Lee had an outstanding year, most recently topped by a semifinal appearance at the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. Two weeks prior, the rising Stanford senior earned a third-place finish at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. Earlier in the summer, she was one of five amateurs to make the cut in the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open at the Country Club of Charleston. Additionally, Lee spent seven weeks as the No. 1 player in WAGR this past year, and spent most of the past two years ranked inside the top five.

“To receive the McCormack Medal is such a great honor, and is one of the most rewarding achievements of my amateur career,” said Lee. “It goes to show that all of my hard work throughout this past year has really paid off, and to be at the top of the rankings is a very surreal feeling. This will only serve as further motivation to continue to work towards my goals in this game.”

Lee is one of the most decorated golfers in Stanford history, having tied the school record with eight individual victories. She earned first-team WGCA All-America honors for the third straight year, and was one of five finalists for the Annika Award, annually given to the outstanding women’s player of the year. Lee has been a member of two USA Curtis Cup Teams, including last summer’s record-setting USA victory at Quaker Ridge Golf Club.

The USGA and The R&A co-award the McCormack Medal annually. It is named after Mark H. McCormack, who founded sports marketing company IMG and was a great supporter of amateur golf.

“On behalf of the USGA, our most sincere congratulations to Andrea Lee for earning the prestigious McCormack Medal,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director of Championships. “We’ve already watched Andrea compete in 16 USGA championships over her young but impressive golf career, and have always admired her poise, talent and passion for the game. She has represented the USA in an exemplary way during team competitions and we look forward to continuing to watch her golf career blossom.”

“Andrea has excelled over the last year and her results show that she is a worthy winner of the McCormack Medal,” said Duncan Weir, executive director – Golf Development and Amateur Championships. “We wish to congratulate Andrea on this wonderful achievement as she follows in the footsteps of Lydia Ko, Minjee Lee, Leona Maguire and Jennifer Kupcho as a recipient of this award.”

The World Amateur Golf Ranking, which is supported by Rolex, was established in 2007 when the men’s ranking was launched. The men’s ranking encompasses more than 2,800 counting events, ranking 6,400 players from 106 countries. The women’s ranking was launched in 2011 and has a calendar of more than 1,650 counting events with more than 3,300 ranked players from 78 countries.

About WAGR^TM

The World Amateur Golf Ranking^™, which comprises a women’s ranking and a men’s ranking for elite amateur players, is offered by The R&A and the USGA as a global service to golf. Through incorporation and assessment worldwide of both amateur and professional events, WAGR encourages the international development of the competitive game. The ranking endeavors to be the most comprehensive and accurate ranking in golf by effectively comparing players from around the world who may never directly compete against one another. It is available to national federations and organizers of amateur and professional events and tours as a criterion for tournament field selection and for purposes of exemptions, national team selection, and orders of merit.

About The Mark H. McCormack Medal

The award is named after Mark H. McCormack, the late founder of sports marketing company IMG and an avid supporter of amateur golf. The Mark H. McCormack Medal is awarded to the player ranked No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking^™ after the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship or the European Ladies’ Amateur Championship, whichever concludes last. Established in 2007, the same award goes to the player leading the men’s ranking after the European Amateur Championship or U.S. Amateur Championship, whichever concludes last.

Previous Winners

Women: 2018 Jennifer Kupcho (USA), 2017, 2016, 2015 Leona Maguire (IRE), 2014 Minjee Lee (AUS), 2013, 2012, 2011 Lydia Ko (NZL)

Men: 2018 Braden Thornberry (USA), 2017 Joaquin Niemann (Chile), 2016 Maverick McNealy (USA), 2015 Jon Rahm-Rodriguez (SPA), 2014 Oliver Schniederjans (USA), 2013 Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG), 2012 Chris Williams (USA), 2011 Patrick Cantlay (USA), 2010 Peter Uihlein (USA), 2009 Nick Taylor (CAN), 2008 Danny Lee (NZL), 2007 Colt Knost (USA)

About the USGA
The USGA celebrates, serves and advances the game of golf. Founded in 1894, we conduct many of golf’s premier professional and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open. With The R&A, we govern the sport via a global set of playing, equipment and amateur status rules. Our operating jurisdiction for these governance functions is the United States, its territories and Mexico. The USGA Handicap System is utilized in more than 40 countries and our Course Rating System covers 95 percent of the world’s golf courses, enabling all golfers to play on an equitable basis. The USGA campus in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, is home to the Association’s Research and Test Center, where science and innovation are fueling a healthy and sustainable game for the future. The campus is also home to the USGA Golf Museum, where we honor the game by curating the world’s most comprehensive archive of golf artifacts. To learn more, visit usga.org.

About The R&A
Based in St Andrews, The R&A runs The Open, elite amateur events, international matches and rankings. Together The R&A and the USGA govern the sport of golf worldwide, operating in separate jurisdictions but sharing a commitment to a single code for the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status and Equipment Standards. The R&A, through R&A Rules Ltd, governs the sport worldwide, outside of the United States and Mexico, on behalf of over 36 million golfers in 143 countries and with the consent of 156 organizations from amateur and professional golf.

The R&A is committed to working for golf and supports the growth of the sport internationally and the development and management of sustainable golf facilities.  For more information, visit www.randa.org.