The AJGA has named the 22nd annual AJGA Junior All-Star Team, which includes 20 players who were recognized as some of the top golfers aged 12-15 in the world during the 2023 season.
The AJGA Junior All-Star Team was selected based on the Rolex AJGA Rankings. The top 10 boys and top 10 girls were determined as of August 29, 2023. Eligibility for the team includes competition in at least two Ninja® Junior All-Star Series tournaments, which also included the Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational. Ninja® Junior All-Star Series events were conducted across the country from March through August.
Members of the AJGA Junior All-Star Team received an invitation to play in the concluding event of the Ninja® Junior All-Star Series at the 2023 1st Clubs for Kids Foundation Junior All-Star Invitational, hosted October 5-8, at Le Triomphe Golf and Country Club in Broussard, LA (pictured above).
The 2023 team features graduates of the following classes:
- Class of 2026 - 7
- Class of 2027 - 7
- Class of 2028 - 6
The 20 players have combined for 17 wins in AJGA events this season. Leading the way with three wins already this season is Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The 14-year-old is No. 1 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Ronin Banerjee, Clairey Lin and Asia Young each hold two AJGA wins so far this season. Angela Zhang of Bellevue, Washington, is the only repeat AJGA Junior All-Star team member on the 2023 team.
Since 2002, AJGA Junior All-Star Team honors have been awarded to some of the top players in junior golf. Alumni of the AJGA Junior All-Star Team include college and professional standouts such as Jordan Spieth (2007), Rickie Fowler (2004), Morgan Hoffmann (2004), Beau Hossler (2009), Will Zalatoris (2009), Ben An (2006), Braden Thornberry (2012), Peter Uihlein (2004), Bud Cauley (2005), Vicky Hurst (2005), Cheyenne Woods (2005) and Alison Lee (2007).
2023 AJGA Junior All-Star Team Members
Girls
SHYLA BROWN
McKinney, Texas | Class of 2026
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 79
- Three top-5 AJGA finishes in the 2023 season
- Three additional wins in national junior golf events in 2023
APHRODITE DENG
(Canada) Short Hills, New Jersey | Class of 2028
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 37
- Won the 2023 Moon Golf Junior All-Star
- Three additional wins in national junior golf events in 2023
RINA KAWASAKI
(Japan) Rancho Palos Verdes, California| Class of 2028
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 103
- Runner-up at the 2023 AJGA Thunderbird Junior All-Star
- One additional win at a national junior golf event in 2023
ESTHER KWON
Los Angeles, California | Class of 2028 | Muse Global School
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 98
- Earned Qualifier medalist honors and won the 2023 TaylorMade Preview at Morongo
- Nine additional top-5 finishes in national junior golf events in 2023
AMY LEE
(South Korea) Langley, British Columbia, Canada | Class of 2026 | Walnut Grove Secondary
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 41
- Won the 2023 TaylorMade TP5 Junior All-Star
- One additional win at a national junior golf event in 2023
CLAIREY LIN
(Canada) Palos Verdes Estates, California | Class of 2028 | Stanford Online High School
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 85
- Two wins this 2023 season including the Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Sugarloaf and AJGA Junior All-Star at York
- One additional win at a national junior golf event in 2023
RUIHAN KENDRIA WANG
(Canada) Bellevue, Washington | Class of 2027
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 67
- Won the 2023 Imperial Junior Classic at Big Sky
- Five additional top-5 finishes in national junior golf events in 2023
CELINA YEO
London, Ontario, Canada | Class of 2026
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 89
- Four top-5 AJGA finishes in the 2023 season
- One additional runner-up finish at a national junior golf event in 2023
ASIA YOUNG
Bend, Oregon | Class of 2027
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 60
- Two wins this 2023 season including the Stealth Junior All-Star presented by TaylorMade and UHY St. Louis Junior
- Two runner-up finishes this 2023 season including the Brandon Wu Championship and UHY Baltimore Junior
ANGELA ZHANG
Bellevue, Washington | Class of 2027
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 38
- Won the 2023 AJGA Salt Lake Junior
- Two-time Rolex Junior All-American
- 2022 Junior All-Star Team member
Boys
RONIN BANERJEE
Irvine, California | Class of 2027 | Northwood High School
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 61
- Two wins this 2023 season including the Stealth Junior All-Star presented by TaylorMade and Se Ri Pak Desert Junior presented by Bay Area Lyme Foundation
- Three additional wins in national junior golf events in 2023
PRESTON HAGE
Raleigh, North Carolina | Class of 2026 | Broughton High School
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 80
- Runner-up at the 2023 HV3 Foundation Junior Open
- T2 at the 2023 TaylorMade TP5 Junior All-Star
ZACH HUANG
Sammamish, Washington | Class of 2026
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 82
- Two top-5 AJGA finishes in the 2023 season
- Three additional top-5 finishes in national junior golf events in 2023
CHASE HUGHES
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Class of 2028
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 114
- Earned Qualifier medalist honors and won the 2023 Lubbock Junior All-Star
- One additional win at a national junior golf event in 2023
SOHAN PATEL
Weston, Florida | Class of 2027 | American Heritage High School
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 102
- Earned Qualifier medalist honors twice during the 2023 season at the Qualifier - Visit Owensboro Junior All-Star and Qualifier - Moon Golf Junior All-Star
- Two additional wins in national junior golf events in 2023
GIUSEPPE PUEBLA
Royal Palm Beach, Florida | Class of 2027 | FLVS
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 90
- Runner-up at the 2023 Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational
- Seven additional top-5 finishes in national junior golf events in 2023
BRADY RAPP
Leawood, Kansas | Class of 2026 | Blue Valley North High School
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 86
- Won the 2023 Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational
- One additional top-5 finish at the 2023 AJGA Junior All-Star at Quail Creek presented by City of Robinson
MILES RUSSELL
Jacksonville Beach, Florida | Class of 2027 | Providence School of Jacksonville
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 1
- Three wins this 2023 season including The Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by Rolex, Moon Golf Junior All-Star and TaylorMade TP5 Junior All-Star
- Five additional wins in national junior golf events in 2023
- 2023, Wyndham Cup East team player
KAILER STONE
Alameda, California | Class of 2026 | Alameda High School
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 133
- Won the 2023 Fresno / Clovis CVB Junior Championship
- Two additional wins in national junior golf events in 2023
DARREN ZHOU
(Hong Kong) Bradenton, Florida | Class of 2028 | IMG Academy
- Rolex AJGA Ranking: 106
- Runner-up at the 2023 Matthew NeSmith Junior Championship
- Six additional wins in national junior golf events in 2023