Darr shoots 68 as Oklahoma takes 13th in PGA Girls High School National Invite

FRISCO, Texas (July 10, 2024) ー California (SMC) captured a landslide victory at the 2024 PGA Girls High School Golf National Invitational presented by Titleist & Footjoy on Wednesday. The three-day, 54-hole event was held at Fields Ranch West at PGA Frisco, WestRidge Golf Course in McKinney and Gentle Creek Country Club in Prosper.

With a staggering 27-shot lead after the second round, California (SMC) extended its advantage over 2023 defending champion Texas (RGN). They finished with a three-day team total score of 55-under par 809.

Texas (RGN) finished second with 16-under 848, followed by Florida (FAU) in third with 11-under 853, Georgia (RVA) in fourth with 3-under 861 and Texas (VGT) at even 864 in fifth.

Team Oklahoma, all from Class 6A state champion Stillwater, finished 13th as Oklahoma State-bound Lucy Darr fired a 68 in the final round. Darr finished at 2-under after rounds of 73-73-68. That was tied for 26th, 15 shots behind winner Leigh Chien of California.

Also for Oklahoma in the final round, Nikki Pitts shot 73, Maggie Ruby 76 and Amy Reavis 86.

Chien from California (SMC) claimed individual medalist honors following a 4-hole playoff against Olivia Hung from Taiwan (IND) by parring the par-3 16th hole at Fields Ranch West. Chien was a member of the 2023 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team.

“As for the playoff, I was just going with the flow and seeing what happens,” said Chien. “I didn’t really think too much about it, I just played golf.”

Chien and Hung finished the final round tied at 17-under 199. Hung, who is coached by PGA of America Golf Professional Eric Clark, eagled the par-4, 255-yard 8th hole at Fields Ranch West to maintain her lead, but the two remained neck-and-neck. After tying the 18th hole three times, Chien’s par putt on the 16th sealed the victory.

“We as a team work together in our pressures and to set up a game plan that works well for us, and that all just added up to today,” said Chien.

With this win, Chien will receive exemptions into the 2024 Junior PGA Championships at Congressional Country Club and the 2025 North & South Junior Championship at Pinehurst Resort.

This was the second-consecutive year the event was played at PGA Frisco and the sixth edition of the PGA High School Golf National Invitational since its debut in 2019. The field consisted of golfers who won their respective high school state championships as a team or as an individual from large, small, private or public schools.