Each week, the AJGA honors one boy and one girl at every AJGA tournament who shoot the low final-round score. Below we hear from players at recent events as they recount the defining moment of their round.
AJGA
Franklin Junior presented by Franklin American Mortgage Company
I hit a lot of fairways and greens, said Winburne Hughes of Memphis, Tenn., after his final-round 3-under-par 68. I didnt miss any short putts out there. I felt like my turning point was with No. 7, I missed birdie opportunities in the other rounds, but today I was able to birdie it. I also felt like my scores on the back nine were really strong.
The putter was going really well today, said Nick Huggins of Cincinnati. I made a couple 10 footers for par which helped. I felt like my turning point came on No. 14 when I made a 20-foot putt for eagle.
I birdied three of my first four holes to get off to a hot start, said Andrew
Dorn of West Chester, Ohio, who finished in third. I had seven birdies today so I was really feeling it.
I was even at the turn, had three birdies on the back and I
eagled the last hole, said Girls Division champion Janie Jackson of
Huntsville, Ala., after her 5-under-par 67. On No. 18 I had 225 in, I hit my
5-wood to probably around six feet and made the putt. It was just a solid day and a
solid week.
Lockton
Kansas City Junior
On No. 8 I was really nervous about coming back out after
the rain delay at 3-under through No. 4, Sarah Schmelzel of Phoenix,
said about her fifth birdie in the final round at the Lockton Kansas City Junior. But
once I birdied that hole it jumpstarted my round and made me more confident to
finish.
I birdied Nos. 8 and 9 to get back to even, then just played really well and coasted in, said Charlie Saxon of Tulsa, Okla., who finished at 1-over-par 71. Its a great feeling to have the low round and its a great confidence boost going into the rest of the season."
On No. 16 I had a perfect tee shot down the middle, then hit my best
4-iron right past the hole and made the putt, said Donald Stimble of Shell
Knob, Mo., about his birdie en route to the low-round 71. It gives me a lot of
confidence going into the next year and hopefully Ill get to play in more
high-quality tournaments. Ive got nothing to lose.
I havent practiced in over a month, said Boys Division champion Rak Cho of
Brea, Calif., after a 6-under-par 66. I was not expecting to come out and do
that well. I just wanted to stay in the fairway but I wound up playing well.
Today I had five birdies and my eagle on No. 16. Doing this well after a
one-month break makes me think maybe I should stop practicing!
I was nervous coming into this tournament because I knew the field was strong,
said Chieh Peng of Beaumont, Calif., who posted a 3-under-par 69. Everything
went well today and I was excited that I was able to compete with players at
this level. I had a strong front nine where I got all four of my birdies.
Junior
All-Star at Penn State
"My best shot of the day was on No.5, a par-5, said Tanner Owen, of High Point, N.C., after his 2-under-par 70 round. I hit a 5-wood to about six feet. I ended up two-putting but it was great shot, well executed. It boosted my confidence. I had been playing well all day and that shot put me at 2-under so it felt good."
"For me, it was the last hole, said Chayanid Prapassarangkul of Bangkok,
Thailand, who finished second with a final-round 1-over-par 73. I birdied it.
I approached it to about 70 yards and made a four-foot putt. It felt really
great."