Interview
CGN Player Highlight and Interview: Katie Li’s Steady Ascent at Duke
Katie Li continues to build one of the most balanced and disciplined profiles in collegiate golf. The Duke junior from Basking Ridge, New Jersey pairs elite scoring consistency with a mathematics major at one of the top academic institutions in the country. Through two and a half seasons, Li has established herself as both a team contributor and a nationally competitive player with experience at the highest amateur levels.
She owns a 73.04 career stroke average, 29 rounds at even par or better, eight rounds in the sixties, and six career eagles entering the spring portion of her junior season.
Career Honors
All ACC selection in 2024
WGCA All American Scholar in 2024 and 2025
All ACC Academic Team in 2024 and 2025
ACC Honor Roll in 2024 and 2025
2025 to 2026 Junior Season
Fall stroke average of 71.83
One top ten and three top twenty finishes
Six rounds of even par or better
T6 at the Windy City Collegiate at four under par
Helped Duke win the Windy City Collegiate team title
T12 at the Landfall Tradition at one under par
Top twenty finish at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Li returned for her junior year with a renewed mental approach centered on presence and enjoyment. The shift has translated into lower scoring and greater consistency.
2024 to 2025 Sophomore Season
73.41 stroke average across nine events
Two top five finishes
Three top ten finishes
Four top twenty finishes
Ten rounds of even par or better
Five rounds in the sixties
T4 at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate at five under par
Closed the ACC Championship with a seven under 65
2023 to 2024 Freshman Breakthrough
All ACC selection
73.19 stroke average
First collegiate victory at the Florida State Match Up
Rounds of 66 66 and 72 for twelve under par
First Duke freshman to post back to back rounds of 66
School record 36 hole score of 132
T13 at the NCAA Cle Elum Regional
Finished season ranked number 96 nationally
Her freshman year established her as one of the top newcomers in the ACC and marked the beginning of her steady rise within the program.
Summer Competition
Summer 2025
Competed in her second United States Women’s Open
Advanced to the final match of the New Jersey Women’s Amateur
T25 at the Canadian Women’s Amateur
Summer 2024
Champion of the New Jersey State Golf Association Women’s Amateur
Advanced to match play at the United States Women’s Amateur
Competed in her first United States Women’s Open
Summer 2023
Represented the United States at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Japan
Individual eighth place finish
AJGA Polo Golf Junior Classic champion
Advanced to match play at multiple United States Golf Association championships
Her international and national experience has provided exposure to professional level environments and elite amateur competition.
Academics and Approach
A mathematics major at Duke, Li embraces problem solving and structured thinking. That academic discipline mirrors her methodical approach on the golf course. Rather than reacting emotionally to adversity, she relies on reset strategies, breathing, and returning to fundamentals.
The ability to separate emotion from execution has been central to her improvement from sophomore to junior year.
Outlook
Duke remains one of the most competitive programs in collegiate golf, and Li’s scoring average and consistency position her as a key contributor entering championship season. With major championship appearances, international experience, and continued academic success, Katie Li’s trajectory reflects steady growth and refined competitive maturity.
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