International Players Compete

The AJGA’s second week of tournaments featured record breaking low scores and great performances from international competitors from all over the world. The weekend consisted of six events – the Taylormade / adidas Golf Boy’s Junior All-Star, the TeensGiv.org Girls Junior Championship, the TeensGiv.org Girl’s Junior All-Star presented by the Spinnaker Foundation, the Bishops Gate Golf Academy Boy’s Junior Championship, the AJGA Junior at Lost Springs presented by Visit Bentonville and the Ping Heather Farr Classic.

Gordan Sargent (2021) of Birmingham, Alabama and Gavin Aurilia (2021) of Phoenix, Arizona ran away from the field at the Taylormade / adidas Golf Boy’s Junior All-Star. After shooting scores of 70-63-68, Sargent took the title. His second-round 63 tied the competitive course record at Château Élan Golf Club, set the tournament record, and is the fourth-lowest round in AJGA History. Aurilia placed second with scores of 69-67-67 which was 10 strokes ahead of third place.

The TeensGive.org Girls Junior Championship winner was Erica Smith (2019) of Orlando, Florida. She finished the tournament with scores of 70-68-72 putting her at 6-under-par for the weekend. Megan Schofill (2019) of Monticello, Florida and Sarah-Eve Rheaume (2018) of (Canada) Lac-Delage, Quebec tied for second place after finishing even par for the tournament.

International competitor Thin Khaing (2020) of Yangon, Myanmar was crowned champion of the TeensGiv.Org Girls Junior All-Star presented by the Spinnaker Foundation. Khaing shot scores of 68-69-70 for a tournament total of nine-under-par 207. Iris Cao (2022) of Duluth, Georgia, Isabella van der Biest (2021) of Kingsport, Tennessee and Yoko Tai (2022) of Singapore finished tied for second after each carding tournament totals of four-under-par 212.

International Player Shiryu (Leo) Oyo (2018) of (Japan) San Diego, California took the Bishops Gate Golf Academy Boy’s Junior Championship title with scores of 71-72-69 for a tournament total of one-under-par 212. Oyo finished three strokes ahead of Karl Villips (2020) of (Australia) Wesley Chapel, Florida. Villips is in fifth in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.

The Girl’s Division Champion at the AJGA Junior at Lost Springs presented by Visit Bentonville was Christine Wang (2020) of Houston, Texas. Wang finished 6 shots ahead of second-place Lyn Limm (2022) of Gallatin, Tennessee after shooting scores of 72-74-69. JGTA Champion and Junior Order of Merit Leader and international competitor Camille Boyd (2020) of Shanghai, China finished T11 after shooting scores of 72-75-83.

The Boy’s Division Champion at the AJGA Junior at Lost Springs presented by Visit Bentonville was Tyler Lipscomb (2019) of Carrollton, Georgia after shooting scores of 69-71-71 for a tournament total of five-under-par 211. Jackson Van Paris (2021) of Pinehurst, North Carolina came in second place after shooting scores of 67-70-75 for a tournament total of four-under-par 212.

The Boy’s Division came down to a playoff at the historical Ping Heather Farr Classic between Ricky Castillo (2019) of Yorba Linda, California and William Mouw (2019) of Chino, California after shooting scores of 64-69-68 and 70-65-66, respectively. Castillo captured his second Ping Heather Farr Classic title after besting Mouw on the first playoff hole.

Serena Sepersky (2019) of Temecula, California took the Girl’s Division title with scores of 71-74-71 for a tournament total of three-over-par 216. This is her first win in an AJGA Tournament. A three-way tie for second including Kailie Vongsaga (2019) of Diamond Bar, California, Katherine Zhu (2018) of San Jose, California, and Nicole Whiston (2019) of San Diego, California trailed Sepersky at a tournament total of four-over-par.