Whaley walks away with first AJGA win at Aaron's / Bob Estes Abilene Junior
White outlasts competition to win Girls Division and walks away with first AJGA Open win

ABILENE, Texas — After a one-hole sudden-death playoff, Vincent Whaley of McKinney, Texas, won the Boys Division title at the Aaron's / Bob Estes Abilene Junior with a tournament total of 10-under-par 200. In the Girls Division, Alexandra White of Honolulu won her first AJGA Open event after carding a 4-under-par 66, for a tournament total of 2-under-par 208.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Aaron's / Bob Estes Abilene Junior was a 54-hole stroke play event with a 36-hole cut at Abilene Country Club — Club Course. The field was cut to the low 57 boys and ties, and the low 18 girls following Wednesday's second round. The tournament field consisted of 114 boys and 30 girls from eight states and Mexico. The Boys Division played the par-70 course at 6,305 yards and the Girls Division played at 5,655 yards.

Whaley, who carded three birdies and one eagle en route to a final-round 4-under-par 66, credits his solid ball striking to his low final round score.

“I hit a three iron to about three feet on No. 15 and made an eagle so that really got my momentum going,” Whaley said. “It feels really good to win my first AJGA Open event, especially on such a great course.”

Luke Kwon of Carrollton, Texas, finished second after carding a tournament total of 10-under-par 200. Daniel De La Garza of Monterrey, Mexico, shot a 3-under-par 67 Thursday for a tournament total of 9-under-par 201 and finished third. Kirk Thomas II of Bossier City, La., placed fourth with a tournament total of 7-under-par 203. Jake Potter of Dallas and Connor Davis of Olive Branch, Miss., tied for fifth with a 6-under-par 204.

White, who started the round with a birdie on No. 1, made five birdies on the front nine to capture her first AJGA Open event.

“My putting was a lot better today then what it has been during the past couple days so I would say that was the strongest part of my game today,“ White said. “The last AJGA event I won was a Junior All-Star so it feels great to win my first Open event. I've enjoyed myself during every single one of the rounds so I'm really looking forward to playing in my next event.”

In second place, Grace Choi of Dallas shot a 4-under-par 66 Thursday for a tournament total of 2-over-par 212. First- and second-round leader, Kirsten Pike of Ovilla, Texas, finished third shooting a 2-over-par 72 for a tournament total of 4-over-par 214.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 40 countries. To ensure scholarship opportunities for all junior golfers who have the skill, the AJGA created the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program to provide financial assistance to young players in need.

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