Kiara Romero closes 2025 ranked No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, finishing the year as the clear standard in women’s amateur golf. The Oregon junior enters 2026 with major championship exemptions secured, elite collegiate results behind her, and a realistic path toward Curtis Cup selection.
Romero did not reach the top through a single breakthrough moment. Her rise was built on sustained contention across college golf, USGA championships, and professional events.
McCormack Medal Confirms the Climb
Romero capped her year by earning the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s top ranked female amateur. The honor carries tangible opportunity, granting exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club and the 2026 AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes, provided she remains an amateur.
Those starts place Romero directly into the game’s most demanding competitive environments, without qualification or protected status.
A Season Defined by Consistency
The foundation of Romero’s ranking was built through repeat contention rather than isolated wins. Throughout the WAGR counting period, she produced high finishes in collegiate invitationals, USGA championships, and professional events, maintaining position week after week.
At Oregon, Romero delivered a defining season during the program’s first year in the Big Ten. She captured the conference individual title and followed it with a win at the NCAA Gold Canyon Regional. Her performance at the NCAA Championship further reinforced her reliability in postseason settings.
Competing Inside Professional Fields
Romero’s 2025 schedule extended well beyond college competition. She made multiple professional starts and proved she could contend rather than simply gain experience. Her top ten finish at the LPGA Portland Classic placed her directly among established tour professionals and validated her scoring ability under LPGA conditions.
Those results compressed the transition timeline that often separates elite amateurs from professional readiness.
A Record Setting Major Championship Moment
Romero’s signature performance arrived at the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills. She posted a final round 67, the lowest round ever recorded by an amateur in championship history.
The round provided a clear snapshot of her ceiling. She scored aggressively under major championship pressure and delivered her best golf on the largest stage of the season.
What 2026 Brings Into Focus
Romero enters 2026 with multiple high impact paths converging.
She will compete in two major championships with expectations shaped by prior performance rather than curiosity.
She is positioned as a strong candidate for the 2026 Curtis Cup, scheduled for Bel Air Country Club in Los Angeles, where match play composure and scoring control will be essential.
She also retains full control of her professional transition. With a schedule that already blends college golf, USGA championships, and professional events, Romero has removed many of the unknowns that typically accompany the move to the next level.
A Ranking Backed by Results
Romero ends 2025 at No. 1 because her results align with the ranking. She wins at the collegiate level, contends in professional fields, and produces defining moments under major championship pressure.
As 2026 begins, the question is no longer whether she belongs on the game’s biggest stages. It is how long she chooses to stay.
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