America’s PPA Tour is not short of young talents. Anna Leigh Waters is only 19, and she is the most dominant and most consistent player on the Tour. And when Waters was steering the New Jersey 5s to their victory at MLP Austin on Sunday, June 14 – their second in the season – another teenager made a significant career move 1,600 miles away in Boise, Idaho.
14-year-old Kelly Goodnow has become the youngest gold medalist in PPA Tour history at the Boise PPA Challenger, edging past a record previously held by Waters herself. Waters had set the benchmark at the 2021 Takeya Showcase when she captured the women’s singles title at 14 years and six months of age.
Goodnow, at 14 years and three months, has now rewritten that milestone following her title-winning performance in the women’s doubles category.
Goodnow and her partner Carlota Trevino stunned top-seeded duo of Jalina Ingram and Lindsey Newman in a demanding three-game battle to reach the final.
In the championship match, the teenage duo maintained their momentum and defeated Chloe Igleski and Marianna Petrei in straight games (11-5, 11-7), sealing the title.
Although this was Goodnow’s first professional title, her rise has been steady. Earlier this season, she had already shown her potential by claiming a silver medal at the Black Desert PPA Challenger in May, where she had paired up with fellow 13-year-old Elsie Hendershot.
Her win in Boise, therefore, marked a significant moment, pointing to her continuous rise as a teenager, who showed great composure and calm mindset even when playing against players much senior and more experienced than her.
“It’s just so awesome to finally be able to get a gold,” Goodnow said after her victory in Boise.
In February this year, Goodnow became one of the youngest players ever to be signed by the PPA Tour. A two-time PPA junior world champion, Goodnow played tennis since she was four years old and has a 6 handicap in golf.
