Nicholas Gross of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, fired a final-round score of 4-under-par 68 to win the Boys Division of the AJGA Junior All-Star Invitational presented by adidas Golf.
The class of 2024 grad finished with a three-day total of 7-under-par 209.
It's proof that all the work I'm doing is working. It gives me confidence I can compete against anybody and this is a huge step for me in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.
Gross had a bogey-free front nine, vaulting him to the top of the leaderboard. He sunk three-straight birdies on Nos. 2-4 to start his round and added another on No. 6. After making the turn, Gross added another birdie on No. 11, a hole he birdied all three days.
After starting the back nine, Gross dropped one shot on No. 16, but finished with pars to secure his first win of the year and first Invitational victory by two strokes.
Gross is a member of the 2021 AJGA Junior All-Star Team and No. 98 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. His win at Pronghorn Resort marks his third AJGA title after winning two Junior All-Star events in 2020.
Everything I've been working on the last few months has been mental. Mainly staying patient and today I did a good job of that and it was really magnified in the last round. I was able to recover quickly from my mistakes and keep my head in it.
Rounding out the Boys Division, Will Hartman of Marvin, North Carolina, finished in second place at 5-under-par 211. In third place, Jaden Dumdumaya of Fairfield, California, had a total of 4-under-par 212. In a tie for fourth, Logan Kim of La Canada Flintridge, California, and 18 and 36-hole leader Jackson Hymer of San Antonio, Texas.
In the Girls Division, Erica Lee of Arcadia, California, won in a two-hole playoff against 18 and 36-hole leader Suzie Tran of Poulsbo, Washington.
Lee and Tran were both tied at 3-over-par 219 after 54 holes to force a playoff. Both players parred No. 1 the first time around, and Lee chipped in from the fringe for a birdie to win her first Invitational.
Nothing like a birdie chip in for the win🔥
— AJGA (@AJGAGolf) October 12, 2021
Erica Lee | #JASInv @adidasGolf pic.twitter.com/mM8LGNBQJg
Going into the playoff I wasn't very nervous, I just went in knowing I needed to play my own game to win. I felt really supported with all my friends and dad there. I was excited to be in this position and when I was chipping I was just trying to get it close to survive another hole. Having it go in and be there with everyone to celebrate was an awesome moment.
Lee played all three of her rounds at 1-over-par 73. The class of 2023 grad was also a member of the 2021 AJGA Junior All-Star team.
Lee now has four AJGA wins this season (two Junior-All Stars and an Open) and Pronghorn Resort marked her first Invitational win. At No. 47 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, Lee has only finished outside the top six once in seven AJGA events.
The Girls Division finished with Tran in second at 3-over-par 219, and Gloria Nip of (Hong Kong) Port St Lucie, Florida, in third with a score of 7-over-par 223. In a tie for fourth, Angelina Kim of Tenafly, New Jersey, and Summer Lee of Plano, Texas, round out the top five at 9-over-par 225.