There are seven amateurs competing in the first women’s major championship of 2023, and one of them has found her way near the top of the leaderboard.
Eila Galitsky, a 16-year-old from Thailand, shot 2-under 70 on Thursday during the opening round of the Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas. She was tied for third after the morning wave and is making noise, keeping herself in the hunt.
Galitsky shot the same score as Georgia Hall and was better than Brooke Henderson, Celine Boutier and others.
Here are five things you need to know about Galitsky:
Thailand’s Eila Galitsky won the Asia-Pacific Women’s Amateur. (Photo provided)
Galitsky was victorious last month in Singapore to earn an exemption. She won the Asia-Pacific Women’s Amateur by five shots over Korea’s Minsol Kim. That win also earned her spots in two other majors in 2023: the AIG Women’s Open as well as the Amundi Evian.
Galitsky became the first winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur since Atthaya Thitikul in 2018. She also holds citizenship in Canada.
Eila Galitsky tees off the 17th hole during the practice round of for the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo: Katie Goodale, USA Today)
Her victory in Singapore also earned her an invitation to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. She shot 76-73 at Champions Retreat Golf Club and missed the cut.
Galitsky hasn’t made a start in a major until this week, let alone an LPGA event. Not a bad first impression.
Galitsky entered the week ranked 125th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. She has two wins and four top-three finishes in five WAGR events this year.
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