The Goddess of U.S. Girls' Junior: Aphrodite Deng Takes Title at AAC

With a name fit for a champion and a game to match, Aphrodite Deng cemented her place in golf history on Saturday at Atlanta Athletic Club’s Riverside Course. The 15-year-old from Canada emerged victorious at the 76th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, defeating Xingtong Chen, 16, of Singapore, 2 and 1, becoming the first Canadian to win the prestigious title also owned by the likes of Hall of Famers Mickey Wright, JoAnne Gunderson Carner, Amy Alcott and Nancy Lopez, as well as current LPGA Tour stars Lexi Thompson, Minjee Lee, Ariya Jutanugarn and Rose Zhang.

“It really means a lot. I just can't believe that I won,” said Deng. “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, the more experienced player, came out strong with a birdie on the opening hole to take an early 1-up lead. But Chen, showing plenty of composure,  responded by winning the second with a par and grabbing a 1-up advantage of her own after a birdie at No. 4. 

Earlier this year, Deng captured the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the Mizuho Americas Open, rising to No. 36 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the fourth highest of any junior.  

The opening stretch of the 36-hole championship match felt like a heavyweight battle, with only two of the first seven holes tied. But from there, Deng found another gear. After taking Nos. 6 and 7, she stood on the 10th tee, 1 up, and then pulled away. She won three of the next four holes, highlighted by back-to-back birdies on 12 and 13, to stretch her lead to 4 up and seize control of the match at the lunch break.

But Chen showed no signs of backing down. Coming out of the 90-minute break, she immediately cut into the deficit with a birdie on the par-5 19th hole, narrowing Deng’s lead to 3 up. She continued to chip away with another birdie on the 23rd hole of the match. 

Deng, unfazed by the momentum shift, responded by winning the par-3 24th hole with a clutch birdie of her own.

Once again, Chen proved she belonged on this stage, draining a 10-foot birdie on the par-3 26th to trim the deficit back to 2 down. On the 27th hole, both players faced par putts inside five feet, but Chen’s slipped by, allowing Deng to capitalize with yet another timely response, winning the hole and stretching her lead back to 3 up. The momentum continued on the very next hole, where Deng confidently holed a 10-footer for birdie. Chen had a chance to match with a similar 7-foot look but couldn’t convert, and just like that, Deng’s lead was back to 4, the same margin she held at the mid-day break. 

But in what felt like a same-day déjà vu, Chen refused to go quietly. She won the 30th hole, only for Deng to respond with a win on the 31st. Chen then rallied again, taking holes 32 and 34 to extend the match to the par-3 35th. There, Deng finally sealed the victory with a clutch 4-foot par putt.

For Chen, her first trip to the United States turned into a life-changing journey. After earning medalist honors with a 72 in her U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifier on June 16 in Missouri, she headed to Massachusetts for an American Junior Golf Association event, where she finished fifth. 

Next stop: San Diego, where she competed in the Junior World Championships at Torrey Pines, placing T-13 among a strong international field. Just one day after wrapping up there, she arrived in Atlanta on July 11, not expecting to necessarily qualify for match play.

“Definitely saw a lot of positives out there,” said Chen. “Just being able to keep my focus and my spirit throughout these 35 holes, and not giving up, even though I was like 4 down or whatever. I think it definitely gave me a lot more confidence because previously I had a lot of doubts about myself, just would I be able to make it even just as an amateur golfer, trying to get into college. But I think after this week, I definitely have a lot more confidence, and just trust my game a bit more.” 

What the Champion Receives

• A gold medal

• Custody of the Glenna Collett Vare Trophy for one year

• Exemptions into all remaining U.S. Girls’ Junior Championships for which she is age-eligible 

• Exemption into the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally at Riviera Country Club, in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

• Exemptions into the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, in Bandon, Ore., and 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur at The Honors Course, in Ooltewah, Tenn.

• Likely invitation into the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur

• Named engraved on the 2025 USGA Champions Plaque that will reside in the Hall of Champions inside the USGA Museum in Liberty Corner, N.J. 

NOTABLE

• Aphrodite Deng becomes the first Canadian to win the U.S. Girls’ Junior, and joins a list of USGA champions from Canada that includes World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Marlene Stewart Streit and two-time U.S. Amateur champion Gary Cowan. 

• Runner-up Xingtong Chen received a silver medal and a three-year exemption into the U.S. Girls’ Junior. She also earned a spot into next month’s U.S. Women’s Amateur, is choosing not to play in the event due to scheduling conflicts.  

• Next year’s U.S. Girls’ Junior will be conducted at the Old Chatham Golf Club, in Durham, N.C., July 13-18. Old Chatham previously hosted the 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur, won by Alpharetta, Ga., resident Bob Royak. 

• Golf course architect Tripp Davis, who was an NCAA All–American selection at Oklahoma University and a member of its 1989 national championship team, served as the first tee started for the afternoon portion of the championship match. Davis led the renovation to the Riverside Course at Atlanta Athletic Club. 

• As the runner-up and champion of the U.S. Girls’ Junior at Atlanta Athletic Club, both Xingtong Chen and Aphrodite Deng received replica Calamity Jane putters as a gift from the club. That was the putter used by Atlanta Athletic Club member Bob Jones when he won the Grand Slam in 1930.  

• As part of USGA tradition, both finalists were treated to a custom lunch prepared by the Atlanta Athletic Club chef. Deng went classic with steak, mashed potatoes and a salad, while Chen opted for xiao long bao dumplings, Chinese soup and peach tea.

QUOTABLE

“My biggest takeaway, there were a lot of positives, and I've been able to figure out some of my weaknesses as well. As long as I work on some of my putting, maybe short game, I think -- but it's really showed that I have what it takes as long as I just work a little bit harder. So definitely a lot of positives to be taken.” - Chen on her learnings from the week

“I think I stayed in the moment throughout the whole match. I did get a little tired at the end. I learned that I'm pretty consistent and I'm pretty good, and I think that I stay pretty calm in front of a crowd and cameras.” - Deng on what she learned this week