Yurang Li (Baylor) Secures her First Win with the Bears
[Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i] Three players began the morning tied for the lead heading into the final round of the 2025 Rainbow Wahine Invitational at the award-winning Ocean Course Hokuala — but by the end of the day, it was Baylor University’s Yurang Li who stood alone atop the leaderboard.
Baylor entered the final round three shots behind Santa Clara but quickly closed the gap. Li went 2-under on the front nine, while teammate Malena Castro sparked momentum with an eagle on the par-5 4th hole. By the conclusion of the 54-hole event, Team Baylor surged ahead to claim the championship title at 14-under par, finishing ten strokes clear of both Santa Clara and Missouri, who shared second place at 4-under. Today’s win marks Baylor’s third win in four years of competing in this event (2021, 2023 and now 2025).
Baylor Head Coach Jay Goble reflected on the week, saying, “The Ocean Course Hokuala is absolutely stunning – those finishing holes along the ocean are incredible. I don’t think we’ve ever seen a more beautiful spot to play golf.” He added, “Our girls love the vibe in Hawai‘i. We’ve done well at this event over the years, and when you combine good energy here on Kaua‘i with solid golf, it makes for a great recipe for success.”
Li, a transfer to Baylor, captured her first collegiate victory with the Bears in commanding fashion, pulling away on the back nine along Hawai‘i’s longest stretch of oceanfront golf at Hokuala. After birdieing the par-4 11th, she went par-par before igniting with four consecutive birdies on holes 14 through 17 to seal the win. She then calmly parred the 18th — the same hole that challenged her in Round 2 — to complete her redemption and secure the trophy.
Li’s final-round 65 and 204 tournament total (54 holes) both set new career lows, with her 65 also establishing a new Baylor women’s program record.
Goble continued, “I walked all day with Yurang and I saw some of the best golf I’ve ever seen — and I’ve been coaching for more than 20 years.” He added, “Li got into a zone today; she was making every putt she stood over. It was incredible.”
Li finished her final round with seven birdies and no bogeys, a flawless performance that capped off a dominant showing for Baylor in paradise.
Eastern Michigan University’s Jasmine Leovao made a late charge up the leaderboard, carding a 4-under par final round to finish alone in second place. With birdies on her final two holes, the senior transfer from Long Beach edged out Baylor’s Silje Ohma by a single stroke. This marks Leovao’s third top-five finish of the season – she previously advanced to NCAA Regionals all three years while competing for Long Beach.
Ohma, Kelsey Kim (Santa Clara), and Ebba Leljeberg (Missouri) shared third at even-par, 1-under par, and 3-under par respectively. Leljeberg rebounded from a rough start, going 3-under on the back nine to help Missouri secure its share of second place as a team — her second top-five finish of the season, including one individual title. Teammate Addie Dobson added a steady 1-under round to bolster the Tigers’ team score.
Kim remained steady for Santa Clara and was the only Bronco to finish under par in the final round. Despite holding the lead entering the day, the Broncos ultimately fell short as Baylor’s strong finish propelled them decisively to the top of the leaderboard.
Other Notables:
- Leia Chung, originally from Hawaii, playing for Boise State shot an impressive 4-under par today to finish T11 at 1-under, top of her team
- Host University’s Jasmine Wong was 1-under today and finished T17, leading team Hawaii
TOURNAMENT FACTS
Dates: October 20–22, 2025
Venue: Ocean Course at Hōkūala
Location: Lihu‘e, Kaua‘i
Yardage (Par): 5,929 (72)
Format: 54 holes; 18 holes each day; 5-count-4
Tee Times: 9:30 a.m. HT Monday and Tuesday; 9:00 a.m. HT Wednesday
Live Scoring: SCOREBOARD
Host: Hawai‘i
2024 Champion: Colorado State (841; -23)
2024 Individual Champion: Lacey Uchida, Colorado State (204; -12)
About Ocean Course at Hōkūala
Home to the longest continuous stretch of oceanfront holes in the state of Hawai‘i, the Ocean Course was named one of the “World’s Most Beautiful Golf Courses” by MSN Travel. The 18-hole golf course is part of Timbers Kaua‘i Ocean Club & Residences, a private residential club which opened in 2018 on the island’s southeast coast. Timbers Kaua‘i sits on a 450-acre natural amphitheater and offers unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean, Kalapaki Bay and Hā‘upu Mountain Range. Website | Facebook | Instagram
About Troon
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at 900-plus locations in 45-plus states and 35-plus countries, including operational responsibility for 575-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 600-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, Peter Burwash International, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design, Casa Verde Golf, ICON Management and Eventive Sports. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com.
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