Ingrid Lindblad wins Mark H. McCormack medal as world’s top female amateur

Ingrid Lindblad, who’s set to begin her fifth season at LSU this fall, has been named winner of the Mark H. McCormack medal, the United States Golf Association and R&A announced Wednesday.

The McCormack medal is given to the leading female player in the 2023 World Amateur Golf Ranking. Rose Zhang won the past three McCormack medals.

Lindblad receives exemptions into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania as well as the 2024 AIG Women’s Open at the Old Course at St. Andrews.  

“It’s an honor to receive this medal,” Lindblad said in a release. “Looking back at past recipients, it’s amazing to see what they have accomplished and to join them on this list. I am honored to have received this award and I believe it’s a receipt of all the hard work I’ve put into this game” 

Lindblad has had a stellar college career, winning 11 times for LSU, including the 2022 SEC individual championship, as well as two SEC Player of the Year honors. In that time, she has earned 33 top-10 finishes and is a four-time All-SEC team selection. She was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 2020. She’s a four-time Golfweek first-team All-American.

In addition, Lindblad has shined on the international stage. She won the 2021 European Ladies Amateur Championship and earned low-amateur honors at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open with a T-11 finish that included a first-round 65, setting the all-time amateur scoring record for the championship. She won the World Amateur Team Championship with Sweden in 2022, earned a runner-up finish at the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur and a runner-up finish at the 2023 European Ladies Amateur. She has competed in six major championships, making the cut in two.  

With the award, Lindblad becomes the first golfer, male or female, from Sweden to win the McCormack Medal. 

The R&A and the USGA co-award the McCormack Medal annually. It is named after Mark H. McCormack, who founded the sports marketing company IMG and was a great supporter of amateur golf.