Leigh Chien grabs the win at the California Women’s Championship
8/5/2020 | by Brayden Conover of AmateurGolf.com
see also: View results for California Women's Championship, Ojai Valley Inn
The 14-year-old phenom lapped the field at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
Incoming high school freshman Leigh Chien (Irvine, California) picked apart Ojai Valley Inn & Spa over the course of three days.
The No. 16 ranked player in the AJGA Rolex rankings lapped the field by seven shots. At 14-years-old, Chien is no stranger to elite competition. Winning the AJGA’s KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational in both 2019, and 2020, Chien earned herself Symetra Tour starts with each win.
Fast forward to this week and it was business as usual for Chien. Kicking off the tournament with a 1-over 72, she was six-shots off the lead heading into Tuesday’s second round. Chien got hot early as she was 5-under through six holes. Cooling off, Chien finished the rest of her round at 1-over as she carded a 4-under 67 to climb the leaderboard.
Sleeping on a 1-shot lead, Chien kept the momentum going on Wednesday. Matching her front nine Tuesday score of 32, she had a more colorful back nine as the event came to a close. Extending her lead to six shots after the opening nine, Chien kept it steady as she traded three birdies and two bogeys for a 5-under 66 and an 8-under, 205 total.
Chien’s nearest competitor was 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur Round of 64 finalist Madelyn Gamble. Gamble posted rounds of 72-72-68 (212) to be Chien’s closest competition and only other golfer under par.
Cal-Berkley’s Eun Soo Jeon and Boston College’s Bibilani Liu both finished at even-par in a tie for third.
It is without a doubt that no moment is too big for Chien. The rising star will be a name we will be seeing atop major leaderboards in no time.
About the California Women's Championship
54 holes of individual stroke play championship with Championship and Senior (ages 50 and older) divisions. No age limit, no residency requirement. The Championship is open to all female amateurs with a maximum USGA Handicap Index of 18.4 as of July ...
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners
Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original