Braselton, Ga. - Forty-six young men and women have been given 2023 Rolex Scholastic Junior All-America honors. Originally created in 1988, the 2023 list recognizes the achievements of top junior golfers who demonstrated excellence in academics as well as on the course.
Every year, the Rolex Scholastic Junior All-America honorees exemplify the perfect blend of excellence, not only on the golf course but also in the classroom. These young champions are the embodiment of unwavering dedication, demonstrating that success is the synergy of hard work, passion, and education.
The 46 Rolex Scholastic All-Americans are from 14 states and three countries (Canada, China, United Kingdom). Jay Leng Jr of San Diego, California, headlines the male honorees earning Rolex Scholastic All-America honors as he earned First-Team Rolex Junior All-America honors as well. Megan Meng of Pennington, New Jersey, and Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver, Canada, earned Rolex Junior All-America Second Team honors as well as their scholastic accolades.
Leng Jr finished the season at No. 3 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings after a year that included a win at the Polo Golf Junior Classic and four top-10 finishes in AJGA Invitationals. Leng Jr is a Stanford University verbal commit.
Meng finished the season at No. 8 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Her year included three top-10 AJGA Invitational finishes and a place on the PING Junior Solheim Cup team representing the United States. She is a verbal commit to Northwestern University.
Zhang's season featured a win at the K.J. Choi Foundation Texas Junior Championship and two top-five AJGA finishes including a Quarterfinal appearance in the Polo Golf Junior Classic.
The AJGA partners with Rolex, a longstanding supporter of both the organization and the sport of golf at all levels, to challenge the academic and athletic efforts of its members each year through the Rolex Scholastic Junior All-America honors. To determine this annual honor, the AJGA uses a junior's high school GPA to systemically compare applicants from the high school graduating class of 2023. In 2022, Rolex Scholastic Junior All-Americans averaged a high school GPA of 4.58, SAT score of 1507 and ACT score of 34.
Criteria to earn Rolex Scholastic Junior All-America honors include a top-10 finish in an AJGA Open or Invitational event (events played between Oct. 7, 2022 – Sept. 4, 2023), a minimum test score of 1450 SAT, 33 ACT and a minimum 3.5 weighted GPA on the 4.0 scale or 90/100 scale.
In addition, the top six boys and top six girls based on the Rolex AJGA Rankings who were not already qualified as of October 12, were invited to compete in the Rolex Tournament of Champions at TPC San Antonio - Canyons Course in San Antonio, Texas, November 18-22. The event annually gathers top players, including award winners, and signals the official opening of the next season of national junior golf competition for the Rolex AJGA Rankings.
The complete list of year-end #RolexTOC invitees include:
Boys Division:
- Jason Shwartz
- Daniel Zou
- Hunter Stetson
- Will Preston
- Ieuan Jones
- Colin Keith
Girls Division:
- Yufei (Nancy) Dai
- Kennedy Swedick
- Amber Li
- Olivia Cong
- Emily Luo
- Yu Bai
Meng, Zhang, Lucy Yuan, Michelle Liu, Olivia Duan, Leng Jr, Boyi (Barry) Zhang, Eric Yun and Wiliiam Ma will also make Rolex Tournament of Champions appearances based on their year-end position in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.
Yuan, Liu, Duan, Zhang, Yun and Ma all also earned Honorable Mention Rolex Junior All-America honors this season.
Former Rolex Scholastic Junior All-Americans have gone on to successful amateur and professional golf careers, including: Casey Martin (1989), Wendy Ward (1990), Kellee Booth (1992), Cristie Kerr (1994), Matt Kuchar (1994), Boyd Summerhays (1994), Tiffany Joh (2004), Scott Langley (2005), Patrick Rodgers (2009, 2010) and Lauren Kim (2011).
For a complete list of Rolex Junior All-America Honorees explore the links below.
Players of the Year | First Team | Second Team | Honorable Mention
About Rolex
An unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise
Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacture. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products – symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The movements of its Oyster Perpetual and Perpetual watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability. The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolized by the green seal, confirms that each watch has successfully undergone tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria. These are periodically validated by an independent external organization.
The word ‘Perpetual’ is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. In the course of its history, Rolex has registered over 600 patents. At its four sites in Switzerland, the brand designs, develops and produces the majority of its watch components, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, the brand is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.
Boys Division
Vibhav Alokam
Ypsilanti, Michigan (2024)
GPA: 4.0
Best 2023 Finish: T8, Coca-Cola Junior Championship at The Highlands
John (Bubba) Chapman
St. Louis, Missouri (2024)
GPA: 4.26
Best 2023 Finish: T6, AJGA Junior at Hot Springs
Nate Faulkner
Roanoke, Virginia (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Davidson College
GPA: 4.62
Best 2023 Finish: 6, Mizuno / Greyson Sigg Junior Championship
Galen Fowles
Northampton, Massachusetts (2024)
Verbal Commitment to University of Rochester
GPA: 4.71
Best 2023 Finish: 6, Babygrande D.C. Classic
Arnold He
Fremont, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
GPA: 4.25
Best 2023 Finish: T10, AJGA Junior at Palouse Ridge
Ieuan Jones
(United Kingdom) Ann Arbor, Michigan (2024)
GPA: 4.0
Best 2023 Finish: Second, the Memorial Junior
Colin Keith
Alamo, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Dartmouth College
GPA: 4.51
Best 2023 Finish: T5, PING Heather Farr Classic
Logan Kim
Altadena, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Stanford University
GPA: 4.09
Best 2023 Finish: 10, Ping An Bank Junior Open
Jay Leng Jr
San Diego, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Stanford University
GPA: 4.38
Best 2023 Finish: Champion, Polo Golf Junior Classic
Colin Li
San Diego, California (2024)
GPA: 4.11
Best 2023 Finish: T6, Greenwood Junior Championship
Matthew Lin
Orinda, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Yale University
GPA: 4.46
Best 2023 Finish: Third, AJGA Junior at Copper Valley
William Ma
San Diego, California (2024)
GPA: 4.44
Best 2023 Finish: Champion, AJGA Junior at Palouse Ridge
Will Preston
Grand Rapids, Michigan (2024)
GPA: 4.44
Best 2023 Finish: Champion, UHY Detroit Junior at Forest Lake
Jason Shwartz
Wellington, Florida (2024)
Verbal Commitment to University of Wisconsin
GPA: 4.76
Best 2023 Finish: Champion, UNIQLO/Adam Scott Junior Championship
Hunter Stetson
Newtown Square, Pennsylvania (2024)
GPA: 3.94
Best 2023 Finish: Champion, Golf Performance Center Junior
Oliver Wang
Falls Church, Virgnia (2024)
GPA: 94.6/100
Best 2023 Finish: 10, UHY St. Louis Junior
Eric Yun
Menlo Park, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Princeton University
GPA: 4.22
Best 2023 Finish: T4, Jack Burke Jr. Invitational
Boyi (Barry) Zhang
(China) Lake Mary, Florida (2024)
GPA: 4.53
Best 2023 Finish: Champion, AJGA Junior at Chicopee presented by John D. Mineck Foundation
Jonathan Zhang
Saratoga, California (2024)
GPA: 3.99
Best 2023 Finish: Third, C.T. Pan Foundation Championship
Daniel Zou
The Woodlands, Texas (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Rice University
GPA: 4.23
Best 2023 Finish: Champion, C.T. Pan Junior Championship presented by Classic Elite Chevy
Girls Division
Jia An
Irvine, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Amherst College
GPA: 4.14
Best 2023 Finish: Second, the Memorial Junior
Yu Bai
Saratoga, California (2024)
GPA: 4.34
Best 2023 Finish: Third, Circle K Junior Championship hosted by Otter Creek
Brielle Burns
Houston, Texas (2024)
Verbal Commitment to University of Illinois
Best 2023 Finish: T4, C.T. Pan Junior Championship presented by Classic Elite Chevy
Olivia Cong
Germantown, Maryland (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Dartmouth College
GPA: 4.91
Best 2023 Finish: Champion, Mizuno / Keith Mitchell Junior Championship
Yufei (Nancy) Dai
(China) Lake Mary, Florida (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Princeton University
GPA: 4.629
Best 2023 Finish: T2, SPOT X Hotel Junior Championship
Michelle P. Ding
Toronto, Ontario, Canada (2024)
GPA: 93.5/100
Best 2023 Finish: T7, Babygrande D.C. Classic
Olivia Duan
Cupertino, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Princeton Univeristy
GPA: 4.33
Best 2023 Finish: T10, Fortinet Girls Invitational at Stanford
Gabriella Eifrig
Newport Beach, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Georgetown University
GPA: 4.3
Best 2023 Finish: T6, AJGA Junior at Chicopee presented by John D. Mineck Foundation
Angelina Huang
Las Vegas, Nevada (2024)
GPA: 4.95
Best 2023 Finish: 5, UHY St. Louis Junior
Joelle Kim
Los Altos, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Amherst College
GPA: 4.16
Best 2023 Finish: T6, Brandon Wu Championship
Elina Kuang
Murrieta, California (2024)
GPA: 4.47
Best 2023 Finish: T2, AJGA Phoenix Junior
Kenna Lee
Bellaire, Texas (2024)
Best 2023 Finish: T10, AJGA Huntsville Junior
Amber Li
Bellevue, Washington (2024)
Verbal Commitment to University of Washington
GPA: 4.0
Best 2023 Finish: T8, AJGA Junior at Palouse Ridge
Michelle Liu
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (2024)
GPA: 97/100
Best 2023 Finish: T4, PING Heather Farr Classic
Emily Luo
Danville, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Columbia University
GPA: 4.42
Best 2023 Finish: Second, Golf Performance Center Killington Junior Golf Championship
Megan Meng
Pennington, New Jersey (2024)
Verbal Commitment to Northwestern University
GPA: 4.616
Best 2023 Finish: Third, AJGA Invitational presented by PING
Caroline Owens
Hinsdale, Illinois (2024)
Verbal Commitment to University of Notre Dame
GPA: 5.9/6.0
Best 2023 Finish: T4, Circle K Junior Championship hosted by Otter Creek
Tanvi Samayam
Hillsborough, New Jersey (2024)
GPA: 95.55
Best 2023 Finish: 6, AJGA Junior at Penn State
Lauren Sammon
Murrieta, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to University of Wisconsin
GPA: 4.5
Best 2023 Finish: 5, AJGA Colorado Junior at Walnut Creek
Kennedy Swedick
Albany, New York (2024)
Verbal Commitment to University of Virginia
GPA: 4.24
Best 2023 Finish: Champion, Golf Performance Center Junior
Emma Wong
Bellevue, Washington (2024)
GPA: 4.0
Best 2023 Finish: 5, Ping An Bank Junior Open
Lindsay Yao
Whittier, California (2024)
Verbal Commitment to University of Pennsylvania
GPA: 5.0
Best 2023 Finish: 6, Greenwood Junior Championship
Lucy Yuan
(Canada) La Jolla, California (2024)
GPA: 4.12
Best 2023 Finish: Champion, Vaughn Taylor Championship presented by James Hardie
Karolyn Zeng
Vaughan, Ontario, Canada (2024)
GPA: 4.43
Best 2023 Finish: T7, AJGA Dominican Junior Open presented by Puntacana Resort & Club
Vanessa Zhang
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (2024)
GPA: 96.25/100
Best 2023 Finish: Champion, K.J. Choi Foundation Texas Junior Championship
Junyuan Zhang
(China) Orlando, Florida (2024)
GPA: 4.59
Best 2023 Finish: T7, Matthew NeSmith Junior Championship
