The AJGA hosted four stroke play tournaments this week, along with the annual match play event, the Wyndham Cup. The stroke play tournaments generated seven first-time AJGA champions, while the Wyndham Cup saw the East Team claim the title for the first time since 2012.
AJGA Otter Creek Junior Championship presented by Circle K – Grace Ni of Cypress, Texas, was the wire-to-wire winner of the Girls Division at the AJGA Otter Creek Junior Championship presented by Circle K at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Indiana. The 16-year-old recorded under-par scores in each round and finished at 7-under-par 209. The four-time AJGA champion has been honored with Rolex Junior All-America awards on two occasions (2015, 2016). Charlie Toman of Chardon, Ohio, broke a second-round tie to win his first AJGA title. The Valparaiso University verbal commit tallied five birdies in the final round to finish at 10-under-par 206. The 17-year-old is in his fifth season with the AJGA.
Killington Junior Golf Championship – Coco Chai of (China) Monterey, California, claimed her first AJGA victory at the Killington Junior Golf Championship at Green Mountain National Golf Course in Killington, Vermont. The three-year AJGA junior carded four birdies in the final round to finish at 4-under-par 209. Edward Wu of Temple City, California, sunk three birdies in the final round to force a sudden-death playoff against Austin Fox of Delmar, New York. In the playoff, Wu birdied No. 18 to secure his first AJGA title of his four-year AJGA career.
Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands – Nick Dentino of Carmel, Indiana, earned the title in his first-ever AJGA event at the Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands in Harbor Springs, Michigan. The 17-year-old shot a tournament-low 4-under-par 68 in the final round and fired a tournament-total 16 birdies to finish at 7-under-par 209. Macy Fox of Austin, Texas, also claimed her first-career AJGA victory. The 15-year-old finished at even-par 216 to force a playoff with Anika Dy of Traverse City, Michigan. Fox carded par on No. 18 to win the title.
ACDS / Ryan Moore Junior at Oakbrook – Sean Kato of Redmond, Washington, and Ashley Menne of Surprise, Arizona, we both wire-to-wire winners at the ACDS / Ryan Moore Junior at Oakbrook at Oakbrook Golf Club in Lakewood, Washington. Kato, a Oregon State University verbal commit, tallied 11 birdies and an eagle to finish at 8-under-par 210 and claim his first AJGA victory. The 17-year-old won the 2017 Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour at Washington National Boys 15-19 Division. Menne finished at 8-under-par 202 for her first AJGA title. The 15-year-old aced No. 13 with a 6-iron from 161 yards as part of her stellar outing which also included an eagle and 13 birdies. The 2016 Rolex Junior All-American has earned eight top-10 finishes in her two-year AJGA career.
Wyndham Cup – For the past four years, the West Team has been victorious at the Wyndham Cup. The East Team had different plans this year. The match play event featured five formats: four-ball, mixed four-ball, foursomes, mixed foursomes and singles. After the first day, it was the East Team who held an 8.5-6.5 lead over the reigning champion West after winning both the morning four-ball and afternoon mixed foursome competitions. East Team members Prescott Butler of Old Westbury, New York, and Lei (Angelina) Ye of (China) Bradenton, Florida, defeated Ryan Grider of Lewisville, Texas, and Hailey Jones of Dallas, Texas, 4 and 3 to lead the East.
On the second day, the East Team retained its lead, finishing the day two points ahead of the West at 16-14. East teammates Canon Claycomb of Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Erica Shepherd of Greenwood, Indiana, halved the afternoon mixed four-ball against Travis Vick of Houston, Texas, and Alyaa Abdulghany of Newport Beach, California, after the West teammates raced out to an early lead. On the final day of the Wyndham Cup, 20 points were up for grabs entering the singles matches. The East started strong, with Garrett Barber of Stuart, Florida, pulling in the first win against Vick.The West's first victory came shortly thereafter when Brooke Seay of Rancho Santa Fe, California, defeated Gina Kim of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In the end, however, it was the East team that claimed the title with a final score of 28.5-21.5.