Two college-bound AJGA players hoisted USGA championship trophies in the month of July. Kiara Romero of San Jose, California, earned the 74th U.S. Girls' Junior title and Bryan Kim of Brookeville, Maryland, earned the same honors at the 75th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. Romero and Kim were both apart of the 2023 Wyndham Cup just a few weeks before each USGA championship.
Romero earned her title first, playing from July 17-22 at the United States Air Force Academy Eisenhower Golf Club located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She earned the No. 3 seed after a 36-hole total of 4-under-par 140. Her Wyndham Cup West teammates, reining champion, Yana Wilson of Henderson Nevada, and 2022 ANWA Champion, Anna Davis of Spring Valley, California, earned the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, respectively. Wilson was also the No. 3 seed when she won the 2022 U.S. Girls' Junior.
Romero cruised through a 2 and 1 win over No. 62 seed, Claire Wan. In the round of 32, Romero faced No. 30 seed, Vanessa Borovilos. With the help of five birdies, Romero won the match 3 and 2. Her longest match came in the round of 16, where she faced No. 46 seed, Natalie Yen. Yen and Romero battled back and forth, with neither trailing the round by more than one hole. Both players remained tied through the par-4 No. 18 to extend the match. They played the par-4 No. 1 for their 19th hole and it ended with Romero making a par to win the match. She went on to face No. 22 seed, Lauren Kim. Romero and Kim remained tied through the par-5 No. 5, but Romero went on to win Nos. 6, 8 and 12. Kim won the par-5 No. 16, but Romero recorded another win on the par-3 No. 17 to win the match 3 and 1.
In the semifinals, Romero faced No. 18 seed, Gianna Clemente. Clemente, also a 2023 Wyndham Cup participant, made it to the 2022 finals before falling to Wilson. After nine holes Clemente won two holes while Romero won three, and she starts the second nine up. Clemente quickly earned a win on the par-4 No. 10 to tie the match. She then won again at the par-4 No. 14 to go 1 up for the first time since her win on the par-4 No. 2. Romero came back and rallied, winning three of the final four holes to beat Clemente 2 up. In the final match, Romero faced No. 24 seed, Rianne Malixi. In this 36-hole match-up, Romero was losing to Malixi throughout most of the first 26 holes. Malixi was 2 up in the match before Romero earned her first lead on the 26th hole. That was short-lived as Malixi brought the match back to even after making a par on the 28th hole. The momentum shifted once more in Romero's favor on the 31st hole and she remained 1 up all the way until the 36th hole.
A few days after Romero's win, Kim started his journey at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina. The event ran from July 24-29. Kim found himself tied for 44th place after the stroke-play portion of the event after shooting a two-day total of 1-over-par 144. He earned the No. 52 seed, and faced No. 13 seed, Jackson Byrd in the round of 64. Kim did not let his rank deter him from putting on a dominant performance over Byrd. He only lost one-hole en route to a 6 and 5 win. In the next round, he faced No. 20 seed, Tyler Watts. Kim quickly took a lead, winning Nos. 1, 3 and 4 to go 2 up. Watts battled back before the second nine, winning three straight holes starting on the par-4 No. 7. Those were his final wins as Kim won two holes on the back nine to finish the match at 1 up. In the round of 16, Kim won his match against No. 36 seed, Chase Kyes, 3 and 2. Kim won six holes during the match.
It was match in the quarterfinals against No. 21 seed, Edan Cui. Both players battled back and forth until the final hole, where Kim made a birdie on the par-5 No. 18 to advance to the semi-finals. In the quarterfinals, Kim faced fellow Wyndham Cup East teammate, Will Hartman. Hartman earned the No. 8 seed after the stroke-play portion. Kim had another extraordinary round where he quickly earned a 3 up advantage before the second nine. The back nine was almost evenly matched, but Hartman was able to win a hole on the par-4 No. 14. Kim's lead proved too large to chase down and he ended the match on No. 17, 2 up. In the finals, Kim faced No. 6 seed, Joshua Bai. Bai and Kim competed on separate teams at the 2022 Junior Presidents Cup. Kim represented the victorious United States team while Bai competed on the International team. Bai quickly earned a 2 up advantage through four holes before Kim brought the match back to even on the par-5 No. 6. Both players traded turns leading the match but Bai finished the first 18 holes winning by one hole. The momentum shifted after their break, with Kim winning six holes on the second half of the match to eventually win the match 2 up on the 36th hole.
Kim and Romero are both off to college in the fall. Kim will be playing for Duke University while Romero will play at the University of Oregon. Romero is currently No. 3 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. The three-time Rolex Junior All-American won the 2021 Polo Golf Junior Classic at Liberty National. Kim is also currently ranked at No. 3 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. The two-time Rolex Junior All-American and two-time Wyndham Cup participant won the 2021 K.J. Choi Foundation Junior Championship by SK Telecom.