Kiara Romero wins Mark H. McCormack Medal as world's top female amateur golfer

Kiara Romero, who's set to begin her third season at Oregon this fall after making a run to the quarterfinals of the 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur, has been named winner of the Mark H. McCormack medal, the United States Golf Association and R&A announced Wednesday.

The McCormack medal is given to the leading female player in the 2025 World Amateur Golf Ranking. Lottie Woad won the award last year.

Romero receives exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club and the 2026 AIG Women’s Open at the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in England, provided she remains amateur. 

“It’s an incredible honor to win the McCormack Medal,” Romero said in a release. “This is a really nice reminder of how far I’ve already come in my golf career. I know how special winning this medal is, and I hope I can follow in the footsteps of the inspiring players who have won it before me.” 

Through two seasons at Oregon, she has risen to be arguably the best player in school history. As a sophomore, she was one of the finalists for the Annika Award after winning the Big 10 individual championship and the NCAA Gold Canyon Regional. The 2023 U.S. Girls' Junior champion also set a record for lowest final round by an amateur in a U.S. Women's Open, shooting 5-under 67 at Erin Hills earlier this year.

“On behalf of the USGA, we congratulate Kiara on this prestigious honor,” John Bodenhamer, chief championships officer of the USGA, said in a release. “Kiara’s commitment to the game is evident, with her first USGA championship victory already among her lengthy list of accolades. Her back-to-back starts in the U.S. Women’s Open, along with her display of consistent top performances in her collegiate career, is an exceptional showcase of a player deserving of the McCormack Medal.” 

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Kiara Romero wins McCormack Medal as world's top female amateur golfer