Strong Presence of Current and Former AJGA Players

The first round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Shoal Creek (Alabama) is in the books and eight current AJGA members are competing. In total, 89 players with AJGA backgrounds are playing for the 73rd U.S. Women’s Open title. Measuring in at over 6,600 yards, Shoal Creek is standing up to this talented field and after round one, Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, Sarah Jane Smith of Australia, and Jeongeun6 Lee of Korea hold a share of the lead at five-under-par.

The youngest player in the field is the number one Rolex AJGA Ranked player – Lucy Li (2020) of Redwood Shores, California. Li has won three AJGA tournaments including the 2017 ANA Junior Inspiration, the 2017 PING Invitational, and the 2017 Rolex Tournament of Champions. In addition, she won the Junior PGA Championship in 2016. In 2011, Li set the record for the youngest player in history to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open at the age of 11. Li is T19 through round one after firing a one-under-par 71.

Yujeong Son (2019) of (South Korea) Norman, Oklahoma co-medaled at Elgin Country Club in Illinois to qualify after firing 67-73. She is currently seventh on the Rolex AJGA Rankings and was named First Team Rolex Junior All-American in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, she won the Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational and an exemption into the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship. Son is T44 through the first round after shooting a two-over-par 74.

Arizona State University verbal commit Linn Grant (2019) of Viken, Sweeden is one of six Swedish players in the field. She played her first AJGA event in the spring of 2018 – the ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex, and placed fourth. She currently sits in 49th place on the Rolex AJGA Rankings. She is T4 after round one after firing a three-under-par 69. Céleste Dao (2019) of (Canada) Notre-Dame Ile Perrot won the qualifier at Cape Cod National in Brewster, Massachusetts by four strokes with scores of 71-69. With three top-five AJGA finishes, Dao is currently sitting in 53rd on the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Dao and Brooke Henderson are the only players from Canada in the field. Dao shot eleven-over-par in round one.

Dana Williams (2019) of Boca Raton, Florida shot 67-72 at the qualifier at BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida to win by five shots. With five top-five AJGA finishes, Williams is in 562nd on the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Williams is verbally committed to Auburn University. Williams fired a two-over-par 74 in round one and is T56.

A trio of the class of 2018 graduates including Jennifer Chang(+9) of Cary North Carolina, Hailee Cooper(E) of Montgomery, Texas, and Gina Kim(E) of Chapel Hill, North Carolina are also in the field. Chang will attend the University of Southern California, Cooper will attend the University of Texas, and Kim will attend Duke University this fall.