Those who have won the U. S Girls Junior is a who’s who of golf greats from Mickey Wright to Nancy Lopez to Las Vegas’ Inbee Park. And now local Southern Nevada golfer Yana Wilson has added her name to the list with a victory at the 2022 rendition.
A self-described “fierce competitor, funny jokester and force to be reckoned with,” Yana Wilson had all those attributes on full display in the 73rd #USGirlsJunior!
Her victory in Saturday’s championship match is the @Lexus Top Performance of the Day. #LexusGolf pic.twitter.com/0xUz2gjUjV
— USGA (@USGA) July 23, 2022
From the official USGA story:
The rising high school junior has already built quite a résumé, including a walk-off victory over Anna Davis to win the Annika Invitational in Orlando, Fla., earlier this year when she holed a 75-yard wedge shot on the first playoff hole. That made Wilson 10 of 11 in playoffs, a statistic she said has made her a tough out in match play. In 2020 at age 14, she won the Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle, becoming the youngest champion in an event that dates to 1971.
“Honestly, I try not to get affected by little things,” said Wilson, “and I feel like sometimes the opponents that I play against are really fiery, and if stuff doesn’t go their way they get upset. I feel like I’m just a very steady player.”
One of Wilson’s golfing heroes is Park, who was a Nevada high school state champion while at Bishop Gorman. Wilson added her first state title in 2021, leading Coronado High to the team title as well. Wilson practices at Legacy Golf Club in Henderson and also Anthem with her high school teammates.
Wilson is planning to be back home on Tuesday and look for our interview with the budding star soon thereafter.
View this post on Instagram
With the Victory Wilson Earns:
- Custody of the Glenna Collett Vare Trophy for one year
- A gold medal
- Exemptions into all future U.S. Girls’ Junior Championships for which she is age eligible
- Exemption into the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open Presented by ProMedica at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links (must be an amateur)
- Exemptions into the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash., and 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, Calif.
- Likely invitation into the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur