CINCINNATI – The 98th Women’s Western Junior Championship is set to tee off June 10-13 at Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio, with a field showcasing many of the world’s top junior golfers.

First held in 1920, the Women’s Western Junior is one of the oldest junior golf tournaments in the United States. Long considered a proving ground for the game’s future stars, the event boasts an impressive list of past champions, including Candie Kung (1998), Cristie Kerr (1994), Grace Park (1993) and Nancy Lopez (1972-74).

Alumni of the championship have combined for 218 LPGA Tour wins, 10 Solheim Cup appearances and six major championships.

This year, the winner of the Women’s Western Junior will have an opportunity to tee it up with LPGA stars in the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G as a tournament sponsor exemption. The 144-player field will go head-to-head at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio, Sept. 11-14. The event will feature some of LPGA Tour’s best, such as Nelly Korda, Haeran Ryu, Lydia Ko and Jeeno Thitikul.

Maketewah Country Club, is regarded as one of Ohio’s premier golf venues and is the state’s longest-standing U.S. Open qualifying site. Designed by legendary architect Donald Ross, Maketewah is located just minutes from downtown Cincinnati.

Championship play begins with 36 holes of stroke play qualifying. The field of 78 will then be cut to the low 16 for match play. In addition to earning an exemption into the LPGA’s Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, the winner of the Women’s Western Junior will receive an exemption into the 2025 Women’s Western Amateur, set for July at Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Among the 78 players in this year’s field, 38 have committed to playing collegiate golf. That includes Xavier University commits Madison Glisson and Ashley Kirkland, who will call Maketewah their home course when they join the Musketeers. Players in the field represent 22 different states, as well as four foreign countries.

Notable players include:

  • Ryleigh Knaub (Debary, Florida) – An LSU commit who ranks No. 28 nationally – the highest ranked player in this year’s field. Knaub was a member of the inaugural U.S. National Junior Team and has recorded three top-10 finishes in AJGA events this season.
  • Yingtong Jiao (Beijing, China) – Ranked No. 32 nationally with four top-5 finishes in AJGA events, including two individual titles (Golf Performance Center Killington Junior Golf Championship and Nemacolin Junior Championship). She also won the IMG Junior World Qualifier in her hometown of China.
  • Isabel Emanuels (Austin, Texas) – Runner-up at the 2024 Women’s Western Junior. Finished fifth at the Texas Women’s Amateur and sixth at the North and South Junior Championship. Committed to the University of Georgia.
  • Eva Becerril (Cincinnati, Ohio) – Local product and 2024 Ohio High School State Champion who earned exemption into the Women’s Western Junior from Maketewah Country Club. Becerril has competed in four AJGA events this season with two top 10s.
  • Sophia Lin (Taipei, Taiwan) – A 2024 match play semifinalist, Lin has professional experience in Taiwan and recently finished 19th at the Australian Women’s Amateur. Lin also competed in the 2024 Women’s Western Amateur and notched a 16th-place finish at the 2024 Girls Junior PGA Championship.

“This year’s field is one of the deepest and most talented in the championship’s history,” said WWGA President Susan Buchanan. “The future of the LPGA Tour will be on display at Maketewah, and we’re excited to crown a new champion at such a historic venue.”

Maketewah Country Club traces its roots to 1897, when it opened as the Avondale Athletic Club. After a brief closure in 1903, the club re-emerged as one of the five founding members of what is now the Greater Cincinnati Golf Association. Ross was later enlisted to design what became the city’s first 6,000-yard championship course. In 1929, the club officially adopted the Maketewah name.

In addition to hosting premier golf events, Maketewah supports the Women’s Western Golf Foundation (WWGF) and the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF). Maketewah’s Caddie Program is nationally recognized for fostering mentorship, responsibility and leadership among young participants.

The WWGF has provided scholarships to young women golfers since 1971, while the ESF—administered by the Western Golf Association—has awarded full college tuition and housing to more than 12,000 youth caddies since 1930.

The 2025 Women’s Western Junior will mark the club’s first time hosting a WWGA championship.

Attendance and parking for the Women’s Western Junior are free.