Every year there’s a college freshman who bursts on the scene and surprises us all with her talent and poise.
While there is plenty of young talent entering the women’s college game this season, don’t be surprised if one player separates from the pack.
Duke freshman Erica Shepherd highlights Golfweek’s women’s preseason freshmen to watch, and for good reason.
The Greenwood, Ind., native won the 2017 U.S. girls’ Junior Championship and kept improving as an amateur over the years. Shepherd, alongside fellow Blue Devil freshman Megan Furtney, won the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship in May and rode that momentum all summer. She placed fourth at the Rolex Girls Junior Championship in June and earned low-amateur honors at the LPGA Marathon Classic in July, finishing T-35 at 5-under-par.
Meet the rest of Golfweek’s women’s preseason 10 freshmen to watch.
Editor’s note: The players are listed alphabetically.
Jensen Castle, Kentucky
Runner-up at the 2019 Girl’s Junior PGA Championship.
Caterina Don, Georgia
Finished third at the 2019 European Ladies’ Amateur Championship.
Karen Fredgaard, Houston
Competes for the Danish National Team, was member of team that earned the bronze medal at 2018 European Team Championship.
Linn Grant, Arizona State
Finished fifth at the European Ladies’ Amateur Championship and third at The Women’s Amateur Championship.
Alexa Melton, Pepperdine
Won the 2019 Thunderbird International Junior.
Megan Schofill, Auburn
2019 accolades include wins at the Rome Junior Classic and Georgia Women’s Match Play Championship.
Emma Spitz, UCLA
Native of Austria won the 2019 Slovenian Amateur Championship, finished second at Austrian Stroke Play Championship and was a member of the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup team.
Lei Ye, Stanford
Won the 2019 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and finished second at the 2019 Rolex Girls Junior Championship.
Nicole Whiston, Tennessee
Advanced to the Round of 64 at the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur and was a semifinalist at the 2019 U.S. Girls’ Junior.
