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Rolex Tournament of Champions Coverage

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Final Round Recap

Lucy Li captured her third AJGA Invitational win of the year, while Garrett Barber held off Canon Claycomb and Ricky Castillo to win his first AJGA event since 2014.

Barber, a Louisiana State University signee, battled back and forth with Castillo of Yorba Linda, California, entering the round tied at 12-under-par 203. Canon Claycomb of Bowling Green, Kentucky, held the clubhouse lead at 7-under-par 279, with the leader boys group heading into No. 18. Barber’s one-shot lead came into jeopardy, with a ball just finding safety from the water in front of the green. But a converted five-foot putt sealed his par and first AJGA Invitational victory.

A sophomore from Redwood Shores, California, Li took a five-stroke lead into the final round and posted a 3-under-par 69 on the Fazio Course to hold off Aneka Seumanutafa of Emmitsburg, Maryland, at 13-under-par 275. The ANA Junior Inspiration and PING Invitational champion posted a 10-under-par 62 on the Champion Course in the second round to catapult herself to the top of the leaderboard, never surrendering the lead in the last 36 holes. Seumanutafa, a verbal commit to Ohio State University, finished in solo second at 8-under-par 280, her highest AJGA finish.    

 

Round 1 Recap

Garrett Barber of Stuart, Florida, fired an opening-round 5-under-par 66 on the PGA National Resort & Spa - Champion Course to lead the Boys Division by three strokes after the first round. In the Girls Division, Bohyun Park of Farmers Branch, Texas, carded a 4-under-par 68 on the Fazio Course and leads by two strokes.

Barber, a first-team Rolex Junior All-American, gained early momentum with back-to-back birdies on the par-5 No. 3 and the par-4 No. 4. The LSU commit posted another birdie on the par-4 No. 8 to make the turn at 2-under-par 33. Barber followed that up with a bogey-free back nine that included three birdies to finish the round at 5-under-par 66. He is currently No. 6 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and was a member of the victorious United States team at the inaugural Junior Presidents Cup.

In the Girls Division, Park got her bogey-free round started in fashion with four consecutive birdies on Nos. 11-14. Competing in only her fourth AJGA event, the high school freshman already owns a victory at the 2017 Under Armour® / Gary Woodland Championship. Park has yet to finish outside of the top five in any AJGA event.

Tournament Archive

The event kicked off Sunday, November 19, with the Rolex Junior All-America Banquet, which celebrated the top junior golfers of the year and recognized the Rolex Junior Players of the Year, Noah Goodwin and Rachel Heck.

Catch up on all the videos from the evening:

 

AJGA Year in Review

Green Carpet

Noah Goodwin Introduction

Rachel Heck Introduction

   

 Noah Goodwin Speech

 Rachel Heck Speech

   

 

For the first time, the Rolex Tournament of Champions will be held at PGA National Resort & Spa, home to The Honda Classic on the PGA TOUR. The event will take place on both the Fazio and Champion courses, with the famous Bear Trap bearing down on the field. Rickie Fowler is the only AJGA alumnus to play in the Rolex Tournament of Champions and win The Honda Classic, which he did in 2017. Russell Henley and Mark Wilson make up fellow AJGA alumni who have won The Honda Classic.

The Rolex Tournament of Champions was recognized as the 2016 Invitational of the Year for the incredible overall experience it offered to participants, families, AJGA staff and volunteers. The event also received the Media Award because of its footprint and successful Media Day prior to the tournament at Reynolds Lake Oconee – Great Waters Course.