Pepperdine’s Kylee Choi claimed the 126th Women’s Western Amateur championship on Saturday, defeating Gonzaga graduate Grace Lee, 2 and 1, at River Forest Country Club in Elmhurst, Illinois.
The championship match remained all square through the opening seven holes before Choi won the eighth and ninth to build a two hole advantage. Lee answered by winning the par 3 16th to cut the deficit to one, but Choi secured the title with a birdie on the par 5 17th to close out the match and earn the W.A. Alexander Trophy.
The victory marks a milestone in Choi’s amateur career following a standout freshman season at Pepperdine. She was named West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, earned Women’s Golf Coaches Association Honorable Mention All America recognition, and helped lead the Waves throughout the 2025 and 2026 season.
Earlier this week, Choi advanced through stroke play as a co medalist before winning five consecutive match play contests to capture the championship. She reached the quarterfinals of the Women’s Western Amateur in 2025 before breaking through with the title this year.
Lee finished runner up after advancing to her first Women’s Western Amateur championship match. The Gonzaga graduate recently defended her Washington Women’s Amateur title and is scheduled to compete in next month’s U.S. Women’s Amateur at The Honors Course in Tennessee as well as the Canadian Women’s Amateur later this month.
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