Kiara Romero makes history with second straight McCormack Medal win

Kiara Romero has cemented her status as the world’s leading women’s amateur golfer after winning the Mark H McCormack Medal for a second successive year.

The 20-year-old from San Jose, California, held off Spain’s Paula Martín Sampedro to retain the prestigious award, which is jointly presented by the USGA and The R&A to the leading player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

Romero’s reward includes exemptions into the 2027 US Women’s Open at Inverness Club and the 2027 AIG Women’s Open at Royal St George’s, provided she remains an amateur.

She has already secured her place in next year’s US Women’s Open after an outstanding tied-sixth finish at Riviera in June, where she also claimed low-amateur honours.

“I’m proud to win this award for a second time,” Romero said. “I feel like all my hard work is paying off. I think these last few years I’ve just been playing really well, enjoying stress-free golf and having fun out there. It’s been amazing.”

Her 2026 season has been another remarkable one. Romero starred at the US Women’s Open, finished tied-fourth at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April and made her Curtis Cup debut as the USA defeated Great Britain & Ireland at Bel-Air in June.

She has also continued to rewrite the record books at the University of Oregon.

Romero became the first three-time WGCA first-team All-American in Oregon women’s golf history, earning the honour in 2024, 2025 and 2026. She also holds the programme record for career individual victories with six, including wins at the Chevron Collegiate and Charles Schwab Women’s Collegiate Invitational this season.

Her 2025-26 scoring average of 69.23 was another Oregon single-season record, extending a run in which she has set the programme’s lowest scoring average in each of her first three seasons.

“Kiara has again enjoyed a hugely consistent year, performing at a high level in a number of leading amateur championships and impressing in major championships alongside the world’s best professionals,” said Grant Moir, Chief Global Golf Alliance Officer at The R&A.

Watch our latest episode of Her Game?

USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer added that Romero’s performances at Riviera and her contribution to the victorious Curtis Cup team demonstrated “the calibre of player she has become”.

Romero has now made six major championship appearances and represented the USA three times in the Arnold Palmer Cup. She also won the US Girls’ Junior Amateur in 2023.

She becomes the first back-to-back women’s McCormack Medal winner since Rose Zhang, who claimed the award three years in a row from 2020-22.

The McCormack Medal is named after Mark H McCormack, founder of IMG and a major supporter of amateur golf. The WAGR, supported by Rolex, was launched in 2007 for men and expanded to include a women’s ranking in 2011.