Alena Li: 46th Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur Champion

By Greg Johnson

Alena Li of Okemos looks forward to playing in the Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur Championship each year, and this year she firmly set her sights on winning the 46th edition of it.

Mission accomplished.

The 16-year-old senior-to-be at Okemos High School topped Macie Elzinga of Byron Center 5 and 4 in the championship match at Michigan State University’s Forest Akers West Golf Course.

With the title, Li added her name to the Wright Memorial Trophy and also earned an exemption into the U.S. Girls Junior Amateur Championship later this summer at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, Calif.

“It’s a really big accomplishment, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Li said of winning the state championship for girls. “I was the (stroke play) medalist last year and I lost in match play (the semifinals) and I was disappointed. I’m really excited and very honored to win this year. It was a huge goal of mine to win and I’m so glad to finally be able to do that.”