if I could get the ball in the hole a little easier today.”

 

At Lakeshore, Cupp rallied to overtake Cleland on the front nine with a 36 (one birdie against one bogey. Cupp ran into some trouble on No. 13, carding an 8, but straightened things out to earn the win.

 

“I played really well on the front side, it felt easy,” she said. “But whenever you think that in golf it turns the other way. I hit a roadblock and had a huge number (on 13) that shook me a little bit. But I was able to get to the clubhouse.”

 

Cupp finished 5-over-par 152 to deny Cleland an eighth Women’s AIM title.

Cleland (Bellevue Country Club) carded rounds of 72 and 82 for a 7-over 154).

 

The Women’s AIM title is just the latest accomplishment for Cupp, a world champion Speedgolfer. Earlier this month, she competed in the New York State Speedgolf Sprint where she placed fourth overall and first in the women’s elite division. Cupp has also won 11 Rome City Women’s Championships.

 

Cleland didn’t go home empty handed as she and Monica Hamilton teamed up to win the Team Gross Division.

 

Many thanks to our tournament sponsors: Kevin VandenBerg of Apogee Investment Management and Charlie Falgiatano of DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers for their continued support of the AIM Championships.

 

“It was a great two days,” Cupp said. “The CNY PGA always puts on a great event and I played with some of my best buddies out there. It was a fun two days.”

 

LEADERBOARD

 

The annual Women’s AIM Championship handed out trophies in four different divisions. Winners included:

Senior Gross: Penny Carlo

Senior Net: Carina Watkins

Team Gross: Teresa Cleland/Monica Hamilton

Team Net: Erin Byrnes-Hammond/Karen Mulligan

 

AIM WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS

1991: Debbi Clift, 1992: Sally Dee, 1993: Julie Campbell Torrey, 1994: Julie Campbell Torrey, 1995: Denise Broton, 1996: Julie Campbell Torrey, 1997: *Diane Waldron (*won in playoff), 1998: Wendy Burton, 1999: Jennifer Tucker, 2000: Monica Hamilton, 2000: Teresa Cleland, 2002: Teresa Cleland, 2003: Monica Hamilton, 2004: Maggie Lester, 2005: Maggie Lester, 2006: Maggie Lester, 2007: Teresa Cleland, 2008: Jillian Fraccola, 2009: Teresa Cleland, 2010: Teresa Cleland, 2011: Lauren Cupp, 2012: Lauren Petty, 2013: Teresa Cleland, 2014: Rebecca Studin, 2015: Lauren Petty, 2016: Lauren Petty, 2017: Lauren Cupp, 2018: Larissa Carter, 2019: Lauren Cupp, 2020: Emily Gresham, 2021: Lauren Cupp, 2022: Ariana Gaeta; 2023: Lauren Cupp; 2024: Teresa Cleland; 2025: Lauren Cupp