Aphrodite Deng earned her first point in the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway with her victory at the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship on July 19.

The 15-year-old defeated Singapore’s Xingtong Chen 2 and 1 in the 36-hole final at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga., to become the first Canadian winner of the prestigious junior event and pick up her first point in LEAP, an LPGA program which provides elite amateur athletes a road to membership via a weighted points system based upon their accomplishments as an am. A U.S. Girls’ Junior victory is worth one point according to LEAP criteria.

Deng’s road to the final with Chen included a 2 and 1 victory over Aussie Sarah Hammett in the round of 64; a 2 and 1 win over Mia Carles in the round of 32; a win over Yujie Liu in 19 holes in the round of 16 matches; a 2-up victory over Chloe Kovelesky in the quarterfinals; and another 2 and 1 win over Rayee Feng in the semis. The Short Hills, N.J. resident then took a 1-up lead on the seventh hole of the Championship Match against Chen and never relinquished it en route to victory in the Peach State.

“I didn't really think about the end result because I knew there were a lot of good players here. I just tried to win each match,” Deng said of her triumph. “It really means a lot. I just can't believe that I won.”

The U.S. Girls’ Junior is one of many notable titels that Deng has collected throughout the 2025 season. She captured a victory at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley on the AJGA circuit in March and then won the AJGA portion of the Mizuho Americas Open in May at Liberty National Golf Club, doing so while competing alongside the LPGA Tour’s top talent in Jersey City, N.J., not too far from where she lives.

Deng is currently leading the Rolex Girls AJGA Rankings, ascending to the top of those standings because of her victory at Atlanta Athletic Club. She is now 19 points away from qualifying for LPGA Tour status via LEAP.

Aphrodite Deng Earns First LEAP Point With Victory at U.S. Girls' Junior Championship

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