Orlando, Fla. - Walk-off eagle secures Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex win for Yana Wilson of Henderson, Nevada.
Wilson and Anna Davis of Spring Valley, California, went back and forth throughout the final round before eventually going to a playoff to decide the champion.
Davis started the day with a three shot lead on Wilson at 11-under-par 135. Davis dropped a shot on hole Nos. 3 and 5, moving to 9-under. Wilson took advantage of the situation with an eagle on No. 7. Her drive went to the right rough on the 365 yard par 4. She pulled a wedge out of her bag about 75 yards out, two hops and in the hole for the eagle.
The pair made the turn at 10 and 9-under with nine holes to play. Davis birdied the par 3 No. 11 to again share the lead with Wilson. Wilson responded two holes later on No. 13 with an eagle on the 483 yard par 5, moving to 12-under-par.
Wilson kept a one stroke lead until hole No. 17 when she bogeyed moving back to 11-under-par tied with Davis. Both girls birdied the final hole of the day to force a playoff.
Wilson walked off the playoff with a slam dunk eagle to close it out. From 75 yards out, Wilson holed it to close out the win. She finished the week at 12-under-par 207.
"To win this invitational feels great. I've never won an (AJGA) invitational before and since Annika is here it's really cool."
The Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex is Wilson's first appearance in an ANNIKA Invitational and her first AJGA Invitational win. The 2024 graduate is now a two-time AJGA champion.
With the victory, Wilson qualified to participate in the amateur field of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions this week at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Fla. Wilson will compete alongside LPGA champions and world-class celebrity players. The tournament will be televised live, airing Thursday and Friday on Golf Channel and Saturday and Sunday on NBC.
Matilda Jonsson of Degersfors, Sweden, claimed solo third at 10-under-par 209. A 6-under-par 67 jumped her into the top five. Jonsson joined the field this week via her third place finish at the ANNIKA Invitational Europe last summer.
In solo fourth and also an ANNIKA Invitational Europe exemption player, Meja Ortengren of Stockholm, Sweden, finished at 8-under-par 211. Ortengren also earned the low final honors with a score of 7-under-par 66.
Rounding out the top-5 with a share of fifth place were Yunxuan (Michelle) Zhang of (China) Plano, Texas, and Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at 7-under-par 212.
For more information or photo requests, please contact Emma Varela (evarela@ajga.org).