TAMPA, Fla. – Emma McKoan, of Naples, took her first swings at the age of six. She and her twin sister would often join their father at the golf course, where they turned divot filling into a competitive sport. McKoan initially took golf lessons for fun, as she also explored other sports such as tennis. It wasn't until she was ten years old that she decided to focus on competitive golf.
Her first FJT event was in February of 2022, the FJT Ocala Open (9-12), where McKoan shot 79-80. Fast forward to 2024, her latest and greatest accomplishment was clinching the victory at the 65th Girls’ Junior Championship, where she shot rounds of 69-68-70. To say that McKoan has made some serious advancements over these past two years would be an understatement.
Reflecting on her golf journey thus far, McKoan remarked “I was watching LPGA and I was seeing even Tiger and everyone on the PGA Tour, I was seeing everyone winning and having their moments and how much it meant to them.” She reminisced about how much work they put in, which is ultimately what made her fall in love with the sport– the time and effort they put in to capture a victory stood out to her as truly special.
McKoan was able to step in the shoes of some of her role models during the 65th Girls’ Junior, when she completed a remarkable sweep by securing both the overall championship and the title in the 13-15 division. Her victory earned her a spot at the 75th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, scheduled for July 15-20 at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, California.
When she was asked how special this win was to her, she said “It felt really good, and it meant a lot to me because that was really one of my first bigger wins. And then I felt that all my hard work was paying off.” McKoan went on, “And especially winning in a playoff …it shows that I can play with a lot of the better girls because this had some of the best competition in Florida.”
Prior to her victory at the Girls’ Junior, McKoan made it to the round of 16 at the 95th Women’s Amateur Championship. McKoan stated that this was a great confidence booster going into the Girls’ Junior, as she was competing against collegiate players.
Fourteen-year-old McKoan has competed in seven FSGA events so far this year and hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in a single event. Such accomplishments underscore the robust support system she has. When asked about the key to her success, McKoan graciously acknowledged her supportive family and team for their unwavering encouragement.
She also shouted out her steadfast commitment to bettering her game. McKoan expressed “Even when I didn't feel like practicing or I wasn't winning a lot, I just decided that eventually, things will happen, putts will drop, more greens, more fairways, more birdies, stuff like that.” McKoan continued, “I was seeing a lot of my friends winning and I was really happy for them, but I wanted to win as well. So I just decided to, I just, I would owe this to just sticking with my process and just keep on working hard and never giving up.”
McKoan explained that playing in FSGA events has been crucial in her success, “I think they [FSGA] have helped prepare me for bigger tournaments, including the U.S. girls because of the amazing fields and courses that we get to play.” She stated how the courses picked for FSGA tournaments are longer and harder than what she is used to playing, which is suited perfectly for her preparation for the U.S. Girls’ Junior.
McKoan gave voice to exactly what she has been doing to prepare for this USGA event- “I was basically just doing what I do in normal practice as well as just studying some of the courses and using different clubs for different shots and trying to gauge what you'll get in a usual USGA event which would be hard greens, fast greens, and longer courses.”
While McKoan's 2024 season has been impressive, she remains focused on achieving more goals before the year concludes. Her aspirations include lowering her scores and consistently performing well in major tournaments, all while maintaining her disciplined approach and striving for consistency.
McKoan's passion for golf stems from its challenging nature and rewarding outcomes. In her final remarks, McKoan added that one of her biggest goals would be to continue to grow her game. She stated, “I love this game, I’m here for the long run.”
