TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Tripp Depoy of The Woodlands, Texas, is the champion of the 20th PING Invitational. Depoy finished the event at 11-under-par 205.
Tripp Depoy claimed his second AJGA victory and first career AJGA Invitational title with a commanding performance at Seminole Legacy Golf Club. The 2027 graduate opened the first round of the tournament with a 2-under-par 70 before following it up with a 3-under-par 69 in the second round to move into the lead. Depoy saved his best golf for the final round, carding a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 to secure the champion title and the low final round. His final round featured six birdies, bringing his tournament total to 15. Depoy played his final 36 holes without dropping a shot, completing both the second and final rounds bogey-free on his way to the title.
"I try to keep myself very calm and keep my mind blank. I try to focus on the shot and not think about anything extra, and that kept me on track."
The Baylor University commit is currently ranked No. 52 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Across 18 career AJGA starts, he has collected three top-10 finishes in five events during the 2026 AJGA season.
Tied for runner-up at 6-under-par 210 were Aadi Parmar of Selma, Texas, Tripp Hildreth of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Chase Bauer of Gotha, Florida. Parmar, a Texas Tech University commit and 2027 graduate, was one of the steadiest players in the field, playing each of his front nines bogey-free and recording 13 birdies during the championship. Hildreth, a 2029 graduate, carded 15 birdies throughout the tournament, including consecutive birdies on Nos. 11 and 12 and Nos. 15 and 16 during the final round. He finished under par in both the first and final rounds. Bauer, a Florida State University commit and 2027 graduate, shot 2-under-par in all three rounds, highlighted by bogey-free front nines in the opening two rounds. He recorded 12 birdies throughout the tournament.
Kaden Leivian of Wichita, Kansas, and Connor Wolfe of Blythewood, South Carolina, finished tied for fifth at 5-under-par 211. Leivian, a 2029 graduate, recorded 12 birdies during the championship and played his front nine bogey-free in both the second and final rounds. Wolfe, a 2029 graduate, moved up the leaderboard with an eagle on the par-5 No. 11 during the final round and opened the tournament with a bogey-free front nine.
Tournament History
The inaugural PING Invitational was held in 2006 and, over the past 20 years, has produced an impressive list of champions who have gone on to excel at the collegiate and professional levels. Jordan Spieth remains the only two-time Boys Division champion, capturing titles in 2008 and 2010. Other notable winners include PGA TOUR player Emiliano Grillo, Stanford standout Michael Thorbjornsen and University of Virginia star Ben James, a member of the 2023 U.S. Walker Cup Team.
The tournament's Girls Division also featured many of junior golf's most accomplished players. Rose Zhang, a two-time Rolex Junior Player of the Year and LPGA Tour standout, became the division's first two-time champion with victories in 2018 and 2020. Gianna Clemente made history in 2021 as the youngest champion at 13 years, 6 months and 18 days old before successfully defending her title in 2022. Other distinguished Girls Division champions include Nelly Korda, Alison Lee and Patty Tavatanakit.
Past Champions:
2025 - Preston Hage and Honorine Ferry
2024 - Jackson Byrd and Asterisk Talley
2023 - Wheaton Ennis and Jasmine Koo
2022 - Jay Leng Jr and Gianna Clemente
2021 - Benjamin James and Gianna Clemente
2020 - Kelly Chinn and Rose Zhang
2019 - Event was canceled due to weather
2018 - Michael Thorbjornsen and Rose Zhang
2017 - Canon Claycomb and Lucy Li
2016 - Noah Norton and Paphangkorn Tavatanakit
2015 - Spencer Soosman and Nelly Korda
2014 - Donnie Trosper and Kaitlyn Papp
2013 - Brad Dalke and Megan Khang
2012 - Gavin Hall and Alison Lee
2011 - A.J. McInerney and Jaye Marie Green
2010 - Jordan Spieth and Kristen Park
2009 - Emiliano Grillo and Rachel Morris
2008 - Jordan Spieth and Victoria Tanco
2007 - Gregor Main and Vicky Hurst
2006 - Andrew Yun and Esther Choe
About PING
PING, a golf club manufacturer with the goal to help golfers play their best, has been an AJGA supporter since 1990 and began supporting the PING Phoenix Junior in 1991. The PING Invitational, one of the AJGA's top Invitationals held over Columbus Day weekend, began in 2006 at Karsten Creek. The PING Junior Solheim Cup, the all-girls match play biennial event, has received worldwide recognition and many participants are able to say they played for their country as a junior and professional.
An Official Partner since 2002, the golf club manufacturer sponsors PING College Golf Signing Day and became "The Official Bag of the AJGA" in 2009. In 2010, PING debuted golf bags for all AJGA champions. PING also became the AJGA's first Legacy Partner in 2020.
About the Course
Seminole Legacy Golf Club stands among the nation's premier collegiate golf venues. Reimagined by Nicklaus Design and located in Tallahassee, Florida, the championship layout serves as the home course for Florida State University’s acclaimed golf programs. Known for its exceptional conditioning, strategic design and tournament-ready setup, Seminole Legacy challenges players to balance power, precision and course management. The facility has established itself as a premier host site for collegiate and amateur competition, earning recognition as one of the top university golf complexes in the country. As the first host of The PING Invitational's new era at Seminole Legacy, the club provides an ideal setting for the world's top junior boys golfers to compete for one of the AJGA's most coveted titles.
Social
Follow along on social with #PINGInv or check us out on X
, Instagram
and Facebook
.