Paula Reto Bio
Paula Reto (born 3 May 1990) is a South African professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. She qualified for the LPGA Tour through Q-School on her first attempt in 2013 and turned professional the same year. Reto has built her career on steady ball-striking and a calm tournament temperament, highlighted by her first LPGA Tour victory at the Canadian Women’s Open in August 2022.
Standing 5 ft 6 in (168 cm), Reto has represented South Africa on the international stage, including at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she tied for 16th place. She is recognized for her collegiate success at Purdue University, where she was part of the 2010 NCAA National Championship team and earned multiple All-American honors.
Early Life and Background
Paula Reto was born on 3 May 1990 in Cape Town, South Africa. Growing up in Cape Town, she was introduced to a variety of sports during her youth, including field hockey and track and field. It was not until the age of 15, in 2005, that she picked up golf, a relatively late start compared with many of her peers on the professional circuit.
Despite her late introduction to the sport, Reto developed quickly, and her athletic background in other disciplines helped shape her competitive approach. Her South African upbringing and early exposure to a wide range of sports laid the foundation for the discipline and work ethic that would later define her professional career.
Path to Professional Golf
Reto moved to the United States to attend Purdue University, where she played with the Purdue Boilermakers women’s golf team from 2009 to 2012. During her collegiate career, she was a member of the 2010 NCAA National Championship team, establishing herself as one of the top amateurs in the country.
She was a three-time First-Team All-Big Ten Conference selection from 2011 to 2013 and earned First-Team All-American honors in 2013. She also finished third individually at the 2013 NCAA Championships and received the Mary Fossum Award that same year for the lowest stroke average in the Big Ten Conference. Reto won the Dixie Amateur in both 2011 and 2012 and reached the quarterfinals of the 2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, where she was eliminated by eventual champion and world No. 1 amateur Lydia Ko. She qualified for the LPGA Tour through Q-School on her first attempt in 2013 and turned professional that same year.
Paula Reto Career
Early Career (2013–2014)
After earning her tour card through Q-School, Reto tied for 13th place to secure full status for the 2014 LPGA Tour season. In her rookie year, she finished 77th on the official LPGA money list and was seventh in the Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year race. Her early results demonstrated the consistency that would become a hallmark of her career.
One of her strongest rookie performances came at the 2014 Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic, where she recorded a solo third-place finish. She also held a three-shot lead after 36 holes in Prattville, Alabama, and shared the lead after 54 holes, showing she could compete at the top of the leaderboard in her first season on tour.
LPGA Tour Breakthrough (2015–2022)
Reto’s biggest breakthrough came on 28 August 2022, when she won the Canadian Women’s Open, her first LPGA Tour title. She fired rounds of 62-69-67-67 for a total of 265 (−19), winning by one stroke over Nelly Korda and Choi Hye-jin. Her opening-round 62 set a tournament record and propelled her to the top of the leaderboard.
Earlier in her career, Reto finished as runner-up at the 2019 FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship, two strokes behind Ssu-Chia Cheng. On the major championship stage, she has made cuts at several of the LPGA’s biggest events, with a tied 18th at the 2016 Chevron Championship, a tied 24th at the 2021 Women’s British Open, and a tied 12th at the 2024 Evian Championship. She also represented South Africa at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, tying for 16th, and qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics, though she was forced to withdraw due to COVID-19 protocols.
Sunshine Ladies Tour Era
In addition to her LPGA Tour success, Reto has competed on the Sunshine Ladies Tour in South Africa, where she has earned a professional victory. Her continued participation on both tours reflects her strong ties to South African golf and her commitment to representing her home country whenever her schedule allows.
Notable Events and Milestones
Reto’s signature moment remains her 2022 Canadian Women’s Open victory, which included a tournament-record 62 in the opening round. The win over two of the LPGA’s most prominent players, Nelly Korda and Choi Hye-jin, confirmed her ability to perform under pressure on the game’s biggest stages. She also counts her appearance at the 2016 Summer Olympics among the defining milestones of her career.
Paula Reto Career Wins
Paula Reto has recorded two professional victories across her career, with one win on the LPGA Tour and one additional professional win elsewhere. Her breakthrough came on the LPGA Tour, while her other professional title came on a separate circuit, highlighting her versatility as a competitor.
LPGA Tour Highlights
Reto captured her lone LPGA Tour title at the 2022 Canadian Women’s Open, finishing at 19 under par to win by one stroke. She opened the tournament with a record-setting 62 and closed with steady rounds of 69, 67, and 67 to hold off Nelly Korda and Choi Hye-jin. She has also recorded top finishes at events such as the 2014 Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic and the 2019 FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond her LPGA Tour victory, Reto has won on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, adding to her international resume. She also captured the Dixie Amateur twice during her amateur career, in 2011 and 2012, and reached the quarterfinals of the 2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.
Paula Reto Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Paula Reto’s family and personal background is limited. She was raised in Cape Town, South Africa, and her early years were shaped by a sporting environment that included field hockey and track before she turned to golf at the age of 15.
Personal Life
Details about Reto’s personal life, including marital status and family relationships, are not widely documented in public sources. Her professional focus and international travel between the LPGA Tour and the Sunshine Ladies Tour have defined her adult life.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 LPGA Tour season saw Paula Reto continue her career on the world’s premier women’s golf circuit. She remained a full member of the LPGA Tour and continued to chase additional victories following her breakthrough at the 2022 Canadian Women’s Open. Her experience and consistency have positioned her as a steady presence on tour.
Throughout the season, Reto competed in a full schedule of events, drawing on the course-management skills she developed during her time at Purdue University. Her ability to remain competitive on varied course types has been a defining feature of her career, and the 2025 campaign provided another opportunity to add to her professional resume.
Looking ahead, Reto remains focused on contending in major championships and adding to her single LPGA Tour victory. With her track record of strong ball-striking and proven ability to perform under pressure, she continues to represent South Africa on the global stage and remains a respected competitor in women’s professional golf.