The 20th anniversary of The Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship presented by Explore Branson will see a herd of 78 juniors travel to compete in Hollister, Missouri. The players will compete in 54 holes of stroke play at Buffalo Ridge Golf Course, one of the most challenging and beautiful courses in the region for the 12th consecutive year. The tournament will run from July 20 - 23rd, beginning with a Junior-Am on Monday.
About the Field
- One defending champion
- Six players in the top-150 AJGA Rolex Rankings
- 11 AJGA champions
- 11 college commits
- 12 Missouri natives
Players to watch
Cathy Zhang of San Ramon, California (2027)
- Ranked No. 76 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Champion, 2024 TaylorMade Preview at Windsor (Ages 12-15)
- Runner-up, 2026 Alton Illinois Junior Championship presented by UHY
- Fifth, 2026 Circle K Junior Championship
JiaYi Zhang of Bejing, China (2027)
- Ranked No. 125 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Champion, 2026 Visit Idaho Junior Championship
- T5, 2025 Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship presented by Explore Branson
- Nine career top-10 finishes
Kaden Leivian of Witchita, Kansas (2029)
- Ranked No. 72 in Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Fifth, 2025 Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship presented by Explore Branson
- Eight top-10 finishes in AJGA events
- One non-AJGA career win
Riley Franklin of Ozark, Missouri (2027)
- Ranked No. 150 in Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Champion, 2025 Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship presented by Explore Branson
- T4, 2025 The Amundi Evian Showcase: AJGA Open Championship
- Three top-10 finishes in AJGA events
Social
Follow along on social with #PayneStewartJr or check us out on X
, Instagram
and Facebook
.