It’s been a summer to remember for former JGAA golfer Kaitlyn Helm, who is stacking milestones at an impeccable pace.
Fresh off completing her freshman season at Washington State University, the Litchfield Park native opened her summer by punching her ticket to the 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, qualifying alongside fellow JGAA alum Taylor Wilczek (St. Mary’s University) for a spot in the elite national field. The tournament heads to The Honors Course in August — one of the sport’s premier amateur stages.
Helm didn’t stop there. Earlier this month, she claimed her first Kachina trophy at the 2026 Arizona Women’s Match Play Championship at Wickenburg Ranch Golf & Social Club — her tournament debut, and a title that had been a longtime goal.
The path to the trophy wasn’t easy. Helm opened with three days of pod-style match play, winning twice and halving her third match to advance into the bracket. From there, she took down local competitor Samantha Postillion 4 & 3 in the semifinal round before closing out the championship with a 4-under-par effort through 17 holes in the finals — a round she described as staying “cool, calm, and collected” throughout.
Fittingly, her final-match opponent was a familiar face: Ashley Shaw, a fellow Litchfield Park product the two have squared off against for years on the junior circuit.
Helm credited her composure for carrying her through the week. “I think there were really no nerves going into it,” she said, crediting a mindset focused on hitting good shots and trusting her putts.
With a Kachina now in hand and a U.S. Women’s Amateur berth on the calendar, Helm heads back to Pullman for her sophomore season at Washington State carrying serious momentum. She’ll take that confidence into a demanding college schedule before returning to national competition in August.
The JGAA congratulates Kaitlyn on a summer that continues to build on a decorated junior career — and looks forward to following her run at The Honors Course.
