Each week, the AJGA honors the boy and girl junior golfers who shoot the lowest round during the final tournament round. Each of these players will be presented with one of this year's new Scotty Cameron putter covers. In this feature, we will hear from the players each week who take home this honor and what helped them get there.
Rolex Girls Junior Championship
“No. 10 was great for me,” said Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla., who shot a final-round 69 to force a playoff with eventual champion Kimberly Kim. “I stuck it to about three feet and made birdie, which sparked a back-nine 32.”
Despite some trouble on No. 9, Doris Chen of Bradenton, Fla., carded a birdie, helping her to a final-round 69. “I drove it into the rough on the ninth hole and still had a 6-iron left to the green. I ended up hitting it to about three feet and made the birdie.”
Marika Liu of Beverly Hills, Calif., also carded a 3-under-par 69 in the final round, “I had a 40 yard approach on No. 18 and got lucky when it two hopped into the hole for a birdie.”
W. Duncan MacMillan Classic at Rush Creek
“No. 16 was my big moment of the round," said Jack Perry of Santa Barbara, Calif., whose final-round, 3-under-par 69 propelled him to victory. “I hit my 7-iron to about one foot and knew it was going to be a great day.”
“On No. 12 I made my first birdie of the day after I made bogey on No. 11 and it really boosted my confidence,” said Michelle Piyapattra of Corona, Calif., tournament champion, after carding a final-round 72.
“On No. 10 I decided to just go for it in two and I made it,” said Jessica Vasilic of Anaheim Hills, Calif., after carding an even-par 72. “I hit a five-foot putt to make birdie on the hole and get even on the day.”
Anne Chang of Torrance, Calif., had this to say about her defining moment during her final-round 72, “I hit a long birdie putt on No. 9 to make even for the day and I was able to stay even after that.”
Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior
“On No. 10 I hit a good 3-wood, then killed my 5-iron and got the putt which kept me going,” said Justin Thomas of Goshen, Ky., who fired a 6-under-par 29 on his final-round back nine to secure a victory. “I kept putting it in the right spots and kept it rolling.”
“On No. 14, I hit a bad drive just over the bunker,” said Stani Schiavone of Bangor, Pa., who carded a final-round 71. “My next shot hit a tree and then I chipped it 15 feet past the hole. I made it for par which was good because it kept me from falling apart.”
Randy Smith Classic presented by the Lubbock Sports Authority
“I told myself coming in to today that I had nothing to lose, so I was going to try and make as many birdies as possible and go at every pin, I started out birdie birdie, and I knew it was going to be a good day from there.” said Brandon Pederson of Austin, Texas, who fired a final-round 66 to seal the tournament victory.
“I bogeyed the first hole, but I birdied the next one, so I knew I would play good from then on,” said Maria Maymon of Huixquilucan, Mexico, after carding a final-round 71 and winning the Girls Division. “I wasn't playing very well about two weeks before this event, so it feels really good to play this well because I really practiced, and I was so nervous on the final holes."