Three British Columbia golfers have earned 2026 Player of the Year honours from the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA), with Surrey's Lauren Kim and Tiger Xie and Langley's Clairey Lin recognized following outstanding seasons.
Lauren Kim was named Women's Player of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, adding to her PNGA Junior Girls' Player of the Year honours in 2022 and 2023. The University of Texas senior, whose home club is Morgan Creek Golf Course in Surrey, recorded six collegiate top-10 finishes this season and was runner-up at the Canadian Women's Amateur, a championship she previously won in 2023. She also competed in two LPGA majors, the U.S. Women's Open and Amundi Evian Championship, as well as her third Augusta National Women's Amateur.
Tiger Xie earned Junior Boys' Player of the Year after capturing both the Canadian Junior Boys' and Juvenile Boys' titles in August, becoming just the 13th player to win both divisions in the same year. His season also included a memorable victory closer to home at the NextGen Pacific Championship in Parksville, where he chipped in for eagle on the second playoff hole to claim the title at Morningstar Golf Club. Xie also finished 17th at the Canadian Men's Amateur.
Clairey Lin was named Junior Girls' Player of the Year following a season highlighted by her victory at the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship. The Langley golfer followed fellow Canadian Aphrodite Deng's 2025 victory, marking the first time in USGA history that Canadians have won the same championship in consecutive years. Lin also made the cut in her CPKC Women's Open debut and tied for third at the World Junior Girls Championship, where she opened with a 5-under 66 that matched the women's competitive course record at Brampton Golf Club.
Lin's selection marks the fifth consecutive year a BC golfer has received the PNGA Junior Girls' Player of the Year honour.
The PNGA recognizes eight Players of the Year annually, selected by its Championship Committee from nominations submitted by member golf associations.
Read the full PNGA announcement and learn more about the 2026 recipients.