Tag: Yana Wilson

Teen Yana Wilson makes big move at LPGA Qualifying; transgender golfer Hailey Davidson cards 71

The top 35 and ties advance to December’s Final Qualifying.

Yana Wilson vaulted up the leaderboard at LPGA Qualifying after a flawless third-round 67 on the Panther Course at Plantation Golf and Country Club. The 18-year-old, who made her professional debut in September at the Kroger Queen City Championship, moved from a share of 71st to 25th.

The top 35 and ties advance to December’s Final Qualifying.

“It felt pretty relieving, but honestly, I knew I left some out there,” said Wilson, who opted to skip college golf at Oregon to turn professional. “I missed a couple of short putts on the back nine, which is unfortunate, but I can’t wait to go back to the range and grind on my game afterward.”

Last year’s AJGA Player of the Year, Wilson said she came into the week with no expectations and felt like the Epson Tour was a fine place to start her professional career. She viewed earning LPGA status as Plan B.

“I didn’t go to college,” said Wilson, “so turning professional early, I think I just really wanted to just grow my game earlier on, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s on the LPGA or Epson Tour.”

2024 LPGA Q-Series: Qualifying Stage leaderboard

Overnight leader Zoe Campos of UCLA carded a third-round 66 to take a three-shot lead over reigning NCAA champion Adela Cernousek. Both are playing this week as amateurs. Players must turn professional in order to compete in Final Qualifying.

Campos paces the field at 15 under while Cernousek, who shot a second consecutive 66, sits at 12 under.

The amateur deadline to turn professional to compete in Final Qualifying is Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. ET.

Zoe Campos lines up a putt in the second round of LPGA Qualifying. (courtesy Epson Tour)

Other notables around the cut line of 3 under include Wake Forest’s Rachel Kuehn (T-34), Latanna Stone (T-34) and Amari Avery (T-49).

Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson followed a second-round 69 with a 71 and moved to a share of 92nd at 2 over for the tournament.

All players who complete four rounds at Plantation will receive Epson Tour status. Davidson would be the second transgender golfer to earn status on the developmental circuit. Bobbi Lancaster earned status in 2013 through Stage I of LPGA Q-School but never actually competed in a official event.

Yana Wilson, 17, winner of last year’s Mizuho junior title, will head to LPGA Q-School this summer

Yana Wilson returns to Liberty National this week looking for her own repeat.

Rose Zhang won’t be the only defending champion on hand at this week’s Mizuho Americas Open. Yana Wilson, winner of the inaugural junior edition of the Mizuho Americas Open, run by the AJGA, returns to Liberty National looking for her own repeat.

One of the most unique aspects of the Mizuho, hosted by Michelle Wie West, is the interaction junior players enjoy with LPGA pros. They share the same dining room, locker room, range and tee times as the junior event runs concurrently. Pros and juniors even exchange phone numbers as part of a big sister program.

Wilson, 17, of Henderson, Nevada, has taken the opportunity to ask a number of players about their decisions to play college golf or skip that step and go straight to the pros.

In the end, Wilson finds herself leaning toward what she’s long thought.

“It’ll be very last minute if I do go to college,” said Wilson, who is committed to Oregon, “but my mind is pretty much set on turning pro straight out of high school, and it’s always been like that. College is kind of plan B for me, and I told my coach that when I first committed to college.”

Wilson, who has NIL deals with Lululemon, TaylorMade and Transcend Capital, said her parents support the decision to turn professional, and she doesn’t feel pressured.

“Honestly, for me personally, because I’m not as disciplined as Rose or Michelle that went to college,” she said, “for my type of personality, it’d be probably best for me to spend a year on tour taking those first bumps and bruises, and then going up and improving along the way.”

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Wilson plans to attend Stage I of LPGA Qualifying School August 22-25 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. But first, after the Mizuho, she’ll compete in the Amundi Evian Championship and U.S. Women’s Amateur. Wilson also took part in a practice session for the 2024 Curtis Cup earlier this year.

The 2023 AJGA Player of the Year, Wilson won the 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior over another hotshot junior, Gianna Clemente, 3 and 2. One of Wilson’s most dramatic victories came at the 2022 Hilton Grand Vacations Annika Invitational when she defeated Anna Davis in playoff by holing a 75-yard wedge shot for eagle on the first extra hole.

While this week’s LPGA event in Jersey City, New Jersey, features an elite field of 120 pros, the AJGA invitational boasts 24 of the best junior girls in the world. It was a thrill for Wilson to win the title alongside Zhang, who’s not long removed from the junior scene and a close friend.

It was also a full-circle moment for Wilson, who grew up attending the LPGA Kia Classic in the San Diego area where she would always follow her favorite player: Wie West.

“I was Michelle’s No. 1 biggest fan growing up,” said Wilson, whose father hails from Wie West’s home state of Hawaii. Wilson even has photos with Wie West from a decade ago and recently shared them with her over dinner. Wie West said she remembered her from all those years ago.

“You know, it’s all about paying it forward,” said Wie West during Mizuho media day. “It’s all about the next generation.”

Wilson won her first professional title earlier this year on the Cactus Tour and missed the cut at the Chevron Championship while playing sick.

When asked what her time alongside the pros has taught her, she pointed to course management.

“I think our swings are not that much different,” she said. “I mean, you walk up and down the range and some junior’s swings look really similar to some of the pro’s swings. Nobody’s swing is perfect set, except maybe Nelly Korda’s.

“Honestly, I think it’s all about how you play the course. You know, they don’t really make big mistakes out there, and that’s why they’re so good. They make pars, occasional birdies, and maybe an occasional bogey sometimes, because, you know, everyone’s human. I think that’s probably the biggest thing I took away. I know I can hit my golf shots just as good as the pros can. I know I can work the ball if I need to just as well as they can. So I think it’s really all about where you place the shots, and just minimizing mistakes is, I think, what they do best.”

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Earlier this spring at the Epson Tour season opener, Wilson found herself in contention even after tragedy struck. Her caddie Rick Evans, a Liberty National looper who was on her bag for the win at Mizuho, collapsed during a practice round in Winter Haven, Florida, and later died.

Wilson wrote in a touching Instagram post that she would do her best to make him proud. She stayed in the tournament, recording three eagles in Saturday’s round to sit only two strokes back of the leaders but fell ill on Sunday and was forced to withdraw.

The caddie known as “Goose” will no doubt be in her mind all week at Liberty National as she aims to win one more junior crown.

Junior Yana Wilson’s caddie dies on eve of Epson Tour opener

Wilson wrote in a touching Instagram post for the man many called “Goose.”

Yana Wilson will never forget the 2024 Epson Tour season opener. It started out as a reunion of sorts as Wilson met up again with Rick Evans, the longtime Liberty National caddie who was on her bag for the win at the AJGA Mizuho Americas Open last summer. Wilson, 17, won the junior event right alongside Rose Zhang.

Evans collapsed on Tuesday during a practice round at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic in Winter Haven, Florida. On Thursday evening, the night before the start of the 54-hole event, Wilson’s family learned that the caddie known as “Goose” had died.

Wilson, who was playing in the event as an amateur, wrote in a touching Instagram post that she would do her best to make him proud. She stayed in the tournament, recording three eagles in Saturday’s round to sit only two strokes back of the leaders.

But Wilson fell ill on Sunday, and as she tried to warm up for the final round, she was too dizzy to compete and withdrew from the tournament.

“I have never met a caddie better than you,” Wilson wrote. “Your ability to guide and encourage was unmatched.”

Last year’s AJGA Player of the Year, Wilson won her first professional title last month on the Cactus Tour, playing alongside 2020 AIG Women’s British Open champion Sophia Popov, who is coming back from maternity leave.

Wilson had set a goal of winning a professional title before she graduated from high school. Such lofty goals are often placed on her annual vision boards. The first year she won the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National, for example, Wilson had the Masters leaderboard on her board.

Two years ago when she won the U.S. Girls’ Junior, she’d posted a picture of Minjee Lee hoisting the Girls’ Junior trophy.

Like many junior players, Wilson tries to emulate 2023 Augusta National Womens Amateur champ Zhang as much as she can. For example, her mindset coming into this week’s Epson Tour event was quite different compared to her first sponsor exemption on the developmental tour.

“I thought I’d kind of have it in the bag back then,” said Wilson, “which obviously isn’t the best mindset to walk into a tournament with.

“This time I have no expectation. … That’s also kind of what Rose talks about all the time – having no expectations.”

Yana Wilson and Rose Zhang imitate a “selfie” with their trophies after the final round of the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)

Last summer, Wilson played in her first LPGA major at the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach. She recently received an invitation to compete in the Amundi Evian Championship this July.

Her favorite pro, Minjee Lee, won that one as well.

Wilson, who was born and raised in Henderson, Nevada, went out to watch her favorite LPGA players as a youngster at the Kia Classic near San Diego. She was 8 years old the first time Lee caught her eye and gave her a golf ball.

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While winning the Girls’ Junior is the most obvious comparison between the two, there’s one more similarity that’s nothing short of shocking.

Wilson was out watching the LPGA at Aviara in 2016. She’d stepped back from Lee to watch Lydia Ko when she heard a tremendous roar coming from the 16th. Lee had holed out for an ace on the drivable par 4.

Two years later, Wilson did the same from 290 yards on the downhill dogleg as they chased a setting sun.

“It was such a crazy coincidence,” she said of her first ace.

Wilson, who was taught by her father, Jim, would like nothing more than to add something to her resume this spring that Lee doesn’t boast: a stroke-play victory at Augusta National.

One special caddie will be with her all the way.

Amateur Yana Wilson wins Cactus Tour event, beats former Women’s British Open champion

Not bad for an amateur.

Yana Wilson’s resume is one of the best in amateur golf. She added another spectacular achievement to it Thursday.

The Oregon signee won a Cactus Tour event at Sun City Country Club in Sun City, Arizona. Wilson shot 3-under 69 in the final round to take the top prize in the professional arena, beating former San Jose State golfer Antonia Malate by two shots.

More impressive was Wilson’s finish, where she birdied her final three holes and went 5-under 31 coming home to claim the trophy. She had 14 birdies in the 54-hole event.

Wilson also beat 2020 AIG Women’s Open champion Sophia Popov, who finished fourth six shots behind the amateur.

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Two summers ago, Wilson won the 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior. Last year, she claimed medalist honors at the same tournament. Now, she has won a professional tournament before starting her college career.

Yana Wilson, Miles Russell named 2023 AJGA Players of the Year

The AJGA has named its 2023 Players of the Year.

Yana Wilson and Miles Russell were named the 2023 American Junior Golf Association Players of the Year, the organization announced Thursday.

Russell, who turned 15 on Wednesday, is one of the youngest players to receive Rolex Junior Player of the Year honors. He is the first Florida native to earn top honors in the Boys Division since Peter Uihlein in 2007. Wilson is the first Nevada native to win Rolex Junior Player of the Year honors in either division.

In 2023, Russell had four wins in eight national junior golf events to end the season at No. 1 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. The 2027 grad started his first full season of AJGA events with two Junior All-Star event wins in just three weeks. He also captured the Junior PGA Championship, the Junior Players Championship and was a member of the Junior Ryder Cup team.

Wilson, an Oregon commit, won the junior portion of the Mizuho Americas Open and the AJGA Girls Invitational. She’s also a two-time member of the United States PING Junior Solheim Cup Team and a 2023 Junior Ryder Cup team participant.

Russell, Wilson and the 2023 Rolex Junior All-America Teams will be honored at the Rolex Junior All-America Awards Banquet on Saturday, Nov. 18, in San Antonio, Texas. Then the duo, Rolex Junior All-Americans and a field of the top players in the Rolex AJGA Rankings will compete at the Rolex Tournament of Champions, Nov. 18-22 at TPC San Antonio – Canyons Course in San Antonio, Texas.

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Players to watch at the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bel-Air Country Club

It’s bound to be an exciting week at Bel-Air.

It’s time for one of the premier women’s amateur championships.

The 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur begins Monday at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, as the field of 156 players will vie for their chance to capture the oldest trophy in women’s amateur golf, the Robert Cox Trophy.

This will be the 123rd U.S. Women’s Amateur, which began in 1895. There were a record 1,679 entries accepted for the championship.

Although the top three players in the World Amateur Golf Ranking aren’t in the field, including defending champion Saki Baba, there’s no shortage of star power who will be teeing it up near Beverly Hills.

Here’s a look at 10 players to watch at the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bel-Air Country Club.

Defending champ Yana Wilson earns medalist honors at 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior

Yana Wilson has an opportunity to become the fourth player to repeat as U.S. Girls’ Junior champion.

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Seeing Yana Wilson and Anna Davis on top of the leaderboard should be no surprise to those who follow junior golf.

Wilson is the defending champion at the U.S. Girls’ Junior, and she earned medalist honors this year at Eisenhower Golf Club’s Blue Course in Colorado Springs, Colorado, following a second-round 4-under 68 to finish at 6-under 138, one shot ahead of Davis. The winner of the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Davis is the highest-ranked player in the field and shot a second-round 1-under 71.

Now, the duo has secured the top seeds in match play, which begins at 10 a.m. ET Wednesday with the Round of 64.

The two have battled plenty in recent tournaments, including Wilson holing a shot for eagle to beat Davis in a playoff at the 2022 Annika Invitational.

Yana Wilson plays with a golf ball while waiting to hit her drive off the hole 17 tee box during the second round of the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior at United States Air Force Academy Eisenhower Golf Club (Blue Course) in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (Kathryn Riley/USGA)

Wilson, an Oregon commit, and Davis, who’s headed to Auburn, are two of the top prospects in the Class of 2024. Kiara Romero, who finished third after 36 holes of stroke play, is an incoming freshman at Oregon.

Wilson will try to become the sixth medalist to hoist the Glenna Collett Vare Trophy since 2002. She also has an opportunity to become the fourth player to repeat as U.S. Girls’ Junior champion and first since Eun Jeong Seong in 2015-16.

The cut for match play was 7 over, and exactly 64 players were inside the line. It’s the first time no playoff was needed for the final spots since 2007 at Tacoma Golf and Country Club in Lakewood, Washington.

Additionally, there was another ace Tuesday, marking the fourth of the tournament. Sophie Stevens used a 9-iron from 132 yards on the seventh hole.

The four aces surpassed the 2004 U.S. Girls’ Junior for the most in a single championship. It also matches the USGA mark for a single event with the 1989 U.S. Open at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.

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Everything to know about the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior at Eisenhower Golf Club

The event will be the first USGA championship conducted on a military base.

It’s time again for the best girls in the world to battle it out in the biggest junior event.

The 74th U.S. Girls’ Junior begins Monday at United States Air Force Academy Eisenhower Golf Club’s Blue Course in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The event will be the first USGA championship conducted on a military base. The site was originally scheduled to host in 2020, but COVID-19 canceled that championship.

Last year, Yana Wilson of Henderson, Nevada, defeated Gianna Clemente of Estero, Florida, 3 and 2, in the 36-hole championship match at The Club at Olde Stone in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Both are back in the field this week.

Here’s everything you need to know for the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior.

15-year-old Yana Wilson wins 73rd U.S. Girls’ Junior at The Club at Olde Stone

The next generation of stars duked it out at The Club at Olde Stone in the U.S. Girls’ Junior.

Yana Wilson experienced first hand how the top-ranked amateur in the world handled herself last year.

During the 72nd U.S. Girls’ Junior at Columbia Country Club in Maryland, Wilson fell to then-No.1 amateur Rose Zhang in the match play quarterfinals. Wilson then stayed an extra day and watched Zhang capture the championship.

“I wanted to watch her in the finals,” Wilson said. “And I told myself I was going to win this thing (this year).”

It’s safe to say the motivation paid off.

Wilson captured the 73rd U.S. Girls’ Junior championship at The Club at Olde Stone in Bowling Green, Kentucky, on Saturday. The 15-year-old beat Gianna Clemente 3 and 2 in the 36-hole final.

“It’s amazing. I just really want to thank Rose for that because she taught me a lot last year,” said Wilson. “I’m just really happy to be here right now.”

Zhang, who captured the NCAA individual title as a freshman at Stanford this spring, showed Wilson what it took to win on the biggest stages.

And that’s what Wilson, a native of Henderson, Nevada, needed.

After the first 18 holes, Wilson led Clemente 1 up, but she proceeded to bogey three of four holes after a lunch break. Thanks to a birdie on the par-3 third hole to win it, Wilson and Clemente were tied after 22 holes. Clemente, a 14-year-old from Estero, Florida, birdied the par-4 fifth hole to take a 1 up lead, which she held for the next three holes.

Wilson proceeded to birdie the par-5 ninth hole, bringing the match to all square with nine holes to play. Wilson won the 10th after a Clemente bogey, then Wilson made birdie on the par-3 13th to go 2 up with five to play.

Both girls drove over the short par-4 14th, but neither were able to get up and down for birdie. On the 15th, Clemente lipped out a birdie putt while Wilson connected, going 3 up with three to play.

On the par-3 16th, Wilson’s tee shot came up short and right while Clemente’s trickled over the back of the green but closer to the pin. Wilson’s first putt settled a couple feet from the hole. Clemente hit a great putt, but it came up inches short of dropping for birdie to extend the match. Wilson sunk her short putt to win the United States Golf Association championship.

“I knew I was more of a back nine player, and I knew I would come back,” Wilson said of her slow start on the second 18 holes.

Both Wilson and Clemente have earned exemptions into next month’s U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington.

Clemente joked after the match she needed to work on her putting, but she said this week was a valuable learning experience.

“I beat some amazing players this week in stroke play and match play,” Clemente said. “I just didn’t make enough putts today and hit enough greens.”

For Wilson, she also earned an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California.

“Nothing has really sunken in yet, but that honestly sounds unreal,” Wilson said. “I’m so excited.”

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