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Ralph Lauren #InspiredPerformances: June 4, 2020

Check out the latest #InspiredPerformances from AJGA members and alumni.
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Ashley Yun

Class of 2023; ACE Grant Recipient (2019-2020); 2019 Callaway Golf Junior Championship and AJGA Junior at Woodbridge Champion

Ashley Yun had already had what most would call a successful 2019 by the time she had stepped on the first tee during the first round of the AJGA Junior at Woodbridge. Her summer already included a win a month prior at the Callaway Golf Junior Championship where she was the only competitor in the Girl’s Division to finish the tournament under-par with a 4-under-par 140 tournament total. However, that would not be the last time the West Covina, California, native would visit the winner’s circle. Yun would go on to finish the AJGA Junior at Woodbridge with a tournament total of 4-under-par 209 for a one-shot victory.

“My mother and I both felt as if those wins were not real when they were happening. It felt as if we were in the middle of a story or something, or that it wasn’t really happening to me, but it was!”

Finishing her 2019 summer season with two wins would lead her to be invited to play in the Rolex Tournament of Champions at the end of the year and the AJGA’s first Invitational of 2020, the ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex.

“Those wins meant a lot to me. They opened a whole new door to my life and to my junior golf career. I have since gotten into bigger events with greater competition and it has been incredible. The ACE Grant has helped me be successful because it supported me at tournaments, and I would not have been able to be at the level I am now without it. It has given me more opportunities than I could have ever imagined.”

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Rose Zhang

Class of 2021; ACE Grant Recipient (2016-2019); Verbally committed to Stanford University; 2019 Rolex Junior Player of the Year, 2019 Rolex Tournament of Champions and Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational Champion

Rose Zhang is no stranger to accolades. Her resume includes eight National Junior Golf victories, four consecutive years earning Rolex Junior All-American honors and a verbal commitment to Stanford University. Her 2019 season would prove to be just as stellar as previous years as she never finished outside the top-five in any of her six starts and finished the year with two Invitational wins, including victories in back-to-back years at the Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational held at Stanford’s home golf course.

“It was so cool to go back-to-back years especially since it was at what will be my future home course. It makes me very excited for what is to come in the future here.”

The Irvine, California, native ended her year with her fifth Invitational win at the Rolex Tournament of Champions where she won by 11 shots and ended the tournament with a tournament total of 13-under-par 275. She also accepted the 2019 Rolex Player of the Year award at the Rolex Junior All-America Awards Banquet and got to thank those that have supported her junior golf career.

“Ending the year on such a high note at the Rolex Tournament of Champions and being honored with Rolex Junior Player of the Year makes me feel so thankful and blessed. It’s truly a blessing to have the support of the ACE Grant. When I first started playing in AJGA tournaments I never knew I could get to this point. Golf is such an expensive sport and it was tough on my parents, but the success I’ve had up to this point only makes me more thankful for it all.”

Charles DeLong boys Coca Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands 2019IMG_9091 (3).JPG

Charles DeLong

Class of 2019; ACE Grant Recipient (2018-2019); Freshman at Grand Valley State University; 2019 Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands

Charles DeLong had already graduated from high school and signed his National Letter of Intent with Grand Valley State University before he ever even traveled to a summer golf tournament. The Dewitt, Michigan, native arrived at Boyne Highlands Resort seeking his first AJGA victory.

“I had to make a four-footer on the last hole to win and when that last putt dropped it was a feeling of relief. When you’re coming down the stretch of an event and you know you have a chance to win there is a good amount of stress that goes along with it. So, when you realize that you’ve won, it is very satisfying.”

DeLong finished the tournament with a tournament total of 3-under-par 213 to win by one.

“Winning an AJGA event meant a lot to me. I proved to myself that I could not just hang with the best players, but beat them. It was nice to see all that hard work pay off. The ACE Grant was huge for me because it allowed me to test myself against some of the best players in the country. Without it I would not have had those same opportunities and I definitely would not have made the connections I did.”

In the Fall of 2019, DeLong started his freshman year at Grand Valley State University where he won his first two starts. He was also named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Golfer of the Week for the week of October 25-29 and helped his team earn the honor of Top Freshman class in Division II for their work in their fall season.

“Playing in junior golf, especially AJGA events, was huge for me to get ready for collegiate golf. It gave me the experience of winning and being in contention, which are vital pieces to being successful in this sport.”

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Drew Doyle

Class of 2020; ACE Grant Recipient (2017-2019); Signed National Letter of Intent with LSU; 2019 Circle K Junior Championship hosted by Otter Creek champion

Doyle entered his 19th AJGA start seeking his first win. The Louisville, Kentucky, native had been eagerly awaiting his first AJGA victory and had come close several times throughout his career including a T4 finish at the Memorial Junior hosted by Sung Hyun Park just a month prior. Little did he know that the upcoming week would include a bogey-free first-round and three consecutive rounds at even-par or better. His performance kept him in the lead for three consecutive days and allowed for the 2020 grad to soak the moment in over the final few holes of the tournament.

“I had a three-shot lead going into the 18th hole and I knew at that point I could relax and just enjoy that moment. I vividly remember walking up to the green with a big grin, thinking about how long I have waited for a victory.”

Doyle finished with a tournament total of 9-under-par 207.

“Winning the Circle K made me believe that I can compete with the best players in junior golf. That win taught me how to play well under pressure and finish strong. The ACE Grant has given me so many opportunities to travel and play some of the best golf courses in the country. Without that support, I would not have been able to compete at such a high level and would not have been able to earn my scholarship to LSU.”

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Shawn Lalmoni

Class of 2022; ACE Grant Recipient (2019-2020); 2019 Sean Foley Performance Junior All-Star Champion

The 2019 Summer tournament season would be the last time that Shawn Lalmoni would be eligible to compete in the Junior All-Star series since he would be turning 16 years old the coming December. He entered the Sean Foley Performance Junior All-Star looking for his first AJGA victory. Not only did he achieve that goal, but he also received an invitation to his first AJGA Invitational, the penultimate Junior All-Star Series season-ending AJGA Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee.

“I was so numb in my emotions after that final putt dropped. I didn’t quite realize what I had actually done until much later, but when it did finally hit me, I was just happy that my nerves and the anxiety was over, and they had amounted to something.”

The Orlando, Florida, native finished the tournament as the only player in the field to finish every round under-par for a tournament total of 5-under-par 211.

“That win was so amazing for me. To finally break through and get my first AJGA win was the boost of confidence I needed. I proved to myself that I am good enough to compete at the highest level. The ACE Grant has allowed me to play in events that I would never have gotten the chance to without it. It has been life changing for me and I am sure that many other recipients feel the same way. I am beyond thankful to have that support to pursue something that I love.”

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Maxwell Moldovan

Class of 2020; ACE Grant Recipient (2016-2020); Signed National Letter of Intent with Ohio State University; 2019 Rolex Junior Player of the Year, 2019 Polo Golf Junior Classic at Liberty National Champion

By the time Maxwell Moldovan had made it to Liberty National Golf Club for the prestigious Polo Golf Junior Classic he already had two victories on his resume at the 2016 and 2017 Mill Creek Foundation Junior All-Star. Despite those victories, he was still looking to add an Invitational win to that list. He had come close to a big victory at the 2019 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club where he finished one-shot shy of the victory.

What the Ohio State University commit didn’t know that first day of match-play competition in New Jersey was that he would go on to be undefeated in match play and soon add his name to an illustrious list of past champions.

“It was incredible to be able to put my name on the Polo trophy with big names like Tiger and Stewart Cink. Those are guys that I look up to and it was an incredible blessing to win such a prestigious tournament that week.”

Moldovan finished out his 2019 season with a T9 finish at the U.S. Junior Amateur and a T4 finish at The Junior PLAYERS Championship. He was also honored with the 2019 Rolex Junior Player of the Year award and used it as a platform to talk about something that is near-and-dear to his heart.

“My family is so appreciative of what the ACE Grant has done for us. The ACE Grant provides the extra money that we use to travel to events we normally wouldn’t get to. It adds a few extra tournaments a year to my schedule and that ultimately could have been the difference for me between playing college golf and not playing college golf, being the Rolex Junior Player of the Year or not.”