Yana Wilson to participate in LPGA Q-School this summer
14 May 2024
by Golfweek
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Yana Wilson (USGA Photo)
Rose Zhang won’t be the only defending champion on hand at this week’s Mizuho Americas Open.
Yana Wilson, the winner of the inaugural junior edition of the Mizuho Americas Open, run by the AJGA, returns to Liberty National looking for her own repeat.
One of the most unique aspects of the Mizuho, hosted by Michelle Wie West, is the interaction junior players enjoy with LPGA pros. They share the same dining room, locker room, range, and tee times as the junior event runs concurrently. Pros and juniors even exchange phone numbers as part of a big sister program.
Wilson won medalist honors at the 2023 U.S. Girls' Junior.
Wilson, 17, of Henderson, Nevada, has taken the opportunity to ask a number of players about their decisions to play college golf or skip that step and go straight to the pros.
In the end, Wilson finds herself leaning toward what she’s long thought.
“It’ll be very last minute if I do go to college,” said Wilson, who is committed to Oregon, “but my mind is pretty much set on turning pro straight out of high school, and it’s always been like that. College is kind of plan B for me, and I told my coach that when I first committed to college.”
Wilson, who has several NIL deals, including Lululemon, said her parents support her decision to turn professional, and she doesn’t feel pressured about it.
“Honestly, for me personally, because I’m not as disciplined as Rose or Michelle that went to college,” she said, “for my type of personality, it’d be probably best for me to spend a year on tour taking those first bumps and bruises, and then going up and improving along the way.”
You can view the full article from Beth Ann Nichols on Golfweek