Orlando, Fla. - Alice Ziyi Zhao of (China) Irvine, California, leads the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex after the second round at 12-under-par 134.
The 15th annual Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex boasts a field featuring the best female junior golfers from around the world. The 72-player field includes twenty-nine Rolex Junior All-Americans, 16 of the top-25 girls in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and four within the top-10.
Leaderboard update ‼️
— AJGA (@AJGAGolf) January 16, 2023
Zhao takes the #ANNIKAInvUSA solo lead after round 2. pic.twitter.com/iVSrl4scpM
The 2027 graduate finished the day with a bogey-free 7-under-par 66, the best round of the day. Zhao birdied six out of the nine holes on the back-nine to take the solo lead. Zhao is looking for her second invitational win. She took home the 2022 KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational at Blessings Golf Club.
Ashleen Kaur of Cypress, Texas, holds the solo second spot one stroke off the lead at 11-under-par 135. Kaur recorded a clean scorecard during round two with two birdies on the front nine and three birdies plus an eagle on the back nine. The Baylor University commit is looking for her first invitational win after earning her first AJGA win in 2022 at the C.T. Pan Junior Championship.
Katie Li of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, is in solo third at 10-under-par 136. She also put together a bogey-free day which included birdies on Nos. 3, 4, 9, 13, 16, and 17. The Duke University signee is a four-time Rolex Junior All-American and is looking for her first invitational win.
Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto, Ontario, is in solo fourth at 9-under-par 137. The 2022 Polo Golf Junior Classic Champion and Texas A&M University commit also had a bogey free-day.
Kaur, Li and Borovilos played alongside one another to combine for three bogey-free rounds, 16 birdies and one eagle.
This power group collectively carded 16 birdies, an eagle and zero bogeys in todays round. And they all sit in the top-4. 🔥
— ANNIKA Foundation (@ANNIKA_Fdn) January 16, 2023
2⃣ Ashleen Kaur -11
3⃣ Katie Li -10
4⃣ Vanessa Borovilos -9#ANNIKAInvUSA pic.twitter.com/YETcVqimHk
Trinity Beth of Calvert City, Kentucky, and Kiara Romero of San Jose, California, round out the top-5 at 6-under-par 140.
The final round will take place at Eagle Creek Golf Club on Tuesday, January 17, from 8:30 to 10:20 a.m.
For more information or photo requests, please contact AJGA Communications Manager - Emma Varela (evarela@ajga.org).