Jersey City, N.J. –The Championship match of the 42nd annual Polo Golf Junior Classic finished at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, with Maxwell Moldovan of Uniontown, Ohio, and Lucy Li of Redwood Shores, California, crowned as the champions.
The field, which included 32 boys and 32 girls, was comprised of 47 AJGA Champions and 38 Rolex AJGA All-Americans. Even more, 50 players had committed to play college golf. The Polo Golf Junior Classic also featured the top-ranked boy Michael Thorbjornsen of Wellesley, Massachusetts, and four of the top-10 ranked girls in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Liberty National Golf Club hosted the AJGA for the first time in 2019. Designed by Tom Kite and Bob Cupp and opened on July 4, 2006, the 18-hole course is located on the Upper Bay overlooking the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline beyond. It has played host to multiple PGA TOUR events including the 2009, 2013 The Barclays, the 2017 Presidents Cup and THE NORTHERN TRUST in August 2019.
Polo Division – Boys
Maxwell Moldovan of Uniontown, Ohio, defeated Taehoon Song of (South Korea) Buena Park, California, 3 and 2. Moldovan, currently ranked No. 21 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, took the lead early after Song doubled his first hole. The pair halved their next four holes. Song went birdie, birdie on Nos. 6 and 7 to take back a 1-up lead. Moldovan answered with back-to-back birdies on the following two holes reclaiming his 1-up advantage as they made the turn. Making birdies on three of his next six holes, Moldovan went 3-up stymie as the duo made their way to the 16th hole. Moldovan parred the par-3 and secured his title, 2019 Polo Golf Junior Classic Boy’s Champion.
“Those big names that are on the trophy are guys that I look up to, names like Tiger and Stewart Cink and those big names,” Moldovan said. “It’s really special to put my name on a trophy next to theirs and hopefully I can do some more of that in the future. It’s just a real blessing to get the opportunity to win it this week!”
Alexander Yang of Carlsbad, California, defeated. Bo Peng of (China) Lake Mary, Florida, 3 and 2. Yang, currently ranked No. 11 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, set the tone when he claimed a 3-up advantage in his first four holes. Peng fought back, and it was all square by the time they rounded their first nine. Yang finished as strong as he started gaining back his initial 3-up lead over the course of their final seven holes.
Liberty Division – Girls Division
Rachel Kuehn of Asheville, North Carolina, defeated Brianna Navarrosa of San Diego, 2 and 1. Kuehn, currently ranked No. 58 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, was neck-and-neck with Navarrosa throughout their entire front-nine. Kuehn birdied two of her next three holes to go 2-up on Navarrosa. Kuehn fought hard and held her 2-up lead through the end of their match.
Lucy Li of Redwood Shores, California defeated Savannah Grewal of (Canada) Mississauga, Ontario, 5 and 3. Li, currently ranked No. 6 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, started the match 1-down to Grewal after a bogey on her first hole. Li forged on and battled back over her next eight holes to turn the tables on Grewal and gain a 2-up advantage going into their tenth hole. Stable and consistent, Li birdied four of her remaining six holes, including par-4 No. 15, where she would claim her victory over Grewal and her title, Polo Golf Junior Classic Girl’s Champion.
“Well obviously winning any AJGA Invitational is a huge honor, especially this tournament,” Li said. “Looking at the trophy there are so many crazy names on there like Tiger Woods and it just feels really good to be back in the winner’s circle again.”
Championship Match
Polo Division – Boys
Maxwell Moldovan, Uniontown, Ohio (2020), def. Taehoon Song, (South Korea) Buena Park, Calif. (2020), 3&2
Alexander Yang, Carlsbad, Calif. (2021), def. Bo Peng, (China) Lake Mary, Fla. (2019), 3&2
Liberty Division – Girls Division
Rachel Kuehn, Asheville, N.C. (2019), def. Brianna Navarrosa, San Diego, Calif. (2020), 2&1
Lucy Li, Redwood Shores, Calif. (2020), def. Savannah Grewal (Canada) Mississauga, Ontario (2020), 5&3
The match-play Invitational runs Monday, June 24, through Friday, June 28, with tee times beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET each day.