Alena Li: GAM Junior Girls’ Player of the Year

By Greg Johnson

Alena Li sets goals that usually involve playing as well as possible each time out. 

“I want to win when I go to a tournament but I can still be happy when I don’t win if I played the best I could that day,” said the 15-year-old junior at Okemos High School. 

Li, the winner of the overall girls’ title in the GAM Junior Stroke Play Championship and a consistent top finisher through the season, has been named the 2023 Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Junior Girls’ Player of the Year. 

“I’m excited, it is an honor to be Player of the Year,” she said. “There are so many good players all around the state and they all play in the GAM tournaments. The tournaments are a lot of fun and challenging.” 

Li, a Youth on Course Michigan member of the GAM, opted to play with the older girls instead of in the 15-and-under age division when she won the GAM Junior Stroke Play title. That win helped her total 1,100 points for the season to top all junior girls. 

Lauren Timpf of Macomb, the Michigan Girls’ Junior State Amateur champion was second with 1,017.  Elise Fennell of Caledonia (800 points), Mia Melendez of Ann Arbor (682.5) and GAM Junior Kickoff winner Jessica Jolly of Rockford (617.5) rounded out the top five. 

Li said her top performances of the summer were in the Junior Stroke Play and in reaching the semifinals in match play at the Michigan Girls’ Junior State Amateur. 

“When I play my best I’m pretty accurate with my irons, and I hit a lot of good shots in those tournaments,” she said. “I worked hard on my short game all summer, and that’s where I improved the most, too.” 

Li is the daughter of Kun Li and Li Gao. She has worked with PGA teaching professional Jason Guss since she was about 10-years-old and hopes to one day play collegiate golf. 

 “Jason Guss has helped me a lot with my swing over the years,” she said. “I have been recruited a little by college coaches, but right now I’m still concentrating on my academics.”