Largest field in tournament history will feature
23 countries and 72 competitors
Mississauga, Ont. – With less than a month to go until the start of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, the field of participating countries is now set. The ninth playing of the world championship will feature a record, 23 counties and 72 players competing at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. from September 30 – October 5.
In total, 24 teams will battle for the team championship while also competing for individual honours, with the individual champion earning an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont., August 18-24, 2025.
Team Canada 1 will be defending the championship after a thrilling final round in 2023 which saw them push ahead of the Republic of Korea to win the title for the first time in tournament history. Canada will be represented with two teams again this year and rosters for both teams will be announced at a later date.
Joining Canada are past champions, Italy (2018), Republic of Korea (2015, 2019), Spain (2017, 2022) and the United States (2014). In the eight-year history of the tournament, aside from the host nation, six other countries have participated in every tournament including: Denmark, England, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Sweden.
The Republic of Korea are the most successful team in tournament history. In addition to two championships, the team has also finished in second on three occasions (2016, 2017, 2023).
Sweden have finished on the podium on four occasions including two runner-up finishes (2014, 2022) and two third place finishes (2015, 2017). The United States have also earned a second-place finish (2018) and third place finish (2016) along with being the inaugural champions. In addition to tournament wins, Team Canada 1 and Italy have also earned a third-place finish in 2014 and 2019 respectively.
This year’s tournament will mark the debut of Hong Kong, China and Morocco who will both be competing for the first time. Last year’s tournament saw the first appearances from Iceland, Peru and Poland. All three countries are returning this year.
This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship is highlighted by Soomin Oh from the Republic of Korea (Korea). Oh, was part of Korea’s runner-up finish last year in Brampton, Ont. and also finished in third in the individual competition. Oh, is currently ranked no. 14 on the World Amateur Rankings (WAGR). Teammate Seojin Park also returns this year and is currently ranked no. 68 on WAGR. The United States are represented by Gianna Clemente (no. 23), Nikki Oh (no. 128) and Scarlett Schremmer (no. 211). Alice Kong of France will also be competing in Mississauga and currently is ranked no. 150.
Team Canada will be represented by Shauna Liu, Aphrodite Deng, Clairey Lin, Lindsay McGrath, Nobelle Park and Eileen Park. Lin of Langley, B.C., McGrath of Oakville, Ont., Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont. and Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. all earned their places through a qualifying tournament last month. Liu of Maple, Ont. and Deng of Calgary, Alta. secured their exemptions to Team Canada prior to the qualifying tournament. Liu earned her exemption following her win at the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship while Deng earned her exemption as being the low eligible Canadian on the WAGR as of August 7. Deng was no. 175, she has since improved to no. 171 and is Canada’s lowest ranked player. The rosters for Team Canada will be announced at a later date.
A number of players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Championship have gone on great success on the LPGA Tour, led by Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 13-time LPGA winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, who finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship hosted in 2014.
Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. 2023 CPKC Women’s Open winner, Megan Khang of the United States competed in the inaugural tournament in 2014. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Sweden. Hye-Jin Choi from the Republic of Korea won both the 2015 team and individual championship at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and has earned a number of runner-up finishes on the LPGA Tour including the 2022 CPKC Women’s Open.
Credit Valley Golf and Country Club will play host for the world championship and boasts a challenging 18-hole Robbie Robinson designed parkland course. Nestled alongside the winding Credit River and the natural setting of the valley, it offers members a hidden golf and country club oasis within the bustling cityscape of Mississauga.
The following is a list of competing countries in the ninth annual World Junior Girls Championship:
Belgium
Canada (Team Canada 1 and Team Canada 2)
Chinese Taipei
Colombia
Czechia
Denmark
England
Finland
France
Germany
Hong Kong, China
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Mexico
Morocco
Peru
Poland
Republic of Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United States of America
Practice rounds for the 72-hole competition will take place September 30 and October 1 with the first round of play set for Wednesday, October 2. The tournament’s closing ceremony will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Saturday, October 5.
Admission to 2024 World Junior Girls Championship is free for all spectators.