FAYETTEVILLE, Ark - Sofia Cherif Essakali of (Morocco) Orlando, Florida and Jack Denery of Little Rock, Arkansas won the 2024 Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational.
Cherif Essakali claims the victory in the Girls' Division after shooting a 7-under-par, 209 total throughout all three rounds. In a close race heading into the final round, Cherif Essakali opened the day with a three-shot lead over Lily Peng. Striking early in the round, Essakali made a birdie on the first hole. From that point, Essakali made three additional birdies en route to an even-par round. Cherif Essakali explains how well she played during the tournament.
I didn't think I was going to finish under par, but I ended up shooting 7-under-par and I'm really happy.
This is the Florida native's fourth AJGA win and her 10th top-five AJGA career finish.
Following Cherif Essakali, finishing one stroke back in second place was Alice Ziyi Zhao of (China) Irvine, California. Coming into the final round Zhao was third in the standings. After making four birdies on the front nine and seven birdies on the day, Zhao pressured to tie for first down the final stretch.
In third place, recording a 5-under-par, 211 total was Aphrodite Deng of Short Hills, New Jersey. In fourth, posting a 4-under-par, 211 total was Lily Peng of San Ramon, California. Rounding out the top five is Eliana Saga shooting a 1-over-par, 217 tally.
In the Boys' Division, Denery gained his first AJGA victory in his first AJGA invitational after finishing with a 3-over-par, 219 total. The Arkansas native carded three birdies in the final round to jump up the leaderboard and take home the trophy. Coming into the final round Denery was in fourth place but shot even par to overtake the competition. Denery was filled with excitement after gaining his first AJGA victory.
It makes me feel great winning this tournament. I'm really speechless.
This is Denery's second career win and fourth top-five career finish.
Following Denery, shooting a 5-over-par, 221 total was Chase Jerome of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Jerome led after the first two rounds but fell to second place in the final standings. Jerome jumped to an early lead after making seven birdies in the first round and maintained that lead through the second. This is his third AJGA top-five finish and first Invitational appearance.
In third place, tallying a 6-over-par, 222 total is Yunze Wang of Rancho Santa Fe, California. In fourth, shooting 7-over-par, 223 was Luc Kelty of Louisville, Kentucky. Rounding out the top five for the Boys' Division, all at 10-over-par were Davis Wotnosky of Wake Forest, North Carolina, Ryan Lee of Plano, Texas, Yuma Nemoto of Bradenton, Florida and Chase Hughes of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Heading into the final round the girls led by 11 strokes and finished out the event with a 20-stroke lead over the boys.