Mina Kreiter Bio
Mina Harigae Kreiter is an American professional golfer who has been a steady presence on the LPGA Tour since 2010. She is best known for her runner-up finish at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open, the strongest major-championship result of her career. She now plays under her married name, Mina Kreiter, after marrying her former caddie, Travis Kreiter, in March 2023.
Born to Japanese parents and raised on California’s Monterey Peninsula, Kreiter has been a standout player from childhood. She joined the LPGA Tour as a 20-year-old in 2010 after dominating the developmental Futures Tour in 2009. Throughout her career, she has combined a smooth, accurate ball-striking game with the quiet consistency that has kept her competitive at the highest level of women’s golf.
Early Life and Background
Mina Harigae Kreiter was born on November 1, 1989, in Monterey, California. She grew up in a close-knit family of Japanese heritage on the Monterey Peninsula, a region with a strong golf culture. Her parents run a sushi restaurant in nearby Pacific Grove called Takara Sushi, and the family business kept her grounded during her early years in the sport.
Kreiter attended the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California, where she balanced a demanding academic program with a busy competitive golf schedule. She began playing golf at a young age and quickly demonstrated an unusual level of talent for her age group. Her parents encouraged her development, and the Monterey-area courses provided an ideal training ground for a young player refining her game.
After high school, Kreiter enrolled at Duke University, one of the most respected college golf programs in the country. She attended Duke before leaving after her freshman year to turn professional, a decision that reflected her confidence in her game and her readiness to compete at the next level.
Path to Professional Golf
Kreiter’s path to the LPGA Tour began with a remarkable amateur career in California. In 2001, at just 12 years old, she became the youngest winner of the California Women’s Amateur Championship. She went on to win the same event four consecutive years, from 2001 through 2005, establishing herself as one of the top young amateurs in the state.
In 2007, Kreiter won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, a national-level title that confirmed her status as an elite amateur. The victory drew national attention and signaled that she was ready to test herself against the strongest women golfers in the world. By the time she left Duke after one year, she had already built a résumé few amateurs her age could match.
Kreiter turned professional in 2009 and joined the Futures Tour, the LPGA Tour’s official developmental circuit. She won three times that season and finished as the tour’s leading money winner. She was named the Futures Tour Rookie of the Year and Futures Tour Player of the Year, earning her LPGA Tour membership for the 2010 season at the age of 20.
Mina Kreiter Career
Early Career (2009–2010)
Kreiter’s professional career began with one of the most productive seasons in Futures Tour history. Her three victories and her leading-money-winner finish in 2009 were enough to secure a spot on the LPGA Tour, a significant achievement for a player who had only recently completed her amateur career.
She made her LPGA Tour debut in 2010 and spent her first seasons learning the demanding travel schedule and varied course setups of the top women’s circuit. She also picked up wins on the Cactus Tour during this period, which helped sharpen her competitive rhythm between LPGA events.
LPGA Tour Breakthrough (2010–Present)
Kreiter’s breakthrough on the LPGA Tour came gradually, built on consistent ball-striking and steady play. She posted several top finishes in her early years, including a T32 at the 2013 Chevron Championship, and steadily worked her way up the tour’s performance rankings. By the early 2020s, she had become a reliable contender in major championships.
The defining moment of her LPGA Tour career arrived at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open, played at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club. Kreiter finished second, four strokes behind champion Minjee Lee, and earned a then career-best paycheck of $1,080,000. The runner-up result at one of women’s golf’s biggest events was the highest finish of her career and a clear sign of her growing comfort on the biggest stages.
She has continued to be a regular presence in major championships in the seasons since, including a T13 at the 2020 Women’s PGA Championship, a T13 at the 2021 Women’s British Open, and consistent made cuts across all five LPGA majors. Her major-championship résumé reflects a player who can compete with the best in the world when her game is on.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kreiter’s most notable career milestone is her 2022 U.S. Women’s Open runner-up finish, the best major-championship result of her career. She is also the youngest winner of the California Women’s Amateur Championship, a record she set in 2001 at the age of 12, and a four-time consecutive winner of the same event. In 2009, she swept the Futures Tour’s Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year awards, a rare double that highlighted her dominant season on the developmental circuit.
Mina Kreiter Career Wins
Kreiter has recorded eight professional wins across multiple tours. Her three Futures Tour victories in 2009 launched her LPGA career, and her additional wins on developmental circuits have helped keep her game sharp between major LPGA events.
LPGA Tour and Major Highlights
While Kreiter has not yet recorded a victory on the LPGA Tour, her major-championship résumé is highlighted by her second-place finish at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open. She has also recorded top finishes at the Women’s PGA Championship, the Women’s British Open, and the Evian Championship, and has made the cut in majors consistently since 2013.
Other Wins and Performances
Kreiter’s three Futures Tour wins came during her 2009 developmental season, and she has added four Cactus Tour wins and one additional professional win to her résumé. Combined, those eight titles reflect a player who has been able to win across multiple levels of professional golf.
Mina Kreiter Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Kreiter was born to Japanese parents who raised her on California’s Monterey Peninsula. Her parents run Takara Sushi, a Japanese restaurant in Pacific Grove, California, and the family business has been a steady presence throughout her career. Her Japanese heritage and her West Coast upbringing have shaped her identity as a player and as a public figure in the sport.
Personal Life
Kreiter married Travis Kreiter, her caddie, in March 2023. She has competed professionally as Mina Kreiter since 2024. The couple lives in Mesa, Arizona, a common base for LPGA Tour players looking for year-round access to quality practice facilities and a central location for tournament travel.
2025 Season Performance
Kreiter entered the 2025 LPGA Tour season as an established veteran with more than a decade of experience on the tour. Coming off her 2022 U.S. Women’s Open runner-up finish, she has continued to compete regularly in the tour’s marquee events, including the five LPGA major championships. Her game, built on accuracy and course management, suits a wide variety of course setups, which has helped her remain competitive.
Throughout the 2025 season, Kreiter has been a steady presence in the field, posting made cuts and contributing to the tour’s regular events. Her experience on the developmental tours and her long LPGA career have given her a measured approach to the season, focusing on peak performances in the biggest events rather than chasing weekly results.
Looking ahead, Kreiter’s primary goals for the 2025 season include contending in major championships, particularly the U.S. Women’s Open, where her career-best finish remains the 2022 runner-up. With her marriage, her new base in Mesa, Arizona, and a settled caddie relationship with her husband, she has built a stable foundation to chase the first LPGA Tour victory of her career.