Vidhi Lakhawala’s summer just got a major boost.
The 17-year-old Wake Forest commit from Kendall Park, New Jersey, won the 98th Women’s Western Junior Championship at Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati, defeating Kara An of Valencia, California, 1-up in the final.
Lakhawala navigated the match play bracket with steady confidence, earning wins over Martha Kuwahara (Northbrook, Ill.), Alisa Davidova (Roanoke, Va.), and Ryleigh Knaub (Debary, Fla.) before closing out An in Friday’s championship match.
“It’s such an honor to win such a prestigious event,” Lakhawala told the Western Golf Association. “There’s a lot of relief, and a lot of confidence, going into the summer season.”
Ranked No. 48 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, Lakhawala has built a strong junior resume over the past year, including a win at the Will Lowery Junior Championship and multiple top-10 finishes. Her steady play throughout the week in Cincinnati earned her more than just a trophy.
With the win, Lakhawala also receives a sponsor exemption into the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, an LPGA Tour event scheduled for Sept. 11–14 at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio.
“It is such an honor to have the opportunity to tee it up with the professionals,” she said. “I’m super excited for the opportunity.”
Both Lakhawala and runner-up Kara An earned exemptions into the Women’s Western Amateur, to be held July 15–20 at Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak, Michigan.
An, who turned 16 this week, was proud of her run to the final.
“Just getting past stroke-play was my goal, so getting to the final match was way beyond my expectations,” she said. “I’m really happy with how I played this week. I learned a lot. It was a great experience.”
The Women’s Western Junior is the oldest national junior golf tournament for girls and is conducted by the Western Golf Association.