GAINESVILLE, Va. – Amanda Sambach of Charlotte, North Carolina, won the 30th Rolex Girls Junior Championship to claim her second AJGA Invitational title.
The Rolex Girls Junior Championship is one of the most prestigious events on the AJGA schedule. The tournament boasts several high-profile champions, including Kellee Booth, Brittany Lang, Inbee Park, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Ariya Jutanugarn and Alison Lee. In addition to its notable past champions, the all-girls Invitational is known for its distinguished host venues, which includes LPGA International, Long Cove Club, The Country Club of North Carolina, Promontory Club, Dalhousie Golf Club and Concession Golf Club.
Sambach opened the tournament with consecutive rounds of 2-under-par 70 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club to give herself a one-stroke lead at 4-under-par 140. After the third round, Sambach was tied with Alexa Pano of Lake Worth, Florida, at 2-under-par 214.
The champion started the round off strong with a birdie on No. 1, and had two more birdies on the front nine. After making the turn at 2-under-par 34, she bogeyed Nos. 11 and 12. Going head to head with Pano on the next few holes, Sambach pulled ahead on No. 14 and moved to the top of the leaderboard where she remained through No. 18.
Sambach finished the final round with four birdies to give herself the victory over Pano with a final score of 3-under-par 285. This is Sambach's seventh AJGA tournament win.
Winning the Rolex Girls Junior Championship means everything. I've had a rough stretch the past couple of months with coming off of an injury, so to get this win it means a lot.
This is Sambach's second time winning an AJGA Invitational sponsored by Rolex. The University of Virginia signee won the 2018 Rolex Tournament of Champions held at PGA National Resort & Spa. She followed that up with two victories in 2019. Those wins propelled Sambach to a spot on Team USA with Pano at the 2019 PING Junior Solheim Cup.
This win is huge because it was a goal of mine to make the Wyndham Cup team this year. Coming into the week I was lower on the priority list, so I knew I needed to play well to increase my chances of making the team. It's one of the most fun events I've played in, so I'm really excited for it now.
Pano was the tournament runner-up at 1-under-par 287. Pano opened the tournament with an even-par 72. She had a strong second round score of 3-under-par 69. After her third round of 1-over-par 73, she entered into the final round tied with Sambach. Pano had three birdies throughout her final round.
Pano has two AJGA victories, one being the 2019 Rolex Girls Junior Championship. She is a four-time Rolex Junior All American and is No. 39 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.
Antonia Matte of Santiago, Chile, finished in third place at even-par-288. Matte made four birdies for a score of 2-under-par 70 in her final round. Matte is No. 55 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and is committed to play golf at Baylor University in the fall.
Anna Davis of Camarillo, California, and Grace Summerhays of Scottsdale, Arizona, finished T4 at 2-over-par 290. Davis is currently No. 14 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Summerhays is No. 29 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and is committed to play golf at Arizona State University in fall of 2022.
Yana Wilson of Henderson, Nevada, Yunxuan (Michelle) Zhang of (China) Plano, Texas, and Catherine Park of Irvine, California, finished T6 at 3-over-par 291. Wilson is No. 15 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, and this is her seventh top-10 AJGA tournament finish. Zhang is No. 6 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and is committed to play golf at Southern Methodist University in the fall of 2022. Park is No. 35 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and is committed to play golf at the University of Southern California in the fall of 2022.
Bailey Davis of White Plains, Maryland, finished ninth at 4-over-par 292. Davis is No. 107 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and is committed to play golf at the University of Tennesee this fall.
Sophie Zhang-Murphy of Saratoga, California, and Sara Im of Duluth, Georgia, finished T10 at 5-over-par 293. Zhang-Murphy is No. 19 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, while Im is No. 20.
About Rolex
Rolex and Golf
Rolex is committed to the permanent quest for excellence in all its endeavors and has been a long-term supporter of golf in its pursuit of the same. The brand’s enduring relationship with the sport began more than 50 years ago, in 1967, when Arnold Palmer, joined by Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, became the brand’s first golfing Testimonees. Known together as The Big Three, these legendary players changed the face of golf forever, and their partnership with Rolex marked the beginning of a relationship based on the shared commitment to continuous improvement and unwavering precision. Since then, the affiliation has grown and flourished, permeating every level of the game worldwide. From elite players and golf legends, to all the game’s Major championships, where success represents the pinnacle of achievement in the sport, as well as the foremost professional tours and worldwide amateur championships, Rolex is ever-present. In 2021 Rolex further deepened its support by becoming a Worldwide Partner of The Ryder Cup, to act as Official Timekeeper at every iteration of the sport’s pre-eminent team competition. The Swiss manufacturer’s support for the game is built on a strong sense of integrity and respect for tradition that promote the continuity of expertise and transfer of knowledge, and an understanding of the importance of investing in the sport’s development for future generations.
An unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise
Rolex, a Swiss watch manufacture headquartered in Geneva, is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products. Its Oyster Perpetual and Cellini watches, all certified as Superlative Chronometers for their precision, performance and reliability, are symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The word “Perpetual” is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster. 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. Rolex has registered over 500 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, Rolex is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.