Top Prospects for College Golf Poised to Make Their Claim on the JGTA Junior Order of Merit

The JGTA Junior Order of Merit, the official ranking system of the JGTA, has been updated after The Southern Junior presented by Tradewinds Furnishing. The event was the fourth on the JGTA’s 2018-2019 schedule and coming up is the JGTA Junior Order of Merit Finale, the Ciputra Golfpreneur Junior World Championship 2019. The top of the JGTA Junior Order of Merit ranking has condensed, and many players are within striking distance of earning fully exempt AJGA status – the most sought after status in junior golf, by finishing with a ranking in the top-5.

Heading into the third event of the JGTA’s 2018-2019 season, the Hong Kong Junior Classic at Clearwater Bay, it seemed as if the Boys and Girls atop the JGTA Junior Order of Merit Ranking were going to run away with it, similarly to how Camille Boyd (2020) of Yorba Linda, California and Junyi Tang (2021) of Beijing, China did in the 2017-2018 JGTA season. This all changed as players submitted their final scores in Hong Kong, revealing a hoard of junior golf talent that had yet to compete on the JGTA. A few of these players followed up their commendable finishes in Hong Kong with solid performances in The Southern Junior presented by Tradewinds Furnishing, presenting them with an opportunity to strike gold at the Ciputra Golfpreneur Junior World Championship 2019.

Pongsapak Laopakdee remains atop the Boy’s Division in the JGTA Junior Order of Merit Ranking with 1867 merit points. Laopakdee is trailed by JGTA Bintan Lagoon Junior Championship presented by Tradewinds Furnishing winner Justin Sun (2022) of Shenzhen, China, and champion of The Southern Junior, Songge Jiang (2021) of Zhangjiagang, China. Jakarta locals Kentaro Nanayama (2021) and Gabriel Hansel Hari (2021) sit in fourth and fifth and just on the outside looking in is Markus Lam (2023) of Hong Kong.

The Girl’s division is likely going to come down to the wire. Amy Gao (2021) of Shanghai, China is currently atop the JGTA Junior Order of Merit Ranking, but her lead is shrinking. She is closely trailed by Mariel Isabella Tee (2020) of Pasig City, Philippines and Eila Galitsky (2025) of Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The first and second Junior All-Asia Teams and the JGTA Players of the Year (Junior Order of Merit Champions) will be named at the Ciputra Golfpreneur Junior World Championship 2019. These players will earn special invitations to compete in JGTA events in the 2019-2020 season and will be given recognition of being Asia’s top-ranked juniors and most promising future College golfers.

For more information about the Junior Order of Merit, click here.