St. Augustine, FL: Izzy M. Pellot of Altamonte Springs, Florida, leads the Diamond Resorts ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex at 3-under-par 69 after the first round. Kendall Todd of Goodyear, Arizona, sits in solo second at 1-under-par 71.
The 13th annual Diamond Resorts ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex boasts a field featuring the best female junior golfers from around the world. The 72-player field includes twenty-two 2020 Rolex Junior All-Americans, 10 of the top-25 girls in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and four within the top 10.
Pellot, currently No. 42 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, had an impressive bogey-free day. The 2022 graduate carded three birdies on her way to her 3-under-par 69. Pellot is a two-time AJGA Champion. Her latest win came at the 2020 Vaughn Taylor Championship. The 16-year-old is looking for her first AJGA Invitational win this week.
One round down, two to go at the #ANNIKAInvUSA pic.twitter.com/zIk31JBbW2
— AJGA (@AJGAGolf) January 16, 2021
Todd, a 2021 graduate, had an up-and-down day that included four birdies and three bogeys. The University of Nevada - Las Vegas verbal commit earned her first AJGA win in 2020 at the Se Ri Pak Desert Junior. Todd, currently No. 28 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, is making her first AJGA Invitational start since the 2019 season.
Caiyi (Flora) Zhang of Bradenton, Florida, and Kylee Choi of Murrieta, California, finish the day in share of third at 1-over-par 73.
Zhang, a 2023 graduate, is a two-time champion. Zhang picked up her first AJGA open win in 2020 at the UHY Detroit Junior at Forest Lake after earning Preview Medalist honors at the CBS Sports Preview at Forsgate (Ages 12-15) in 2019. This is Zhang’s first appearance in the Diamond Resorts ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex.
Choi, a 2024 graduate, is looking for her first AJGA win in her fourth invitational start. Choi is currently No. 82 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.
Eight girls are tied for fifth at 2-over-par 74:
- Hyo Joon Jang of Seoul, South Korea
- Kynadie Adams of Nashville, Tennessee
- Paris Hilinski of Los Angeles, California
- Megha Ganne of Holmdel, New Jersey
- Frances Kim of Rolling Hills Estates, California
- Lauryn Nguyen of Seattle, Washington
- Abbey Schutte of Goodyear, Arizona
- Avery Zweig of McKinney, Texas
The second round will take place at the World Golf Village - Slammer & Squire course on Sunday, January 17, from 8:15 a.m. to 12:05 p.m.
For more information or photo requests, please contact Trevor Beshear (tbeshear@ajga.org
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