Kylie Chong Seals SCGA Women’s Amateur Title with All-Time Clutch Finish at Torrey
August 1, 2025 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: Kylie Chong, View results for SCGA Women's Amateur, Valencia Country Club
USC sophomore Kylie Chong delivered a legendary hole-out par on Torrey Pines’ 17th before sealing the SCGA Women’s Amateur title
July 31, 2025 – San Diego, CA – The legends of Torrey Pines Golf Course have a new entry. Seventeen years after Tiger Woods carved his name into golf history with an unforgettable playoff birdie on the South Course’s iconic 18th, another Southern California prodigy delivered a moment that could only happen on these hallowed grounds. This time, it was USC sophomore Kylie Chong, and the magic came one hole earlier, on the par-4 17th, with one of the most improbable pars in SCGA Women’s Amateur history.
Chong, just 19 years old and already one of the Trojans’ brightest young stars, entered the final round of the 11th SCGA Women’s Amateur locked in a battle among nine contenders within five shots of the lead. By day’s end, it became a two-player duel with Long Beach State’s Janae Leovao, culminating in a gritty, unforgettable finish worthy of the venue.
⸻
A Two-Woman Showdown
Chong began the day tied for the lead but quickly found herself in chase mode. Leovao, playing alongside Chong in the final group, birdied Torrey’s signature par-3 third hole to pull even, then moved ahead two holes later when Chong made her first bogey of the week since Monday’s opening round.
While other contenders faded under Torrey’s relentless test—including co-leader Kelsey Kim, who stumbled early with two bogeys and a double—the final became a head-to-head thriller. Chong clawed back with a clutch birdie on the ninth, splashing out of a greenside bunker to pull even at the turn. The back nine became a high-level chess match: Leovao hitting greens and applying pressure, Chong responding with timely saves and fearless wedges.
After Leovao birdied the par-5 13th with a towering 3-wood, she held a one-shot advantage. But a pulled tee shot on 15 led to bogey, squaring the match once again. The crowd could sense this one wouldn’t be decided until the final putt.
⸻
The Shot of the Tournament
The par-3 16th yielded routine pars, setting the stage for Torrey’s notorious 17th—a hole known for punishing anything but perfection. Both players missed the fairway, Leovao into a bunker and Chong deep into the thickest rough on property, closer to the next tee than the green.
What followed was pure chaos and brilliance. After a failed attempt to reach the green on her third, Chong faced a near-impossible flop shot for bogey. With the championship hanging in the balance, she feathered a wedge that landed softly, rolled out perfectly—and found the bottom of the cup from 20 feet. The gallery erupted in disbelief as Chong leapt in celebration, knowing she had turned certain disaster into a defining moment.
Leovao couldn’t match the magic, settling for bogey. Suddenly, Chong held the outright lead heading to the par-5 closer.
⸻
Closing Like a Champion
Needing only a par to secure the title, Chong did better. After a blistered drive, she laid up, wedged to tap-in range, and calmly rolled in a birdie to punctuate the win. A final-round 70 (-2) left her at 6-under overall, good for a two-shot victory over Leovao and a highlight reel that will live on in SCGA lore.
“This is why we play,” Chong said, moments after tapping in for birdie. “You dream of pulling off a shot like that when it matters most. Doing it here at Torrey Pines, in front of family and my coach—it doesn’t get any better.”
⸻
A Star on the Rise
Chong’s triumph cements her as one of Southern California’s top young talents. A standout freshman for USC, she has already made waves in collegiate and elite amateur circles. But this win, delivered under the weight of a tense head-to-head battle, may be her most telling performance yet.
The SCGA Women’s Amateur has quickly become one of the premier state-level championships in the country, attracting a field stacked with top juniors, college stars, and future LPGA hopefuls. Thanks to Kylie Chong’s brilliance on Torrey South’s penultimate hole, this year’s finish will be talked about for years to come—a reminder that in amateur golf, legends can be made in a single swing.
Chong, just 19 years old and already one of the Trojans’ brightest young stars, entered the final round of the 11th SCGA Women’s Amateur locked in a battle among nine contenders within five shots of the lead. By day’s end, it became a two-player duel with Long Beach State’s Janae Leovao, culminating in a gritty, unforgettable finish worthy of the venue.
⸻
A Two-Woman Showdown
Chong began the day tied for the lead but quickly found herself in chase mode. Leovao, playing alongside Chong in the final group, birdied Torrey’s signature par-3 third hole to pull even, then moved ahead two holes later when Chong made her first bogey of the week since Monday’s opening round.
While other contenders faded under Torrey’s relentless test—including co-leader Kelsey Kim, who stumbled early with two bogeys and a double—the final became a head-to-head thriller. Chong clawed back with a clutch birdie on the ninth, splashing out of a greenside bunker to pull even at the turn. The back nine became a high-level chess match: Leovao hitting greens and applying pressure, Chong responding with timely saves and fearless wedges.
After Leovao birdied the par-5 13th with a towering 3-wood, she held a one-shot advantage. But a pulled tee shot on 15 led to bogey, squaring the match once again. The crowd could sense this one wouldn’t be decided until the final putt.
⸻
The Shot of the Tournament
The par-3 16th yielded routine pars, setting the stage for Torrey’s notorious 17th—a hole known for punishing anything but perfection. Both players missed the fairway, Leovao into a bunker and Chong deep into the thickest rough on property, closer to the next tee than the green.
What followed was pure chaos and brilliance. After a failed attempt to reach the green on her third, Chong faced a near-impossible flop shot for bogey. With the championship hanging in the balance, she feathered a wedge that landed softly, rolled out perfectly—and found the bottom of the cup from 20 feet. The gallery erupted in disbelief as Chong leapt in celebration, knowing she had turned certain disaster into a defining moment.
Leovao couldn’t match the magic, settling for bogey. Suddenly, Chong held the outright lead heading to the par-5 closer.
⸻
Closing Like a Champion
Needing only a par to secure the title, Chong did better. After a blistered drive, she laid up, wedged to tap-in range, and calmly rolled in a birdie to punctuate the win. A final-round 70 (-2) left her at 6-under overall, good for a two-shot victory over Leovao and a highlight reel that will live on in SCGA lore.
“This is why we play,” Chong said, moments after tapping in for birdie. “You dream of pulling off a shot like that when it matters most. Doing it here at Torrey Pines, in front of family and my coach—it doesn’t get any better.”
⸻
A Star on the Rise
Chong’s triumph cements her as one of Southern California’s top young talents. A standout freshman for USC, she has already made waves in collegiate and elite amateur circles. But this win, delivered under the weight of a tense head-to-head battle, may be her most telling performance yet.
For Leovao, the runner-up finish showcased grit and world-class ball-striking, pushing Chong to the limit and elevating the championship to one of its most memorable editions.
The SCGA Women’s Amateur has quickly become one of the premier state-level championships in the country, attracting a field stacked with top juniors, college stars, and future LPGA hopefuls. Thanks to Kylie Chong’s brilliance on Torrey South’s penultimate hole, this year’s finish will be talked about for years to come—a reminder that in amateur golf, legends can be made in a single swing.
About the SCGA Women's Amateur
The SCGA Women's Amateur Championship is open to female amateur golfers with a USGA Handicap Index of 9.4 and below at the time of registration. Competitors undergo 18 holes of stroke play qualifying play to reach the final field of 72 players. In th...
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