Lila Galea'i, returning to the Copper Rock Championship in 2024 as a sponsor exemption, made a striking impact in her 2023 debut. The BYU golfer and 2021 Women's State Amateur champion showcased her formidable talent in the LPGA Epson Tour, clinching a tie for 29th place with consistent score improvements and strategic plays, highlighting her potential in the professional golf landscape.
Bio
Lila Galeai graduated early from Lehi High School to begin her collegiate career at BYU during the 2020-21 season. The highly recruited freshman played in seven events during the 2020-21 season, accumulating three consecutive top-25 finishes including taking ninth at the BYU Spring Classic, 15th at the Lone Star Invitational and 18th at the WCC Championship.
In her second year with the program, Galeai earned a start in each of the Cougars 11 events and recording six top-25 finishes, three top-15s and two top-3 finishes. The sophomore also finished in a tie for first at the Dick McGuire Invitational with rounds of 66-70-70—206 for a 10-under par total.
The Orem, Utah product has teed it up in all five of the Cougars fall event, concluding the fall season with three-straight top-25 finishes. In the final event of the fall, Galeai earned an eighth-place finish at the Miami Hurricane Invitational after shooting 69-72-72—213 for a 3-under par 54-hole total.
Before her time as a Cougar, Galeai won two state championships with the Lehi Pioneers, was named the 2019 and 2020 UJGA Player of the Year and won the 2019 FCG Callaway World Championship in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
In 2021, the junior teamed up with Kareen Larson to win the Utah Women’s Four Ball Championship as well as taking home the prestigious 115th Utah Women’s State Amateur Championship.
Lila received the BYU exemption for the 2023 Copper Rock Championship. She made the cut and finished T29! Lila won the Utah State Women’s Amateur in July after competing in the Copper Rock Championship.