77th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship – Inside the Field
 77th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship – Inside the Field July 13-18, Old Chatham Golf Club, Durham, N.C. usgirlsjunior.org | @usga | mediacenter.usga.org WHO’S HERE: A breakdown of the 156 players competing in the 2026 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at Old Chatham Golf Club, in Durham, N.C.: Youngest Competitor: Bella Simoes, of Lake Worth, Fla., (12 years, 11 months and 10 days old) is the championship’s youngest competitor. Oldest Competitor: Kiley Reisner, of Northridge, Calif., (18 years, 11 months and 24 days old) is the championship’s oldest competitor. There are 40 18-year-olds in the field. Average Age of Field: 16.38 Field breakdown by age:12: 1 player13: 7 players 14: 10 players 15: 18 players 16: 38 players 17: 42 players 18: 40 players International – There are 17 countries represented in the championship: United States (117), Canada (7), People’s Republic of China (7), Republic of Korea (5), Mexico (4), Australia (2), Chinese Taipei (2), Hong Kong, China (2), Singapore (2), Columbia (1), France (1), Germany (1), Japan (1), Peru (1), Puerto Rico (1), South Africa (1), Thailand (1), Venezuela (1) U.S. States Represented – There are 35 states represented in the championship: California (27), Florida (12), Texas (7), Georgia (6), New Jersey (6), North Carolina (5), Kansas (4), Virginia (4), Washington (4), Minnesota (3), Oregon (3), Pennsylvania (3), Alabama (2), Arizona (2), Indiana (2), Kentucky (2), Maryland (2), Mississippi (2), New York (2), Ohio (2), Wisconsin (2), Colorado (1), Connecticut (1), Hawaii (1), Idaho (1), Illinois (1), Iowa (1), Massachusetts (1), Missouri (1), Montana (1), Nebraska (1), Nevada (1), Oklahoma (1), South Carolina (1), Tennessee (1) USGA Champions (1): Asia Young (2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball) USGA Runners-Up (3): Grace Carter (2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball), Xingtong Chen (2025 U.S. Girls’ Junior), Athena Singh (2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball) Players in the top 100 of the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking® as of July 8 (12): No. 16 – Anna Iwanaga, 17, JapanNo. 20 – Yujie Liu, 16, People’s Republic of ChinaNo. 30 – Seoah Kim, 14, Republic of KoreaNo. 32 – Arianna Lau, 18, Hong Kong, ChinaNo. 39 – Amelie Zalsman, 17, St. Petersburg, Fla.No. 48 – Anna Fang, 17, San Diego, Calif.No. 57 – Shauna Liu, 17, CanadaNo. 66 – Amelia Harris, 18, AustraliaNo. 73 – Rayee Feng, 18, Short Hills, N.J.No. 74 – Nikki Oh, 18, Torrance, Calif.No. 80 – Clairey Lin, 16, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.No. 90 – Lily Peng, 17, San Ramon, Calif.Players from North Carolina (5): Victoria Davis (Cary), Maria Isabella Errichetto (Southern Pines), Riley Grimm (Pinehurst), Ella June Hannant (Pikeville), Jenna Kim (Raleigh) Players in the field with the most U.S. Girls’ Junior starts (including 2026):Amelie Zalsman – 5Current college players in the field (3):Kacey Ly, 18, University of California, Los AngelesKeya Naik, 18, Clemson UniversityKiley Reisner, 18, University of WyomingPlayers in the field who have signed National Letters of Intent with colleges for fall 2026 (36)Isabella Anderson, 17 (University of Louisville)Ellie Benson, 18 (Gardner-Webb University)Nina Choe, 17 (University of California, Davis)Lucy Cook, 18 (University of Kentucky)Lisa Copeland, 18 (University of Illinois)Isabella Coughlin, 18 (Western Kentucky University)Zoe Cusack, 17 (University of Virginia)Addison Douglass, 18 (Appalachian State University)Bella Dovhey, 18 (University of Miami)Kanchana Duangsam, 18 (University of North Carolina, Wilmington)Rayee Feng, 18 (Harvard University)Emma Fitzmorris, 18 (North Dakota State University)Ashley Gettleman, 18 (California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo)Amelia Harris, 18 (University of South Carolina)Jessica Jang, 17 (Rice University)Vidhi Lakhawala, 18 (Wake Forest University)Alexis Yanet Lamadrid, 17 (University of Texas)Amy Lee, 18 (University of Texas)Jude Lee, 18 (Stanford University)Cate Leydig, 18 (Hamilton College)Kuree Little, 17 (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)Kate Ly, 18 (Oregon State University)Mya Morgan, 18 (Central Michigan University)Nikki Oh, 18 (Stanford University)Juliet Oh, 18 (University of Pennsylvania)Gio Raad, 18 (Auburn University)Lily Reitter, 17 (University of Virginia)Alex Reschly, 18 (Marian University)Miah Rivas, 18 (Campbell University)Emerie Schartz, 18 (Texas A&M University)Athena Singh, 17 (University of Houston)Arian Urrea, 18 (Purdue University)Michelle Xing, 17 (University of California, Los Angeles)Eliza Yelverton, 18 (Lipscomb University)Celina Yeo, 17 (University of Oregon)Angela Zhang, 18 (University of Southern California)Players in the field who competed in the Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals at Augusta (Ga.) National Golf Club (25):Reese Barry (2023, 12-13, T5)Anna Bell (2023, 12-13, 8th)Ellie Benson (2018, 7-9, 8th)Alexis Card (2021, 7-9, 1st)Kylie Chung (2022, 10-11, 1st)Lisa Copeland (2022, 12-13, 3rd)Victoria Davis (2025, 14-15, 7th)Anna Fang (2018, 7-9, 9th)Ava Frazier (2021, 7-9, 8th)Maya Fujisawa Keuling (2022, 10-11, 9th)Riley Grimm (2024, 14-15, 2nd)Jenny Guo (2025, 12-13, 2nd)Ella June Hannant (2018, 7-9, 1st | 2025, 14-15, 9th)Abigail Henriksen (2025, 14-15, 1st)Hailey Jung (2025, 14-15, 8th)Jenna Kim (2022, 12-13, 1st)Kate Ly (2021, 10-11, T2)McKenna Nelson (2021, 10-11, T7 | 2024, 14-15, 1st)Macie Rasmussen (2023, 12-13, 9th)Bella Simoes (2025, 10-11, 1st)Athena Singh (2021, 10-11, 10th | 2022, 12-13, 6th)Nikitha Suresh (2024, 14-15, T7)Julie Waldo (2018, 7-9, 4th)Angela Zhang (2019, 7-9, 1st)Niuniu Zhao (2024, 12-13, T2)Players in the field who competed in the 2025 U.S. Girls’ Junior at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga. (41): Anna Bell, Mia Carles, Grace Carter, Xingtong Chen, Mia Clausen, Madeleine Conser, Lucy Cook, Zoe Cusack, Merritt Daniel, Kanchana Duangsam Rudd, Anna Fang, Rayee Feng, Maya Fujisawa Keuling, Amelia Harris, Aubrey Hilgers, Alexis Yanet Lamadrid, Arianna Lau, Amy Lee, Grace Lee, Iris Lee, Jude Lee, Sophia Lee, Clairey Lin, Shauna Liu, Yujie Liu, Anita Lumpongpoung, Kacey Ly, Juliet Oh, Nikki Oh, Juyeon Paek, Macie Rasmussen, Emerie Schartz, Bella Simoes, Athena Singh, Maria Mercedes Tablante, Alexa Takai, Brooke Thiele, Michelle Xing, Eliza Yelverton, Asia Young, Amelie ZalsmanPlayers in the field who competed in the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally at The Riviera Country Club (6):Zoe Cusack (MC)Amy Lee (MC)Jie-En Lin (MC)Anita Lumpongpoung (MC)Sofia Rivera (MC)Athena Singh (MC)Players in the field who competed in the 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Daniel Island Club, in Charleston, S.C. (17): Grace Carter, Lucy Cook, Lisa Copeland, Bella Dovhey, Maria Isabella Errichetto, Aubrey Lee, Iris Lee, Jude Lee, Sophia Lee, Kuree Little, Saahi Naraharasetty, Nikki Oh, Annika Raja, Kiley Reisner, Athena Singh, Eliza Yelverton, Alyssa Zhang, Niuniu Zhao U.S. National Junior Team members in the field (11):Grace Carter, 16, Jupiter, Fla.Mia Clausen, 15, Carlsbad, Calif.Zoe Cusack, 17, Potomac, Md.Anna Fang, 17, San Diego, Calif.Jude Lee, 18, Walnut, Calif.Nikki Oh, 18, Torrance, Calif.Eliana Saga, 17, Stevenson Ranch, Calif.Emerie Schartz, 18, Wichita, Kan.Amelie Zalsman, 17, Saint Peters, Fla.Angela Zhang, 16, Bellevue, Wash.U.S. National Development Program State Team players in the field (31):Ellie Benson (Pennsylvania)Mia Carles (South Carolina)Nina Choe (New York)Kylie Chung (Georgia)Isabella Coughlin (Tennessee)Victoria Davis (North Carolina)Ashley Gettleman (Northern California)Riley Grimm (North Carolina)Maria Glavin (New York)Ella June Hannant (North Carolina)Kieley Hanson (Minnesota)Abigail Henriksen (Wisconsin)Hailey Jung (Georgia)Jenna Kim (North Carolina)Aubrey Lee (Southern California)Erin Lee (Northern California)Grace Lee (Georgia)Sophia Lee (Colorado)Kuree Little (Southern California)Mya Morgan (Pennsylvania)McKenna Nelson (Wisconsin)Anna Norris (Georgia)Kelley O’Keefe (Northern California)Addison Peeples (Georgia)Maddie Smith (Massachusetts)Molly Spector (Georgia)Nikitha Suresh (Ohio)Alexa Takai (Hawaii)Ella Wilson (Idaho)·Alyssa Zhang (Pennsylvania)Cathy Zhang (Southern California)U.S. National Development Program Grant Recipients in the field (8):Victoria DavisHailey JungAubrey LeeJude LeeIris LeeMcKenna NelsonKatie ParkEmerie SchartzPLAYER NOTES Grace Carter, 16, of Jupiter, Fla., is one of 11 players in the field on the U.S. National Junior Team. Carter earned medalist honors (6-under 136) in the U.S. Girls’ Junior at the Atlanta Athletic Club in 2025 and advanced to the semifinals before falling to the eventual runner-up, Singapore’s Xingtong Chen. Since her 2025 Girls’ Junior appearance, she has picked up two AJGA wins, finished as the runner-up at the 2026 Nelly Invitational presented by Chevron, tied for fifth in the Women’s Western Junior Championship and advanced to the championship match alongside Floridian Alexandra Snyder at the 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball at Daniel Island Club, in Charleston, S.C. Her father, Tom, is a former professional golfer who played collegiately at Temple University. Mia Clausen, 15, of Carlsbad, Calif., is a first-year member of the U.S. National Junior Team and is competing in her third U.S. Girls’ Junior after advancing to the Round of 16 in last year’s edition. Clausen is coming off consecutive top five finishes at the RL Ralph Lauren Junior Classic at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course and Southwestern Amateur at Desert Mountain’s Outlaw Course. In 2025, she finished inside the top 10 at the Rolex Tournament of Champions, won the Golf Performance Academy Junior Championship and tied for fourth at the Callaway Junior at Canebrake Club. Clausen is a two-time San Diego Junior Golf Association Player of the Year. Zoe Cusack, 17, of Potomac, Md., a University of Virginia signee and first-time member of the U.S. National Junior Team, is coming off her Round-of-32 appearance at The Women’s Amateur at Muirfield, where she fell to eventual champion Delon Valentine. Cusack is one of six players in this year’s field who competed in the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open at The Riviera Country Club, in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Her 2026 season features a runner-up finish at The Nelly Invitational presented by Chevron and a tie for fifth at the Mizuho Americas Open. Last year, she was the runner-up at the Girl’s Junior PGA Championship, advanced to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Girls’ Junior and was a member of the victorious USA Team at the Junior Ryder Cup. Addison Douglass, 18, of Wamego, Kan., earned her way into the field by firing a 5-under 67 during her qualifying round at Elks Country Club, in Columbus, Neb. Earlier this year, Douglass joined exclusive company in her home state as she became one of four women in Kansas history to become a four-time state golf champion. Douglass is competing in her first USGA championship. Anna Fang, 17, of San Diego, Calif., is a second-year member of the U.S. National Junior Team competing in her third U.S. Girls’ Junior after advancing to the Round of 16 last year. In 2026, she competed in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and recorded three top 10 finishes in WAGR® competitions, including sixth at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley. Last year, Fang was the runner-up at both the Rolex Tournament of Champions and the Mizuho Americas Open and was a member of the victorious USA Team at the 2025 Junior Ryder Cup. In 2024, she reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Girls’ Junior and advanced to match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Amelia Harris, 18, of Australia, is competing in her third U.S. Girls’ Junior following her Round-of-32 appearance in last year’s championship. Harris has been dominant in Australia, recording six victories in 2026, including her triumph at the Australian Junior Amateur. Harris also finished fifth at the 2026 Toyota Junior World Cup. Earlier this year, she captured her first professional victory after carding rounds of 69 and 67 during regional qualifying to earn her spot in the 2026 Ford Women’s NSW Open. Anna Iwanaga, 17, of Japan, is the highest-ranked player (No. 16) in the World Amateur Golf Ranking® competing in this year’s field and is coming off a two-stroke victory at this year’s Toyota Junior World Cup. Earlier this year, she tied for third at the Japan Women’s Amateur Golf Championship, finished as the runner-up at both the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the Adidas Australian Women’s Amateur Championship and competed in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. A member of the Japan National Team, Iwanaga recorded seven WAGR® victories in 2025 and represented her country at the 2025 World Amateur Team Championship. Jenna Kim, 17, of Raleigh, N.C., is one of five players in the U.S. Girls’ Junior field that hails from the championship’s host state of North Carolina. Kim is no stranger to playing high-level golf in the Tar Heel State, having won the 2026 North Carolina Junior Girls’ Championship and 2026 North Carolina Women’s Amateur Championship in back-to-back weeks. In addition to her recent state amateur victories, Kim has won four consecutive NCISAA Division 2A State Championships for Durham Academy — where she made her varsity debut as a seventh grader. A class of 2027 athlete, Kim has verbally committed to Yale women’s golf program following the conclusion of her senior season, where she will attempt to win an unprecedented fifth-straight state championship. Kim is also a former Drive, Chip & Putt champion, having won the 12-13 age division in 2022. Vidhi Lakhawala, 18, of Kendall Park, N.J., is a Wake Forest women’s golf signee who enters the U.S. Girls’ Junior following two big victories at The Nelly Invitational and New Jersey Junior Girls’ Championship. Lakhawala is playing inspired golf as of late with three top 10 finishes in 2026. She claimed the biggest victory of her young career in May by winning The Nelly Invitational presented by Chevron with a final score of 1-under-par 215, earning an exemption into the 2027 Chevron Championship. The U.S. Girls’ Junior will be one of the New Jersey native’s final junior events before enrolling at Wake Forest, in Winston-Salem, N.C., joining the Demon Deacons’ elite roster that includes Chloe Kovelesky and Macy Pate, among others. Iris Lee, 13, of Orlando, Fla., is competing in her second U.S. Girls’ Junior following her trip to the Round of 64 last year. Lee advanced to the quarterfinals alongside partner Hannah Hall at this year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball. This season, she became the youngest player to win the Women’s Western Junior Championship and finished inside the top 10 at both the Nelly Invitational presented by Chevron and the Mizuho Americas Open. Jude Lee, 18, of Walnut Creek, Calif., a two-time member of the U.S. National Junior Team, recently completed her senior season at Orange Lutheran High School in Southern California and is headed to Stanford University in the fall to compete for the 2026 NCAA champion Cardinal women’s golf team. Lee is currently No. 147 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking®. She owns eight top 10 finishes in the 2025-26 season alone, headlined by a top 10 finish at the Girl’s Junior PGA Championship and an appearance in the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills. Earlier this year, Lee earned medalist honors alongside future Stanford teammate Nikki Oh at the 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball, advancing to the Round of 16. Outside of golf, Lee is a talented photographer and made a guest appearance on the USGA’s content team at the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open at The Riviera Country Club. Nikki Oh, 18, of Torrance, Calif., a third-year member of the U.S. National Junior Team, earned medalist honors and advanced to the Round of 16 at this year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball alongside fellow Stanford signee Jude Lee. In 2026, she finished inside the top 10 at both the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and The Fortinet Girls Invitational and competed in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Oh won the 2025 Rolex Tournament of Champions and advanced to match play at last year’s U.S. Girls’ Junior. In 2023, she advanced to the Round of 16 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bel-Air C.C. in Los Angeles. Oh is the daughter of 1993 U.S. Open qualifier and current teaching pro Ted Oh. Kiely Reisner, 18, of Northridge, Calif., is entering her sophomore season at the University of Wyoming, where she became the third women’s golfer in program history to be named to the All-Mountain team after recording two individual wins in her freshman campaign. Earlier this year, she advanced to the Round of 16 alongside partner and fellow Cowgirl Summer Schafer at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball. Reisner’s father, Corey, is a former PGA professional. Eliana Saga, 17, of Stevenson Ranch, Calif., is one of junior golf’s biggest risers following a win at the recent AJGA RLX Ralph Lauren Junior Classic at Bethpage State Park’s Black Golf Course, in Farmingdale, N.Y. The future Trojan (she has verbally committed for 2027) is one of California’s top juniors, having placed fifth at the 2025 SCGA Women’s Amateur Championship and 11th at the 2025 CIF Division I Girls Golf Championship. Saga, who is a rising senior at Valencia High School (the same school that produced PGA Tour winner Max Homa and LPGA Tour star Alison Lee), was also named to the 2026 U.S. National Junior Team in December. The 2026 Girls’ Junior will be her first appearance in the championship. Bella Simoes, 12, of Lake Worth, Fla., is the youngest competitor in the field. Her 2026 season has featured a tie for fourth at the TaylorMade TP5 Junior All-Star, a tie for sixth at the AJGA Junior at Rayburn Resort and a runner-up finish at the AJGA Preview at Anderson Creek. In 2023, Simoes became the youngest player ever to attempt to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open and won four consecutive age-group titles at the IMG Junior World Championships in Greater San Diego from 2020-23. Simoes was named the 2022 Under Armour Tour and South Florida PGA Player of the Year. She’s also a former Drive, Chip & Putt champion, having won the 10-11 age division last year. Athena Singh, 17, of Morehead, Ky., is one of six players in the field who competed in this year’s U.S. Women’s Open at The Riviera Country Club, in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Singh was the runner-up at this year’s Women’s Western Junior Championship and advanced to the Round of 32 alongside partner Kiera Yun at the 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball, a year after making the final. In 2025, she won the Kentucky Girls’ Junior Championship and advanced to match play at the U.S. Girls’ Junior. Michelle Xing, 17, of Canada, will tee it up in her third U.S. Girls’ Junior. Earlier this year, she competed in The Women’s Amateur Championship at Muirfield and finished as the runner-up at the Dustin Johnson World Junior. In 2025, she won the Canadian Women’s Amateur, represented her country at the World Amateur Team Championship in Singapore and competed in the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Asia Young, 16, of Bend, Ore., won the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball alongside partner Natalie Yen. In 2025, Young also advanced to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur, made match play at the U.S. Girls’ Junior and finished fifth at the Rolex Tournament of Champions. She is competing in her fifth USGA championship. Amelie Zalsman, 17, of St. Petersburg, Fla., a second-year member of the U.S. National Junior Team, is competing in her fifth U.S. Girls’ Junior, the most for anyone in the field. She is coming off a trip to the Round of 16 at The Women’s Amateur Championship last month at Muirfield in Scotland. Zalsman’s 2026 campaign also features a win at the South Atlantic Women’s Amateur (SALLY), a runner-up finish at the Mizuho Americas Open, a tie for 11th at the Augusta Women’s Amateur and a pair of T-4 finishes at both The Nelly Invitational presented by Chevron and Junior Invitational at Sage Valley. She also represented the USA Team in an international friendly against Team Sweden in April at The Vaquero Club outside of Dallas. In 2025, the California native advanced to the Round of 64 in the U.S. Women’s Amateur, won the Rolex Girls Junior Championship and finished inside the top five at the Rolex Tournament of Champions, the North & South Women’s Amateur and the Southwestern Amateur. Zalsman was also a member of the victorious USA Team at the 2025 Junior Ryder Cup. She also qualified for the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club. She attends an academy in The Bahamas with her younger sister, Mila, also a competitive golfer. |
