Stanford, CA - Xin (Cindy) Kou of Whittier, California, ran away with her fourth AJGA Invitational win. The University of Southern California commit won the AJGA Girls Invitational at Stanford with rounds of 69 - 64 - 71 for a tournament total of 9-under-par 204.
Make that four.
— AJGA (@AJGAGolf) September 7, 2020
Kou wins her fourth AJGA Invitational at #StanfordInv pic.twitter.com/FiavirbYW8
The AJGA Girls Invitational at Stanford marks Kou's return to competitive golf. The 2021 grad has not played a competitive round of golf since August 2019 at the Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational, which was also played at the Stanford Golf Course. She betters her T7 finish at the course last year by 8 strokes.
It feels amazing. It feels really good to be back after a year of no competition. Focusing on each shot. Focusing on each target and the process. I think that's the most important thing.
With her win this weekend Kou jumps up the all-time win list to T8 with 10 career AJGA wins. She is now tied with Amanda Blumenherst (2002-05), Emma Talley (2006-11), and Yueer Cindy Feng (2008-10).
Invitational win number 4 and already looking for more.
— AJGA (@AJGAGolf) September 8, 2020
Kou (-9) #StanfordInv Champion pic.twitter.com/ucU9pe1x4e
One stroke back of Kou at 8-under-par 205, Brooke Biermann of Wildwood, Missouri, finished the tournament solo second. The Michigan State University commit carded a 1-under-par 70 to come within one stroke of the lead. This is the 2021 graduates best finish in her four AJGA invitational starts.
Lucy Yuan of (Canada) San Diego, California, finished solo third at 2-under-par 211 in her first non Junior All-Star invitational debut. The 14-year-old is already a two-time AJGA champion. Her most recent win came at the 2020 AJGA Stan Utley and Mid-America Youth Golf Foundation Junior All-Star.
The top-ten was rounded out by:
- T4 - Jaclyn LaHa of Pleasanton, California
- T4 - Sydney Sung of Palo Alto, California
- T6 - Sophie Zhang-Murphy of Saratoga, California
- T6 - Frances Kim of Rolling Hills Estate, California
- T6 - Zoe Antoinette Campos of Valencia, California
- T6 - Grace Summerhays of Scottsdale, Arizona
- T10 - Amari Avery of Riverside, California
- T10 - Leigh Chien of Irvine, California
- T10 - Kelly Xu of Claremont, California