​It’s time once again for the biggest junior event in girls golf as the 2026 U.S. Girls’ Junior gets underway on Monday at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, North Carolina. A field of 156 promising young players will tee off at a course hosting its first U.S. Girls’ Junior and the fourth in the state of North Carolina. This marks the 77th edition of the championship.
Last year, Aphrodite Deng made history by becoming the first Canadian to win the U.S. Girls’ Junior, securing a 2-and-1 victory over Xingtong Chen of Singapore at Atlanta Athletic Club’s Riverside Course.
Here’s everything you need to know for the 2026 U.S. Girls’ Junior. The course layout totals 6,491 yards, playing to a par of 72, with 3,242 yards on the front nine (Par 36) and 3,249 yards on the back nine (Par 36).
Front nine (OUT)
– Hole 1: 544 yards, Par 5
– Hole 2: 151 yards, Par 3
– Hole 3: 353 yards, Par 4
– Hole 4: 414 yards, Par 4
– Hole 5: 392 yards, Par 4
– Hole 6: 544 yards, Par 5
– Hole 7: 173 yards, Par 3
– Hole 8: 331 yards, Par 4
– Hole 9: 340 yards, Par 4
Back nine (IN)
– Hole 10: 333 yards, Par 4
– Hole 11: 544 yards, Par 5
– Hole 12: 190 yards, Par 3
– Hole 13: 363 yards, Par 4
– Hole 14: 495 yards, Par 5
– Hole 15: 396 yards, Par 4
– Hole 16: 362 yards, Par 4
– Hole 17: 163 yards, Par 3
– Hole 18: 403 yards, Par 4
Competition coverage and highlights
– Quarterfinal and semifinal matches: GolfChannel.com will feature highlights from 3 p.m.–5 p.m. Eastern Time, with a tape-delayed window from 6 p.m.–8 p.m. ET.
– Championship matches (afternoon 18): GolfChannel.com will carry highlights from 3 p.m.–5 p.m. ET, followed by a tape-delayed slot from 6 p.m.–8 p.m. ET.
– Free viewing: Golf Channel coverage is also available for free on Fubo.
Notable participants and age distribution
– Youngest competitor: Bella Simoes from Lake Worth, Florida, at 12 years, 11 months, and 10 days.
– Oldest competitor: Kiley Reisner from Northridge, California, at 18 years, 11 months, and 24 days.
– The field includes 40 players who are 18 years old, with a total average age of 16.37.
– Age breakdown by group: 12 players (age 12), 7 players (age 13), 10 players (age 14), 18 players (age 15), 38 players (age 16), 42 players (age 17), and 40 players (age 18).
International and national representation
– International participants (18): United States (117), Canada (7), China (7), Korea (5), Mexico (4), Australia (2), Chinese Taipei (2), Hong Kong (2), Singapore (2), Colombia (1), France (1), Germany (1), Japan (1), Peru (1), Puerto Rico (1), South Africa (1), Thailand (1), Venezuela (1).
– U.S. states represented (35): California leads with 27 players, followed by Florida (12), Texas (7), Georgia (6), New Jersey (6), and North Carolina (5). Additional states include Kansas, Virginia, Washington, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, and smaller contingents from Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
– U.S. champion presence: Asia Young is the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball winner and is part of the field, representing the ongoing success of U.S. players within the tournament culture.
– U.S. Girls’ Junior runners-up: Grace Carter is among the notable runners-up in recent years, underscoring the depth of competition entering the 2026 event.
This event combines a rich history with a rising generation of talent, as young golfers from around the world converge on Old Chatham to vie for national junior glory, chase records, and take a major step in their competitive careers. The 2026 U.S. Girls’ Junior promises exciting golf, dramatic pins, and a showcase of the future stars of women’s golf.