ELMHURST, Ill. –  Kylee Choi added one of amateur golf's most prestigious titles to her résumé Saturday, defeating Grace Lee, 2 and 1, to capture the 126th Women's Western Amateur at River Forest Country Club.

Choi, the No. 72-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, never trailed in the championship match, securing the biggest victory of her career and earning the W.A. Alexander Trophy.

Moments after the winning putt dropped, the 19-year-old from Murrieta, California, struggled to put the accomplishment into words.

"No, not even close," she said when asked if the victory had sunk in. "Maybe tomorrow when I wake up. It feels like a fever dream right now."

The championship match featured two West Coast Conference standouts, with Choi — fresh off a stellar freshman season at Pepperdine — facing Gonzaga graduate Grace Lee, of Bellevue, Washington.

After seven consecutive ties to open the match, Choi won Nos. 8 and 9 to build a 2-up advantage. She had an opportunity to extend the lead to three with three holes remaining, but Lee chipped in from in front of the 15th green to save par and keep the deficit at two.

"A part of me was hoping that would be the hole I could go 3-up with three to play," Choi said. "But for some reason, on her second chip I just had this gut feeling she was going to make it. So I was just trying to focus on two-putting."

Lee won the par-3 16th to cut the lead to one entering the par-5 17th. Both players reached the green in regulation and faced birdie putts from nearly identical positions. Lee's attempt slid just right, setting the stage for Choi, who calmly went through her routine before rolling in the winning birdie to close out the championship.

The victory capped a remarkable year for Choi, who was named WGCA All-America Honorable Mention and West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year after helping Pepperdine to a successful season. But after several close calls over the past few years, Saturday's breakthrough meant more.

She was eliminated in the Women’s Western Amateur quarterfinals in 2025 and said she had never made it past the semifinals of a tournament.

"I really wanted redemption here,” she said. “I haven't won a tournament in about six years, so I was not trying to regret anything."

The win also gives Choi a boost of confidence heading into her sophomore season.

"Now that I know I'm capable of winning again, I think that brings up a lot of confidence in me," she said. "I'm really excited for the upcoming season, and I think Pepperdine is going to be as well."

Just before the trophy ceremony, Choi raced to her phone to share the news with her mother, who was folding laundry back home in Murrieta.

"I FaceTimed my mom and she was bawling her eyes out," Choi said. "I was too. I think they're so, so beyond proud, and I don't think it's hit them either yet."

Another familiar name Choi planned to contact was childhood friend Jasmine Koo, who claimed the Women’s Western Amateur title in 2023 at White Eagle Golf Club. Koo plays at USC and is the No. 13-ranked amateur in the world.

"I can't wait to text her," Choi said. "We've been competing against each other since we were 9. We pretty much dominated Southern California and it was just us trying to beat each other, but even then we were so close and respected each other. It was great."

Despite falling just short of the title, Lee left River Forest on a positive note after reaching her first Women's Western Amateur championship match.

"It was a really tough match out there with really good competition," Lee said. "I enjoyed every part of it, especially with my sister being on the bag. It was a lot of fun. Those are the moments that you take away and that I'll really remember. I had a really fun week."Top of Form

The 2026 WCC Championship runner-up plans to compete in next month's U.S. Women's Amateur at The Honors Course in Tennessee. She'll also compete in the Canadian Women's Amateur later this month.

To view the full match play bracket, click here.

Held without interruption since 1901, the Women's Western Amateur is among the oldest and most prestigious championships in women's amateur golf. The winner will join a list of champions that includes Patty Berg, Louise Suggs, Nancy Lopez, Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis and Ariya Jutanugarn.

Round of 32
Thursday, July 9, 2026

Upper Bracket
Raya Nakao, Kaneohe, Hawaii, def. Kaitlyn Schroeder, Jacksonville, Florida, 2 and 1
Kaili Xiao, Chino Hills, California, def. Malena Castro, General Pico, Argentina, 19 holes
Rebecca Wang, Seattle, Washington, def. C.A. Carter, Lexington, Kentucky, 4 and 3
Raegan Denton, Adelaide, Australia, def. Angelina Tolentino, Mount Laurel, New Jersey, 2 up
Grace Lee, Bellevue, Washington, def. Scarlett Schremmer, Birmingham, Alabama, 4 and 3
Ryan Flynn, Truckee, California, def. Gabriella Nicastro, Huntsville, Alabama, 1 up
Jaclyn LaHa, Pleasanton, California, def. Zoe Cusack, Potomac, Maryland, 3 and 2
Sarah Lim, Saratoga, California, def. Ningyao Xu, China, 6 and 5

Lower Bracket
Kate Nakaoka, Mililani, Hawaii, def. Rachel Lee, Australia, 1 up
Amelie Zalsman, Saint Petersburg, Florida, def. Bentley Cotton, Austin, Texas, 22 holes
Pinky Chaisilprungruang, Phitsanulok, Thailand, def. Alexa Saldana, Mexico City, Mexico, 4 and 3
Cathryn Brown, Eddyville, Kentucky, def. Nichakorn Pinprayoon, Thailand, 2 and 1
Kylee Choi, Murrieta, California, def. Emilia Doran, Charlotte, North Carolina, 2 and 1
Alli Wiertel, Oswego, Illinois, def. Katie Li, Basking Ridge, New Jersey, 4 and 2
Mia Clausen, Carlsbad, California, def. Hsin Chun Liao, Taiwan, 4 and 3
Anna Song, Los Angeles, California, def. Alexandra Gazzoli, Palm Coast, Florida, 6 and 5

Sweet 16
Thursday, July 9, 2026

Upper Bracket
Nakao def. Xiao, 4 and 3
Wang def. Denton, 1 up
Lee def. Flynn, 4 and 2
Lim def. LaHa, 3 and 2

Lower Bracket
Zalsman def. Nakaoka, 4 and 3
Brown def. Chaisilprungruang, 3 and 1
Choi def. Wiertel, 4 and 2
Song def. Clausen, 5 and 3

Quarterfinals
Friday, July 10, 2026

Upper Bracket
Nakao def. Wang, 3 and 2
Lee def. Lim, 4 and 2

Lower Bracket
Brown def. Zalsman, 1 up
Choi def. Song, 3 and 2

Semifinals
Friday, July 10, 2026

Upper Bracket
Lee def. Nakao, 4 and 3

Lower Bracket
Choi def. Brown, 1 up

Championship Final
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Choi def. Lee, 2 and 1