Top amateurs arrive at River Forest Country Club

Tournament: 126th Women’s Western Amateur Championship 
Dates: July 6-11, 2026 
Location: Elmhurst, Illinois 
Course: River Forest Country Club 
Par/Yards: 72/6,557 
Format: 36 holes stroke-play qualifying; low 32 advance to match play 
Tee Times:Here 
Live Scoring:GolfGenius

ELMHURST, Ill. – The world's best amateur golfers will compete at River Forest Country Club, July 6-11, for the 126th Women's Western Amateur Championship.

Held without interruption since 1901, the Women's Western Amateur returns to River Forest Country Club for just the second time and the first since 2017, when Maddie Szeryk captured the title. Allisen Corpuz, who won the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, earned medalist honors that year.

Play begins with 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying over Tuesday and Wednesday. The field will then be cut to the low 32 players, who advance to match play beginning Thursday. Five rounds of head-to-head competition will determine the champion.

The championship has long served as a proving ground for the game's future stars. Women's Western Amateur alumni have combined for more than 340 LPGA Tour victories, 60 Solheim Cup appearances and 135 major championship titles.

Past champions include Patty Berg (1938), Louise Suggs (1946, 1947), Brittany Lang (2003), Stacy Lewis (2006) and Ariya Jutanugarn (2012).

"This championship has long been a showcase for the next generation of stars in women's golf," said WWGA President Susan Buchanan. "We're excited to welcome another exceptional field to River Forest Country Club and continue a tradition that has helped shape the future of the LPGA Tour for more than a century."

The 2026 Women's Western Amateur champion will earn exemptions into the next 10 Women's Western Amateur Championships, the 2026 U.S. Women's Amateur and four Women's Elite Amateur Golf Series events during the 2027 season: the Sea Island Women's Amateur, Southwestern Women's Amateur, North & South Women's Amateur and Ladies National Golf Association Amateur.

The 120-player field represents 27 U.S. states and 12 countries, featuring many of the world’s top-ranked amateur golfers.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

• Maelynn Kim (Katy, Texas) – Kim returns as the defending champion after capturing last year’s Women’s Western Amateur at Red Run Golf Club. Ranked No. 135 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), she also won the 2026 Southern Women's Amateur and finished runner-up at the Collegiate Invitational presented by Babygrande Golf.

• Jazy Roberts (Victoria, Australia) –Ranked No. 34 in WAGR, Roberts is Australia's top-ranked amateur. She finished third at the 2026 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and reached match play at both the Women's Western Amateur and U.S. Women's Amateur in 2025.

• Elise Lee (Irvine, California) –The Runner-up at the 2024 Women's Western Amateur, Lee enters the week ranked No. 37 in WAGR. The USC standout won the Southwestern Amateur in June and competed in the 2026 Augusta National Women's Amateur. She reached the quarterfinals at Red Run last year.

• Amelie Zalsman (Saint Petersburg, Florida) – Winner of both The Sally and the Rolex Girls Junior Championship over the past year, Zalsman enters the week ranked No. 38 in WAGR. She played in the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur and, in 2025, she advanced to the semifinals of the North & South Women's Amateur and qualified for match play at the U.S. Women's Amateur.

• Raegan Denton (Adelaide, Australia) – Denton has been piling up top-10 finishes this year, highlighted by a fourth at the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur. The LSU freshman won the Women’s Australian Master of the Amateurs earlier this year and enters the week ranked No. 40 in WAGR. 

• Ella Scaysbrook (Newcastle, Australia) – A semifinalist at the U.S. Women's Amateur, Scaysbrook is ranked No. 58 in WAGR and reached the Round of 16 at the 2025 Women's Western Amateur. She has made multiple starts on the Ladies European Tour this season. 

• Pimchompoo Chaisilprungruang (Phitsanulok, Thailand) – The defending Elite Amateur Golf Series champion, Chaisilprungruang is ranked No. 63 in WAGR. After earning medalist honors at the 2025 Women's Western Amateur, she went on to qualify for match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur and won the American Athletic Conference title this spring. 

• Pimkwan Chookaew (Thailand) – Chookaew, ranked No. 64 in WAGR, won the 2025 Iowa Women's Amateur. Playing for Iowa State, she won the Wolverine Invitational and finished runner-up at the Windy City Collegiate. She also reached the quarterfinals of last year's Women's Western Amateur. 

• Scarlett Schremmer (Birmingham, Alabama) – A 2026 Augusta National Women's Amateur participant, Schremmer enters the week ranked No. 72 in WAGR. She also qualified for match play at the U.S. Women's Amateur, won the Women’s Southern GA Amateur and recorded top-five finishes at the Sea Island Women's Amateur and Southwestern Amateur. 

• Kylee Choi (Murrieta, California) – Ranked No. 73 in WAGR, Choi advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2025 Women's Western Amateur was named West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year after posting six top-five finishes for Pepperdine last season.

• Elizabeth Rudisill (Charlotte, North Carolina) – Returning after a runner-up finish at the 2025 Women's Western Amateur, Rudisill is ranked No. 131 in WAGR. The Vanderbilt standout competed in the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship and won the CGA Carolinas Women’s Amateur Championship in June. 

ILLINOIS CONNECTIONS

Eight players in the field have ties to Illinois, including Elmhurst native Madison Cotey, who was selected by River Forest Country Club for a special exemption; Northbrook native Alexis Meyers, who earned her first collegiate victory at the Badger Invitational in September; and Jacksonville’s Addie Dobson, who qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open and finished second at the Missouri Women’s Amateur Championship while playing for Missouri.

The Illinois group also includes Riley Lewis of Edwardsville, who had the second-best scoring average for Iowa last season; Carter Sichol of Winnetka, who won the 2026 NCAA Division III individual title at Carleton College; Reese Wallace of South Barrington, a TCU commit; Katie Magner, an All-Atlantic 10 selection at Richmond last season; and Oswego native Alli Wiertel, the top-ranked junior in the field, who also made the quarterfinals at the Women’s Western Junior in June.

RETURN TO RIVER FOREST

Originally designed by Frank P. MacDonald and later refined by renowned architect A.W. Tillinghast, River Forest Country Club is a classic parkland layout known for its tree-lined fairways, strategic water hazards and exceptional putting surfaces.

Recent enhancements, including reconstructed bunkers featuring the Better Billy Bunker system and Pro Angle sand, along with upgraded practice facilities, have further elevated the championship venue, which is celebrating its 100th year.

Admission and parking are complimentary throughout championship week.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Live scoring for the Women’s Western Amateur can be found on GolfGenius. Fans can also follow the championship throughout the week on the WWGA’s social media channels for live updates, highlights and match play results.