Alexa Pano’s golf journey began making headlines almost as soon as she could swing a club. Hailing from Florida, Pano was featured at just 7 years old in the Netflix documentary The Short Game (2013), where she declared her dream of being the first woman to compete at Augusta National. Even as a young girl, she showed extraordinary talent and a fierce competitive fire. Pano honed her skills in junior competitions around the world, quickly becoming a standout name. By her early teens, she had amassed an impressive junior resume:

Drive, Chip & Putt Champion: Pano thrived in the junior skills competition at Augusta National, becoming the first ever two-time winner of the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals (open to boys and girls ages 7–15). This early success on the famed grounds of Augusta hinted at her poise under pressure.

Youth Tournament Wins: She collected titles like the Dustin Johnson World Junior Championship and the Jones-Doherty Women’s Amateur, dominating both junior and amateur fields. These victories against older competition proved that age was no barrier for her skill level.

History-Making Appearances: At just 14, Pano qualified for the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open (one of the youngest ever to do so) and was selected to represent the U.S. in the Junior Ryder Cup. Her early teens also saw her contending in professional events on the Symetra Tour, where she even held a share of the 54-hole lead in one tournament . Each of these experiences toughened her mentally and physically.

By age 14, Alexa Pano was not just playing in big events – she was contending. Her prodigious drives (often around 260 yards at age 14) and sharp iron play made her a familiar name in junior golf circles. In 2019, she earned a spot in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur, marking another milestone in her precocious career.

Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Champions Retreat Connection

One of the defining chapters of Pano’s amateur career is her relationship with the Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) – a prestigious event that quickly became the pinnacle of women’s amateur golf. Champions Retreat Golf Club, located just 15 miles from Augusta National in Evans, Georgia, hosts the first 36 holes of the ANWA. For Alexa, this tournament was the realization of the dream she voiced as a little girl.

Champions Retreat Golf Club itself is a noteworthy venue. The club was fittingly co-founded by three golf legends – Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player – each designing one of the club’s three nine-hole courses. The ANWA utilizes the Palmer-designed Island nine and the Nicklaus-designed Bluff nine to create a challenging 18-hole test for the world’s top women amateurs. Towering pines, pristine conditions, and championship-caliber greens give Champions Retreat a Augusta-like aura, setting the stage for high drama as players vie for a coveted spot in the final round at Augusta National.


Alexa Pano first teed it up at ANWA in 2019, the event’s inaugural year. At just 14 years old, she was the youngest competitor in that elite field. Many in the golf world were eager to see how the junior phenom would fare against college champions and seasoned international amateurs. Pano didn’t disappoint – she held her own on the big stage, missing the cut for the final round by a single stroke in 2019. It was one of the rare setbacks in her early career, but one that fueled her determination. She stated her goal bluntly: “Ever since they announced ANWA, my biggest goal… was to make the cut. There was no way I could turn professional without accomplishing that”.

In 2021 and 2022, Pano returned to the ANWA with even more experience under her belt. In 2022, she achieved that long-held goal – finishing in a tie for 12th and comfortably making the cut to earn a tee time at Augusta National for the final round. Walking the hallowed fairways of Augusta on that Saturday, alongside the world’s best amateurs, was a culmination of years of hard work. It also underscored her knack for rising to the occasion; Pano showed remarkable composure and skill throughout the ANWA, proving she belonged among the elite. Her journey through the Augusta National Women’s Amateur – from youngest entrant to finishing near the top of the leaderboard – solidified her status as a rising star and role model for young girls in the game.

Turning Professional and a Breakthrough LPGA Win

Having ticked the box on ANWA success, Alexa Pano set her sights on the professional ranks. In April 2022, at just 17 years old, Pano announced she was turning professional, opting to bypass college golf. It was a bold decision, but one that made sense given her extensive amateur résumé. She had already competed in all the top junior and amateur events (including Junior Ryder Cups and Junior Solheim Cups) and even tested herself in professional events on the developmental Epson Tour. In fact, Pano earned Epson Tour status by advancing through LPGA Q-School in late 2021, setting the stage for her pro debut.

The transition to pro golf can be challenging, but Pano embraced it with the same tenacity she’s shown all her life. She gained experience through 2022 and early 2023 on both the Epson Tour and occasional LPGA starts via sponsors’ exemptions. All the while, she carried the lessons learned from her junior days – resilience, focus, and a love for competition. Those lessons paid off in a monumental way in August 2023.

On August 20, 2023 – which happened to be her 19th birthday – Alexa Pano delivered a performance for the ages. Playing in the ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland (an LPGA and DP World Tour co-sanctioned event featuring men and women concurrently), Pano rallied in the final round to earn a spot in a playoff. She had fired a bogey-free 6-under 66 on Sunday to tie for the lead. In the sudden-death playoff, Pano showed nerves of steel. On the third playoff hole, she birdied the par-5 18th to clinch her first LPGA Tour victory, defeating England’s Gabriella Cowley and Germany’s Esther Henseleit. With that win, Alexa became a “Rolex First-Time Winner” on the LPGA and gave herself the ultimate birthday present.

This breakthrough win verified what the golf world had anticipated for years: Alexa Pano has the game and the grit to compete at the highest level. It was a victory not only for her, but an inspirational moment for every young player watching – especially those who have followed her journey from junior golf stardom. Pano’s persistence through a few near-misses (she had come close to victory earlier in the year) and her ability to seal the deal under intense pressure exemplify the champion’s mindset she’s developed.

A YouTube Challenge at Champions Retreat – Making the Cut with the Bryan Bros

Despite now playing for high stakes on the LPGA Tour, Alexa Pano hasn’t forgotten her roots in amateur golf – or how to have some fun with the game. This was on full display in a recent Bryan Brothers Golf YouTube video, where Alexa joined George and Wesley Bryan (the famed Bryan Bros) and fellow content-creator golfer Grant Horvat for a special challenge. The setting? Champions Retreat Golf Club, returning to the very course where ANWA competitors battle to make the cut. The challenge laid out by the Bryan Bros was simple in concept but daunting in execution: could they “make the cut” at the ANWA?

In the video, the foursome took on Champions Retreat from the tournament tees, aiming to shoot +3 or better as a score – roughly the typical cut line for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. This creative challenge put the spotlight on just how tough the course setup can be for the world’s top amateurs. With firm greens, long rough, and championship pin positions, Champions Retreat can easily humble even skilled players. For the Bryan brothers – George (a trick-shot artist and mini-tour player) and Wesley (a former PGA Tour winner) – and Horvat (a plus-handicap YouTuber), the round was a chance to see if their games were sharp enough. For Alexa Pano, it was an opportunity to showcase her talent on familiar turf and to teach the boys a thing or two on the course she knows so well.

From the first tee, it was clear Pano’s competitive fire was still burning bright. Even though there were no trophies on the line, she treated the round with focus and intensity, determined to hit quality shots and help the group achieve their goal. Her experience at Champions Retreat (gleaned from those ANWA rounds) gave her a strategic edge, and she frequently shared course management tips. For example, on a demanding par 4 with water guarding the green, Alexa advised the group on a smart layup strategy, recalling how many players get into trouble by being too aggressive on that hole. This kind of leadership and knowledge impressed the Bryan Bros and showed the young amateurs watching at home the importance of thinking your way around a course.

Pano’s Skill, Attitude and Leadership on Full Display

Throughout the Bryan Bros challenge round, Alexa Pano delivered a clinic in shotmaking and composure. Several memorable moments from the video highlighted just how special her game is:

Clutch Iron Play: Facing a long approach into one of Champions Retreat’s trickiest greens, Pano struck a pure iron shot that soared over the front bunkers and stopped within 10 feet of the flag. The crowd of one (the cameraman!) and her playing partners erupted in cheers. Her ability to hit high, soft long irons – a skill honed in countless junior tournaments – helped save pars and set up birdie chances when the team needed them most.

Smooth and Steady Putting: On the fast, undulating greens, Pano’s putting touch shone. She drained a curling 20-foot birdie putt at the end of the front nine, a putt that not only helped the scorecard but also ignited momentum for the group. Later, after one of the guys ran a birdie attempt well past the hole, Alexa calmly stepped up and sank the 6-foot comebacker for par, showing how to maintain composure when others might panic.

Driving Distance and Accuracy: Despite being smaller in stature than her male counterparts, Pano routinely found the fairways and often matched the men off the tee. Her driving was a model of consistency – a result of years of disciplined practice. On one particularly long par 5, she unleashed a drive down the middle that set up a reachable second shot, prompting Wesley Bryan to quip that her ball striking was “just as solid as most Tour players,” a testament to how far her game has come.

Positive Attitude & Team Leadership: Perhaps most impressive was Pano’s demeanor. Whether the group made birdie or bogey, she kept an upbeat attitude, cracking a smile after tough holes and offering high-fives all around. When a teammate struggled, Alexa was quick with words of encouragement or a helpful read on the next putt. By the final holes, it was clear she had emerged as the de facto leader of the group – keeping everyone focused on the goal of hitting that +3 target. Her competitive poise rubbed off on her partners; in interviews after the round, the Bryan Bros praised Alexa’s maturity and noted how she “raised the game” of everyone around her just by being there.

The end result of the challenge? We won’t spoil all the drama, but suffice it to say that having a player of Alexa Pano’s caliber on the course made a huge difference. The video showcased how an active LPGA pro handles the same course conditions that amateur golfers face, providing invaluable insight. Viewers – especially junior golfers – could see the contrast between professional-level course management and ball-striking versus even very good scratch players. It was a subtle reminder that the pros truly are on a different level, and Pano demonstrated that gap with grace and humility.