Elizabeth Szokol Bio
Elizabeth Nicole Szokol is an American professional golfer and a member of the LPGA Tour. Born on June 17, 1995, in Winnetka, Illinois, she plays at the highest level of women’s golf and has recorded competitive results across the Symetra Tour and the LPGA Tour. After turning professional in 2017, Szokol earned her tour card through strong play on the development circuit and has since posted multiple top-10 finishes in major championships.
Early Life and Background
Elizabeth Nicole Szokol was born on June 17, 1995, in Winnetka, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago. As a young athlete, she played several sports, including softball and tennis, but recurring injuries shaped the path that led her to golf. She underwent her first knee surgery at age 12, and the recovery time away from other sports opened the door to a new pursuit.
Szokol first picked up golf at 14 during the downtime from her injuries, and she quickly showed promise. She led her high school team to the 2010 Illinois State Championship, an early signal of her competitive ability. In 2012, she added the Illinois Women’s Amateur Championship to her résumé, establishing herself as one of the top amateur players in the state before her college years.
Path to Professional Golf
Szokol attended Northwestern University from 2012 to 2014, where she balanced academics and athletics at a high level. In her sophomore year, she earned Academic All-Big Ten honors and was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten for her play. At the 2013 Big Ten Championships, she helped the Wildcats tie for first and claim a share of the first Big Ten Conference title in program history.
Seeking a new opportunity for her junior year, Szokol transferred to the University of Virginia, where she continued to excel in the classroom and on the course. She was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Golf All-Academic Team in her senior year, a reflection of her commitment to both academics and competition. She left Virginia ready to test herself as a professional, and she turned pro in 2017.
Elizabeth Szokol Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Szokol began her professional career on the Symetra Tour in 2017, the developmental circuit for the LPGA Tour. In her rookie season, she posted six top-10 finishes, including a runner-up result at the Four Winds Invitational. The steady play showed that her amateur form could translate to the professional game.
In 2018, Szokol built on that strong start with seven more top-10 finishes and her first professional victory at the IOA Invitational. She won by four strokes over Pajaree Anannarukarn, a margin that demonstrated her ability to close out a tournament. She finished fourth on the Symetra Tour Official Money List, which earned her full membership on the LPGA Tour for the 2019 season.
LPGA Tour Breakthrough (2019–2021)
Szokol made her LPGA Tour rookie season in 2019, where she played 20 events and made 10 cuts. Her best result that year came at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, where she tied for sixth. The season gave her valuable experience against the best players in the women’s game.
Her breakthrough came in 2021, when she posted three top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour. She finished as runner-up at the Marathon Classic in Ohio and placed third at the Cognizant Founders Cup in New Jersey. Following that strong summer, she rose into the top 100 of the Women’s World Golf Rankings for the first time, and she closed the year ranked 44th on the LPGA Tour Money List.
LPGA Tour Career Summary (2022–2025)
Szokol continued to compete on the LPGA Tour in the seasons that followed, building on the foundation of her 2021 results. Her consistent ball-striking and steady temperament helped her remain a regular presence in the field, and she recorded additional top-10 finishes in major championships during this period.
In November 2025, after missing the cut at The ANNIKA tournament, Szokol announced her retirement from the LPGA Tour. She departed the tour having earned one LPGA Tour victory and one Symetra Tour title, with several top-10 finishes in majors to her name.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of her career came at the 2018 IOA Invitational, where she captured her first professional title by four strokes. Her runner-up finish at the 2021 Marathon Classic and her third-place result at the Cognizant Founders Cup that same year marked her arrival as a contender on the LPGA Tour. Reaching the top 100 of the Women’s World Golf Rankings in 2021 was another milestone, reflecting the progress she had made since her rookie season.
Elizabeth Szokol Career Wins
Across her professional career, Elizabeth Nicole Szokol has recorded two verified victories, one on the Symetra Tour and one on the LPGA Tour. Her wins came during her early years as a professional, and she added several strong finishes at the highest level of women’s golf.
LPGA Tour Highlights
Szokol earned her first LPGA Tour victory during her time as a full member of the tour, capping years of steady progress on the development circuit. That win, combined with a runner-up at the 2021 Marathon Classic and a third-place finish at the 2021 Cognizant Founders Cup, highlighted her ability to compete near the top of the leaderboard.
Symetra Tour Highlights
Her first professional title came at the 2018 IOA Invitational on the Symetra Tour, where she won by four strokes over Pajaree Anannarukarn. The victory was part of a season in which she posted seven top-10 finishes and finished fourth on the Symetra Tour Official Money List, which secured her LPGA Tour card for 2019.
Elizabeth Szokol Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Elizabeth Nicole Szokol grew up in Winnetka, Illinois, in a family that supported her early involvement in multiple sports. Her experiences playing softball and tennis, and the injuries that followed, shaped her eventual move to golf at the age of 14.
Personal Life
Szokol has kept her personal life largely private, and public details about her family relationships are limited. Her commitment to academics was clear during her college years, when she earned Academic All-Big Ten honors at Northwestern and a spot on the ACC Women’s Golf All-Academic Team at the University of Virginia.
2025 Season Performance
Elizabeth Nicole Szokol competed on the LPGA Tour during the 2025 season, continuing her career as a full member of the tour. She appeared in multiple events through the fall portion of the schedule, posting scores in line with her career averages on the circuit.
Her final event of the 2025 season came at The ANNIKA tournament in November, where she did not make the cut. Following that result, Szokol announced her retirement from the LPGA Tour, bringing an end to her time as an active player on the tour.
Szokol’s 2025 campaign reflected the consistency that had defined her career, even as she stepped away from competitive play. Her legacy on the tour includes one LPGA Tour win, one Symetra Tour title, and a series of top-10 finishes in major championships that established her as a respected competitor in women’s golf.