Qualifier: Shot 75-70--145 at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.) Golf Club on May 11

The Los Angeles, Calif., native will make her second consecutive U.S. Women's Open start after surviving a 3-for-2 playoff at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.) Golf Club on May 11. Kong rallied from an opening-round 75 to card a 2-under 70 to share medalist honors with Liqi Zeng and amateur Kuree Little. After qualifying to play at Erin Hills in 2025, Kong earned an exemption into the U.S. Girls' Junior, where she advanced to the quarterfinals. In August, she claimed the California Women's Amateur as well as advanced to the Round of 16 in the U.S. Women's Amateur at Bandon Dunes. Kong just completed her sophomore season at the University of California-Irvine, where she posted four top-10 finishes, but did not qualify for postseason play. Kong graduated from Notre Dame High School in the San Fernando Valley not far from The Riviera Country Club.  She did qualify for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state finals as a freshman in 2021. She also competed in this year's Augusta National Women's Amateur.