Yinuo Yan, an Iowa State University women’s golf standout from Ames, capped a memorable 2026 season by earning Iowa Golf Association Women’s Player of the Year honors. Yan’s campaign featured a historic double, as she captured both the Iowa Women’s Amateur Championship and the IGA Women’s Match Play Championship, becoming the first player in IGA history to win both titles in the same season.

Yan’s breakthrough summer began at Talons Golf in Ankeny, where she claimed the IGA Women’s Match Play Championship in her first IGA start. After advancing through the bracket, Yan defeated Karli Kerrigan of Des Moines 2 up in the semifinals before taking down Marion’s Morgan Rupp 3&1 in the championship match. Yan seized control early with a birdie on the first hole and pulled away late with consecutive birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to secure the title.

Just three days later, Yan carried that momentum into the 102nd Iowa Women’s Amateur Championship at Hyperion Field Club, where she delivered another standout performance. Holding a three-shot lead entering the final round, Yan battled through a challenging start before making three birdies on the back nine to finish at six-under-par 210 (67-70-73). She found herself in a playoff with fellow Iowa State teammate Nichakorn Pinprayoon, who matched Yan’s 54-hole total with a final-round 68.

On the first playoff hole, Yan made a clutch par on the par-4 18th to secure the championship and add another major title to her résumé. The victory earned her an exemption into the 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, where she advanced to the Round of 64, gaining valuable experience against a national field.

Yan’s ability to deliver in both stroke-play and match-play formats distinguished her season. Her Iowa Women’s Amateur victory required resilience under pressure, while her run through the IGA Women’s Match Play bracket showcased her ability to build leads and close out opponents in head-to-head competition.

Those accomplishments proved decisive in the Player of the Year race. Yan finished 270 points ahead of runner-up Fiona Watson, who earned IGA Senior Player of the Year honors, to secure the women’s award.

With two of the IGA’s premier women’s championships in the same season, a historic achievement in Iowa golf and a run to the Round of 64 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur, Yan established herself as one of the standout performers in the state in 2026. Her remarkable summer earned her Iowa Golf Association Women’s Player of the Year recognition and added another milestone to her career as a member of the Iowa State women’s golf program.

Fiona Watson put together an exceptional 2026 season, earning Iowa Golf Association Senior Women’s Player of the Year honors after a campaign highlighted by three USGA championship appearances and a strong showing across the IGA Women’s Mid-Am Series. Watson’s accomplishments on both the state and national stages helped her edge Rose Kubesheski by just 45 points to claim the award.

Watson’s season was highlighted by qualifying for three prestigious USGA championships: the U.S. Women’s Senior Open, the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. Her performance at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur was particularly notable, as she advanced to match play as the No. 18 seed, demonstrating her ability to compete against a deep national field.

Alongside her success in national qualifying, Watson was a consistent contender in IGA Women’s Mid-Am Series competition. She captured victories in Event No. 1 and Event No. 3, winning the latter alongside partner Tish Boothe. Watson and Boothe also teamed up for a runner-up finish in Event No. 2, giving the duo an impressive record across the three-event series.

The combination of individual success, strong performances with Boothe and opportunities to compete on the national stage made Watson’s season one to remember. Her ability to qualify for three USGA championships while collecting two Mid-Am Series victories provided the foundation for her Player of the Year campaign.

The Senior Women’s Player of the Year race came down to a narrow margin, with Watson finishing just 45 points ahead of Kubesheski. In a competitive season-long race, her collection of accomplishments proved just enough to secure the honor.

With three USGA championship appearances, a match-play qualification at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and multiple victories in IGA Women’s Mid-Am Series play, Watson delivered an outstanding 2026 campaign. Her combination of national-level achievement and consistent state-level success earned her Iowa Golf Association Senior Women’s Player of the Year recognition.